Reef Hobby going down the drain

[Jeeperz]

My local forum is an example. If you are new, get in the back and be quiet. You are only allowed opinions if you are a paying supporter of the site. If you are not part of "the good ol boys club", you are nobody and you don't matter. I've seen racist and SJW posts and the racist posts are accepted if you are part of that good ol boys club. Where if you try to keep politics out, you get the boot, unless it's left leaning you are not welcome. That's why I'm here. Politics not allowed. Excellent information from many good sources, especially the disease section. So many experts here that help without condescending attitudes towards the new people, even if they have questions about what they were just told. THAT is why I'm a paying member here, and will be as long as I can afford it and still have a tank.

 

[MnFish1]

Or are the bussinesses pushing their newer and newer products you wouldn’t even want and need if it wasn’t sugar coated and popularized on youtube/forums, to make more money?

Can you give specific examples - for one - there was a recent thread asking whether aquarium controllers are 'necessary' - Im not going there - but - many people said 'no'. Do you think that the reason they are considered necessary is more due to 'advertising' or 'necessity'

 

[Steven Garland]

I spent my first 8 or so years on NR,and that forum has slowed down so much. It seems as the hobby grows,and the people that come in to the hobby DO NOT like to use the search button on Google. Just repeat question after question after question. What algae is this what coral is this,oh no this or oh no that. If people just researched and looked for an answer instead of having or expecting 100 people immediately just out of the woodworks to give/explain or hand them an answer things I feel like would be more well rounded.

This is a VERY informative forum,most of the time if you google something R2R pops up with a lengthy thread on how to remedy the problem or multiple ways to do so. Most of the time people are willing to help. BUT I have ran into some situations where wow... I just wanted to snap on someone because they are being some very choice words the forum won't let me post lol. I get every batch of eggs has a few bad ones and that's anywhere you go but people in general can be trash and we just have to let the good ones outshine the bad ones.

I will agree,coral prices are insane,stupid,out of this world just ridiculous but the time will come where they go back down. But also the time will come and no coral will be able to have any coral it of the ocean which I feel like will be VERY soon.

 

[boacvh]

Arent sales trash every year? I cant get over the 10% off an item that cost $300

After the price was increased to $330 two weeks ahead of BF, so now you pay the same 300 but with a 10% discount sticker!

 

[TheOne]

Not sure why everyone keeps complaining about insane prices. I have placed two orders in the last few months at 10 corals for $150 shipped each. That's $15 a coral shipped. Sure I would like a lambo but I drive a F-150 because that's what I can afford.

Perfect example in big letters flashing at the top of the screen now. How many $15 frags you need man? Sure they aren't Uber Goobers or Pink Tattas but I'm sure you can manage with an Acropora, staghorn, faviidae, tubastraea faulkneri, heliopora, or maybe even some Alcyonacea?

TCKCorals Premium Aquacultured WYSIWYG Corals

TCK Corals specializes in the growth and sale of aquacultured premium grade corals from our coral farm in Buffalo, New York. We aquaculture Acroporas, Chalice, Goniopora, Plate Corals, Zoanthids, and Mushrooms. Also famous for our TCK Master Torch, TCK Indo Gold Torch, TCK Inferno Torch.

tckcorals.com

 

[Flippers4pups]

I'm a advocate for giving away free corals when I can. Around once a year I give away pieces of my colonies so as not throw them away. Trading with the LFS's a option sometimes, but common corals aren't that wanted.

I keep simple corals, don't have the Uber money to buy the next greatest coral out there and let mine grow and fill space. Not very popular these days, but it's old school and people still comment on how good my tank looks.

In Europe it's common for hobbyist to trade corals between each other. Trade, not buy.

Nothing wrong with the coral business here in the states, but you don't need the latest and greatest to have a healthy, enjoyable reef tank.

 

[Mical]

Commercialism not a problem with this hobby but our society. People want to be able to buy success while skipping the work, knowledge, practice and time it takes to achieve it.

Things that are worthwhile to do are not easy and take dedication, time and effort. Money cant make that for you. You have to do it yourself.

There is a common hitchhiker sticky post in a Hitchiker forum here. How many bother to look at it before posting another blurry picture of an aiptasia, qtip sponge ot ball anemone?

