Reefapalooza Anaheim
- Thread starter lanshark
- Start date
solitude127
Proud user of IO Salt!
oh dang. Last I looked there weren't a whole lot of vendors either.
I’m not anywhere near Anaheim but the “deals” I heard about from the one in New York were basically paying MSRP it seemed
BeanMachine
Active member
See everyone there. I always love these threads. Spends $100 on a coral but doesn't want to go to an awesome reef show with vendors from all over the country because it's too expensive. I bet @boltman1 hasn't been to a show in years.
Just carpool with some other reef nerds. That's what a lot of us do.
Just carpool with some other reef nerds. That's what a lot of us do.
solitude127
Proud user of IO Salt!
See you at the ReefNutrition Booth. lol..
Yeah I haven't gone since it moved from the fairgrounds, broke down my tank awhile ago, but part of the reason I got out was the insane prices people would charge for frags, I was always a "I'll break off a piece for you if you want to drive to Riverside" kind of reefer, as a matter of fact, I hooked you up with a few frags when you were looking for a yellow fuzzy awhile back Cody, no charge.
My motto back then was it's a hobby not a business. Not anymore.
BeanMachine
Active member
Absolutely. I remember. And I've done the same many times. I just don't see the point in your post is all, other than negativity. This show is once a year, and no one, including SCMAS, is getting rich LOL
BeanMachine
Active member
I just noticed the floor plan is almost full. If any SCMAS members are reading this, we have a volunteer meeting tonight on zoom if anyone has the time to join or would like to volunteer.
Sorry but how is $30 prohibitively expensive? So, $54 with parking to check out a huge selection of coral and equipment. Big deal I spend that on regents and additives in no time, lol. I've been messing around with saltwater for 25+ years and always learn something new everytime I go to a show. I'm heading to MACNA Milwaukee in Sept, driving from Chicago and back in one day. That's more than $15 in gas, lol, but well worth it imho to hear even one of the great speakers they have lined up.
BeanMachine
Active member
10 days away! I'm eating Subway this week for lunch so I can afford it. I gotta do what I gotta do!
pga7602
Well-known member
Baller.... I was thinking 1 dollar tacos. See you there Cody.
BeanMachine
Active member
Love $1 tacos.
I'm looking forward to this show. I'm officially retired after booking RAP for almost 10 years. Now I can help with a few things, but actually enjoy it for once.
Toutle
Member
My thoughts about RAP 2022.
The venue was way too small for the crowds and the space for each vendor could have been larger. The aisles were very crowded, many times having to wait for people to pass just to walk to the next booth. Some of the booth owners seemed cramped and very tight on space.
The raffle prizes compared to 2019 were lacking very much. I was planning on leaving prior to the numbers being drawn so I didn't end up playing. Seemed like most prizes were for small gift cards or merch. Not too many equipement prizes or items to actually see what you're trying to win.
2019 had more booths that were geared towards new equipment, additives, food, etc. This year coral vendors dominated, which isn't a horrible thing but having a nice balance would be nice. 2019 also had a type of scavenger hunt promoted by BRS to go around and complete and then you could get a shirt where you could pick the size you wanted. It made those that wanted a shirt to engage with the vendors, having to talk to listen. In 2022 a shirt was provided in the gift bag at the door. Me and my GF were both given large. Too small for me and too big for her, she'll just have to use them as PJ shirts.
In 2019 I went alone and walked out with more than a year's supply of various fish food for my 75g. I got a few bottles of various pods from reef nutrition. Concentrated bottles of live phyto that lasted me 3-4 months. Bottles of various additives. I got a lot of giveaway products from the vendor's, more than enough to recoup the cost of the ticket. This year we were early so we were each able to grab a bag of TDO from reef nutrition, small sample food from marine complete but everything else was pens, candy and stickers. We made a few rounds through the event and noticed all TDO samples were gone within the first hour.
I'm glad kids can attend but there needed to be rules about strollers and WAGONS being pushed and pulled down the already crowded aisle. One family there was a dad pulling a wagon and mom pushing a stroller. Without a care in the world they took up more than half the aisle and if they made their way to a vendor they took up the entire floor space so no one else could look at the corals. Unless they find a larger space next year strollers and wagons should be left on the outskirts. Dad can watch the unruly children on the perimeter as mom goes and looks at corals or vice versa.
I had to pay $60 for parking as my toyota tacoma was too tall to enter the hotel parking garage but I was able to excuse that in my mind with the savings/coral deals I was able to find.
Even with all my bitching and complaints it was still a very enjoyable event. The vendors were extremely friendly and helpful. I watched as they would explain the care of certain corals to clearly beginner hobbyists. They worked with me on prices and with my experienced eye I was able to grab a few amazing deals.
I spent a total of $220 and came home with a small frag of homewrecker tenuis, cherry bomb tenuis, pink moment tabling acro, a beautiful no name red/purple fuzzy acro, 4 eye frag of raja rampage chalice, wolverine favia and an orange ring mushroom.
The venue was way too small for the crowds and the space for each vendor could have been larger. The aisles were very crowded, many times having to wait for people to pass just to walk to the next booth. Some of the booth owners seemed cramped and very tight on space.
The raffle prizes compared to 2019 were lacking very much. I was planning on leaving prior to the numbers being drawn so I didn't end up playing. Seemed like most prizes were for small gift cards or merch. Not too many equipement prizes or items to actually see what you're trying to win.
2019 had more booths that were geared towards new equipment, additives, food, etc. This year coral vendors dominated, which isn't a horrible thing but having a nice balance would be nice. 2019 also had a type of scavenger hunt promoted by BRS to go around and complete and then you could get a shirt where you could pick the size you wanted. It made those that wanted a shirt to engage with the vendors, having to talk to listen. In 2022 a shirt was provided in the gift bag at the door. Me and my GF were both given large. Too small for me and too big for her, she'll just have to use them as PJ shirts.
In 2019 I went alone and walked out with more than a year's supply of various fish food for my 75g. I got a few bottles of various pods from reef nutrition. Concentrated bottles of live phyto that lasted me 3-4 months. Bottles of various additives. I got a lot of giveaway products from the vendor's, more than enough to recoup the cost of the ticket. This year we were early so we were each able to grab a bag of TDO from reef nutrition, small sample food from marine complete but everything else was pens, candy and stickers. We made a few rounds through the event and noticed all TDO samples were gone within the first hour.
I'm glad kids can attend but there needed to be rules about strollers and WAGONS being pushed and pulled down the already crowded aisle. One family there was a dad pulling a wagon and mom pushing a stroller. Without a care in the world they took up more than half the aisle and if they made their way to a vendor they took up the entire floor space so no one else could look at the corals. Unless they find a larger space next year strollers and wagons should be left on the outskirts. Dad can watch the unruly children on the perimeter as mom goes and looks at corals or vice versa.
I had to pay $60 for parking as my toyota tacoma was too tall to enter the hotel parking garage but I was able to excuse that in my mind with the savings/coral deals I was able to find.
Even with all my bitching and complaints it was still a very enjoyable event. The vendors were extremely friendly and helpful. I watched as they would explain the care of certain corals to clearly beginner hobbyists. They worked with me on prices and with my experienced eye I was able to grab a few amazing deals.
I spent a total of $220 and came home with a small frag of homewrecker tenuis, cherry bomb tenuis, pink moment tabling acro, a beautiful no name red/purple fuzzy acro, 4 eye frag of raja rampage chalice, wolverine favia and an orange ring mushroom.
