psykobowler
New member
Lol. I have an lps/softies clam tank that still needs to be filled. I might go all lps with the remainder of the swap.
MARS 2014 Annual Fall Frag Swap
- Thread starter palygirl
- Start date
jeffm59
New member
You nailed it Chris -- the joy of seeing someone new to the hobby and to MARS who brings their 3 entrance corals that maybe they even had to buy -- walk out with 10-15 new pieces makes this all worthwhile. The swap isnt about greed, it is more about sharing and helping other reefers. No different that how we all show up to move a tank or donate corals to someone with a tank crash.
If you have a nice collection -- what does it really cost you to frag off a few extra pieces to help someone just starting out. The ultra and LE rounds are the perks for those people who might show up with 50 or 60 pieces or a few extra nice/rare gems. That is the stuff that makes the MARS swap shine.
Off soapbox now :hammer::hammer:
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palygirl
New member
NittyGritty
Member
Man, I wish I could go!
psykobowler
New member
I am definitely all for sharing and i do give away corals when people visit my place. I am far from being greedy. I would rather buy or sell a frag pack than put $ value on each individual coral. I hate it when corals are named with ridiculous space galaxy names and sold for a fortune. Coral craze. I have the same enjoyment and enthusiasm keeping common or rare corals. My favorite coral is the green slimer and while it is beautiful it is also the most common coral out there. However, I questioned the type/character of coral more than the pricing or category of the coral whether it is ultra or le. We all know some corals grow really slow and some just flat out grow like a weed. There are corals classified as ultra that may only grow half an inch per year if any at all. I think the purple monster and Oregon tort fits the bill. For example, I am fortunate enough to purchase a frag of Oregon tort that grew 4 branches simultaneously within a year from a stub. The only thing I was really weighing on is do I give up those new branches just to be in front of the line knowing it took me over a year and some luck to grow the pieces. It is not about greed for me (not that I think anybody is accusing me of it - we are cool). Any new coral will make me happy, it is a plus but there is such a thing as the law of diminishing returns. If you already have a full blown reef any new addition will be justified by the limited space you have available. At some point those difficult to grow frags should be replaced by other difficult to grow frags that others grew out, ignoring their monetary value. We are passionate and proud with the organisms that we put or time and effort with. So my rational is my time growing the coral worth the trade with a coral that was purchased 15 minutes before the swap that I will eventually grow and have difficulty giving away at some point in time? I can grow corals but since I am not big on names I am at a disadvantage. I won't exactly know whether the coral I picked was worth my time. Sorry if I made this more complicated than it really is.
jeffm59
New member
Glenn I know you are very generous with people who come out to see your place and you have the right idea -- what is ultra in my tank might not be considered ultra by another reefer.
But bringing that ultra piece gives you 5 minutes to sort through every single coral that has been brought by the 100 plus reefers present before any one else. A big plus in my book. The hope is that you can find something of value to you personally that makes it worth bringing those ultra pieces.
The idea that you are trading your ultras for some common piece just purchased 10 minutes before the swap is not what should be happening. All it takes is a few minutes looking at the ultra list before the swap and a little research on google to have a wish list ready to grab some extra nice pieces.
But bringing that ultra piece gives you 5 minutes to sort through every single coral that has been brought by the 100 plus reefers present before any one else. A big plus in my book. The hope is that you can find something of value to you personally that makes it worth bringing those ultra pieces.
The idea that you are trading your ultras for some common piece just purchased 10 minutes before the swap is not what should be happening. All it takes is a few minutes looking at the ultra list before the swap and a little research on google to have a wish list ready to grab some extra nice pieces.
psykobowler
New member
You are absolutely right Jeff. FYI, I am not sure if people know that I am color blind. Can't tell the difference between different shades of color. I will definitely go by names and for sure.
NittyGritty
Member
I picked this up when I was at your place, it's funny because I am too. +1 on Glen being generous. It's what makes the hobby awesome to share in my opinion.
robert s b.
Active member
Hey Jeff, I tried to log on to Mars with no avail for my submission to confirm le or ultra. I reset my password with confirmation, but still could not log on.
jeffm59
New member
you got a pm
Saltwaternooby
SPS junkie
That was lucky Justin!!!
psykobowler
New member
I got there late, sorry. The place was sooooo hard to find and I had gps. Go figure.