All that effort in looking it up -

LMGTFY - Let Me Google That For You

For all those people who find it more convenient to bother you with their question rather than to Google it for themselves.

lmgtfy.com

 

[MnFish1]

Not sure why everyone keeps complaining about insane prices. I have placed two orders in the last few months at 10 corals for $150 shipped each. That's $15 a coral shipped. Sure I would like a lambo but I drive a F-150 because that's what I can afford.

Perfect example in big letters flashing at the top of the screen now. How many $15 frags you need man? Sure they aren't Uber Goobers or Pink Tattas but I'm sure you can manage with an Acropora, staghorn, faviidae, tubastraea faulkneri, heliopora, or maybe even some Alcyonacea?

TCKCorals Premium Aquacultured WYSIWYG Corals

TCK Corals specializes in the growth and sale of aquacultured premium grade corals from our coral farm in Buffalo, New York. We aquaculture Acroporas, Chalice, Goniopora, Plate Corals, Zoanthids, and Mushrooms. Also famous for our TCK Master Torch, TCK Indo Gold Torch, TCK Inferno Torch.

tckcorals.com

I just bought 3 buckets of Brightwell neomarine from a (popular) distributor - at 15-20% (or so) off - The salt will last 6-9 months - so I'm good. In addition I bought replacement RODI products at more of a discount - from the same retailer. So - I disagree that there aren't discounts out there that are fair.

 

[MnFish1]

I'm a advocate for giving away free corals when I can. Around once a year I give away pieces of my colonies so as not throw them away. Trading with the LFS's a option sometimes, but common corals aren't that wanted.

I keep simple corals, don't have the Uber money to buy the next greatest coral out there and let mine grow and fill space. Not very popular these days, but it's old school and people still comment on how good my tank looks.

In Europe it's common for hobbyist to trade corals between each other. Trade, not buy.

Nothing wrong with the coral business here in the states, but you don't need the latest and greatest to have a healthy, enjoyable reef tank.

I wish there was a triple like

 

[Borg]

Dying hobby or not,
I still love the look on people’s faces when you tell them how much you spend on a single fish or coral.

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

I don't see how anyone can think this hobby is dying, when a dumb topic like this can get 8 pages of responses in a short time. And then consider the other countless threads on this site that are also getting many responses. This site alone proves this hobby is insanely popular.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I don't see how anyone can think this hobby is dying, when a dumb topic like this can get 8 pages of responses in a short time. And then consider the other countless threads on this site that are also getting many responses. This site alone proves this hobby is insanely popular.

It's still alive and kicking! Membership here is awesome!

 

[7237689918]

Not to stir things up, but I completely disagree. I've been reefing for 20 years and it's one of the best times I've ever seen in the hobby. We have more choices than ever (at all price points), more freely available information and exchange of ideas, and technologies that were never previously imaginable!

Reefing can be done expensively or on a budget. (I've done both with equal success). It's no more expensive than many other hobbies (unless you want it to be). I was into model railroading for many years and it's the same thing. You can buy an $80 engine or an $8000 dollar engine. The choice is up to the hobbyist.

As for bad advice..... If you ask 10 people a question about anything you are bound to get 10 different answers. Some of those answers may be bad advice, but often it's just different ways of doing things. There is no "one" right way to reef. That is the value of a forum, people can ask advice and evaluate the answers they receive, along with their own research to find the solution that best fits their situation.

I don't always like the prices of equipment, but I am free to choose what I purchase or learn to DIY. These are businesses. They exist to make money. WE as consumers set the price by what we are willing to pay. It's no different than cars, cellphones, or clothing. There is no "reef equipment vendor conspiracy". They are just running businesses in a free market. They wouldn't exist if people weren't buying and happy with their purchases.

I don't understand calling R2R trash. Where else can you find hundreds of people willing to give their time to help others 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? I've been on other forums and there are NO other online communities that I have found that foster an open exchange of ideas (without the abuse and nonsense that takes place elsewhere) and free sharing of information. No community is perfect, but R2R is as close as I've found.

I'm sure I won't change your mind about any of your opinions, but I wanted to offer another viewpoint for those new to the hobby or contemplating entering it.

Truth.

