Prices, prices, prices........

[Mr.Firemouth]

I have noticed on many boards people complaining of prices on hard to find items. I don't think complaining about it will help. What will help is to collectively procure the stocks, grow them by feeding them and giving them extra care like their own tank plumbed onto a successful system, and then selling them for much cheaper.

I am in the process of launching a website known as CORAL GROWERS ASSOCIATION. One of my points is for hobbyist to form small groups within their local clubs to chip in and buy these rare corals solely for the purpose of propagating so others can afford them! If we form these small co-ops that are not used for profit only(obviously some money will be made to cover expenses) and work thru our clubs like study groups we can definately change the commercial views on availability and pricing. Many people don't understand that the collectors and proffesional aquaculturist control what is released and at what quantities.
That is why somethings are rare and then all of a sudden they are everywhere for 10% of what they originally cost!

I have alot of work to do to setup this association. I have the domain name and am working on designs. I am wanting to do monthly articles on fragging, prop tanks, success stories, and tracking of clubs, businesses, and dedicated hobbyist that want to grow coral in larger numbers than just frags. I want to promote people setting up satellite tanks off of their main systems to propagate a single species in demand. If 50 people sign up for one certain species in say a 20g or30g satellite tank, that could equal up to 250 colonies being cultivated BY US FOR US!!!

Please feel free to pm me with other ideas and post here your opinions. I say fight fire with fire! I work alot as a laborer and have limited time so this could take me about 2-3 months to setup properly. I would like to do this right and possibly with a little voluntary help.
thanks for listening -Rich.

 

[jon575]

GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[surfnvb7]

Re: Prices, prices, prices........

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8189175#post8189175 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mr.Firemouth
If 50 people sign up for one certain species in say a 20g or30g satellite tank, that could equal up to 250 colonies being cultivated BY US FOR US!!!

sounds like a zoa pyramid scheme lol

all kidding aside, good luck trying to find people to "donate" rare and slow growing zoas to be propagated for free when they can just sell their propagated frags for money.

good ideas though, many local clubs do this stuff anyways in a more informal manner.

 

[Jayreefer]

We are doing it here in AZ.

 

[Psychographic]

Re: Re: Prices, prices, prices........

Re: Re: Prices, prices, prices........

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8189802#post8189802 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by surfnvb7
all kidding aside, good luck trying to find people to "donate" rare and slow growing zoas to be propagated for free when they can just sell their propagated frags for money.

If you read what he wrote, he said to collectively BUY rare frags to grow out.

 

[surfnvb7]

Re: Re: Re: Prices, prices, prices........

Re: Re: Re: Prices, prices, prices........

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8190835#post8190835 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Psychographic
If you read what he wrote, he said to collectively BUY rare frags to grow out.

i would consider collectively buying within a group the same thing as donating, unless it goes directly to my tank.

 

[Mr.Firemouth]

The purpose of the CGA would not be to regulate sales but to promote propagtion and record progress. If a club chose sunset monti and made 40 frags and sold them for $125 an inch, the hobby would still benefit because there would be 40 more frags of sunset monti. If the same club sold the frags for half that price, then all the better! No judgements, just consolidated fragging efforts on corals in demand. If the marketplace floods with certain corals then the prices will eventually become more affordable to more aquarists. My goal is to motivate as many people as possible to sign on, commit, and make a difference thru an organized effort. Nothing more , nothing less. I still have alot of work to do but I am listening , so the more opinions on this the better!

 

[Reef Junkie]

Sounds like a very ambitious plan.
I hope it works.

Just be careful, seen too many of these plans go down in flames when one person starts taking on all the burden or another gets screwed because a coral died. When we're talking about a $125 dollar piece of coral, it's not too painful. But when it starts going over $500 for an animal, then it gets personal.