 

[robbyg]

I just wish people in this hobby would move slowly instead of trying to create Instatanks!
I have watched so many people on various forums just kill hundreds of corals and fish in their haste to have a tank up and running as soon as possible. If people just started off by letting the tank really cycle properly and then add one animal at a time and watch to see that everything is working right for several months before adding more animals we would cut down significantly on the demand for fish and corals and save thousands of animals from dying every year.

If I look back on my 35 years of keeping SW tanks and watching the industry, I would say the point when the industry really started to go south was the moment the movie "Finding Nemo" came out. Just like what Jaws did to the shark population, Finding Nemo was the defining moment when Reef keeping slid over from a hobby of passion into a commercial industry geared towards people with lots of money and an interest in a shiny new toy.

Rant Off!!

 

[chefjpaul]

If I look back on my 35 years of keeping SW tanks and watching the industry, I would say the point when the industry really started to go south was the moment the movie "Finding Nemo" came out. Just like what Jaws did to the shark population, Finding Nemo was the defining moment when Reef keeping slid over from a hobby.

There are two ways to look at this statement.
(I do agree with your first paragraph).

Finding nemo, could have actually helped get more people into the hobby, leaping the spending, the interest, innovation and education, which is extremely important aspect of not only our hobby, but as young ocean conservation? I see it, youth recognition regarding the sea.

Our species is always last to engage in the knowledge aspect before we jump into anything when seeking the instant gratification.

Jaws. Did absolutely nothing to the sharks population compared to finning. Which is still technically legal in a lot of places including the states, (can import). AND- Still is an epidemic along with bottom trawling with gill nets.

The OP is actually kinda hypocritical in the statements, as the very nature of this post is that of which is complaining about, while not encouraging the latter of community.

 

[Magellan]

As YET ANOTHER new reefer (10 months and counting!) this thread is downright offensive. I love this hobby, it’s easily affordable for almost any budget, and knowledge is readily available with a google search or forum post. There are some 10+ million homes JUST IN AMERICA with at least 1 aquarium in them...let that sink in for a second. Sorry not sorry if supply and demand has priced you out of obtaining the rarest coral in the ocean...it’s like complaining that not everyone can drive a Bugatti.

 

[Indytraveler83]

It's killing me. I wanna do a budget build to disprove so many of the myths about this hobby.

I think so much frustration is in trying to get the rarest and most exotic creatures we can find. I know a 20-30 gallon tank with some of the most common animals to this hobby could be gorgeous, yet the same price and ease as freshwater.

Anyone wanna convince my better half to let me have one more tank? Lol!!

 

[robbyg]

There are two ways to look at this statement.
(I do agree with your first paragraph).

Finding nemo, could have actually helped get more people into the hobby, leaping the spending, the interest, innovation and education, which is extremely important aspect of not only our hobby, but as young ocean conservation? I see it, youth recognition regarding the sea.

Our species is always last to engage in the knowledge aspect before we jump into anything when seeking the instant gratification.

Jaws. Did absolutely nothing to the sharks population compared to finning. Which is still technically legal in a lot of places including the states, (can import). AND- Still is an epidemic along with bottom trawling with gill nets.

The OP is actually kinda hypocritical in the statements, as the very nature of this post is that of which is complaining about, while not encouraging the latter of community.

The effect of Jaws was the fact that we no longer see sharks as fascinating creatures but instead monsters that should be killed. That is why the finning operations have been able to operate almost unchallenged by society. People go nuts when almost any animal is killed for just a small piece of its body, but with sharks we mostly just look the other away as dozens of species are being wiped out to make bowls of soup.

 

[Magellan]

It's killing me. I wanna do a budget build to disprove so many of the myths about this hobby.

I think so much frustration is in trying to get the rarest and most exotic creatures we can find. I know a 20-30 gallon tank with some of the most common animals to this hobby could be gorgeous, yet the same price and ease as freshwater.

Anyone wanna convince my better half to let me have one more tank? Lol!!

$125 for the used 28g AIO tank with all the equipment. Most expensive coral in there cost $50. Most expensive fish cost $25.

 

[Indytraveler83]

$125 for the used 28g AIO tank with all the equipment. Most expensive coral in there cost $50. Most expensive fish cost $25.

That's exactly what I'm talking about! That's awesome!