Again, it looks good in type, but just be careful, think long and hard about it, talk to people that are doing it and lay out good ground rules.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[brandonlai]

I think this a great idea

im really glad someone is starting this kind of program.

lets see how many people can grow frags and sell them for cheaper

 

[Reefmaiden]

Like Jayreefer mentioned, we started something similar in AZ a couple years ago:

AZ Propagators Reef Organization Project

The coral farmers ourselves actually make no money at all with it - all costs incurred to grow, house, etc the corals are absorbed by us each individually. Actually, the original group of farmers all donated a set sum of money to use to purchase the original propagation stock. We did it knowing we would never get our money back - but since we all believed in the cause we were ok with it. All monies generated by the sales of the coral frags gets re-invested in more corals.

It is finally starting to go well, with alot of community support. We did have some hard times along the way and had to defend ourselves more than once - it seems there is always someone that thinks you are doing it for alterior motives and making money off of it.

Good luck to you in your efforts!

 

[sprite]

awsome idea..just wished i didnt live in bum f!@# egypt so i could get with some locals..can you say population 1100..next nearest big town/city is 1.5 hr drive

 

[SoS125]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8201550#post8201550 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sprite
awsome idea..just wished i didnt live in bum f!@# egypt so i could get with some locals..can you say population 1100..next nearest big town/city is 1.5 hr drive

you can get corals in antartica?

where do you live lol? Gila bend arizona? UP michigan?

 

[Mr.Firemouth]

PROP is an AWESOME example of what I am promoting! The only difference is the CGA would be more about the facts and data then about the sales so that other fraggers could get involved and be successful on a national level.
The CGA does not want anything to do with what the corals are selling for but more about creating large quantities of corals which ultimately will lead to lower prices and greater availbility. I have posted this topic in other forums and once I have the ground work for this platform solidified I will then begin a much more intense campaign to get people involved. PLEASE IMAGINE PROP AT A NATIONAL OR EVEN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL OF CAPTIVE PROPAGATING!!!

By tracking thru e-mails on a monthly basis the status, health, growth rates, and detailed characteristics of these corals from say dozens of tanks there will be a baseline which propagation standards can be made and met with reliable success!

This has a future as long as people participate!

 

[MJAnderson]

Sounds like socialism to me! =)

 

[Mr.Firemouth]

I prefer coralism!!! After all I'm a republican.

 

[rjd2reef]

This sounds interesting. How many people are willing to do this? A simple yes or no.

 

[TheBigOne]

what do you think reeffarmers.com started out as? there are a few other sites that do a similar activity to what youre suggesting and they have yet to help the pricing situation. they actually have made it worse.

i say, i like your thinking, but i dont think its going to work.

best of luck regardless. it IS just my opinion.

 

[JustOneMoreTank]

I think it is a great idea. Organizing many groups/co-ops of people to grow out and keep data on corals for the betterment of the hobby and animals is a win-win for us all.

 

[Mr.Firemouth]

/what do you think reeffarmers.com started out as? there are a few other sites that do a similar activity to what youre suggesting and they have yet to help the pricing situation. they actually have made it worse

WWW.reefarmers.com is a sale site for farmed corals by steve tyree.

The CGA is going to be about a site that publicly shares the info of registered parties or individuals that are fragging or using prop tanks. The info on the prop tank and prop coral will form databases for research of said coral to track success and failures. This will help future fraggers design the best systems and frag techniques while teaching everyone more about the target coral!
There will be a forum to promote individuals, parties, or clubs to CO-OP larger quantites of coral to generate more frags for the hobby which would LOWER prices. The CGA would recommend suppliers/sponsors as a place to purchase corals at discounted prices because of the program. The CGA would not be involved in any sale or profit from any venture.
The CGA would only index where the corals are, how they are doing, and where they could be purchased if necessary. It would also link others to the program if they were interested.
My vision is more of a fraggers phone book/encyclopedia if you will. A highly organized, monthly updated organization that helps people do something in mass rather than one coral at a time.
Please continue to posts your opinions on this cataloging site that I am trying to put together and share this inquiry with others.
Thanks-Rich