Giving to other hobbyists who suffer livestock or equipment losses.

Has anyone ever helped you with livestock (frags) or with equipment during a time of loss?

  • Yes (please tell us how in the thread)

    Votes: 76 22.8%
  • No

    Votes: 146 43.7%
  • Haven't needed help

    Votes: 103 30.8%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 9 2.7%

  • Total voters
    334

Seamore2001

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 2, 2019
Messages
432
Reaction score
563
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I posted about this in another thread a while ago. Back in the early 00s I was traveling overseas for a couple of weeks when my HOB overflow got blocked and water spilled all over the ballasts stored in the stand below (big no no). My wife logged into my BostonReefers account and sent up an SOS. A couple of guys leapt into action, came over and fixed the plumbing and rigged some new lights. I lost a few fish and some coral, but it could have been infinitely worse without my fellow reefers leaping into action.

I didn't know anything had gone wrong until I logged into my account hours after everything had been fixed!

In more general terms, when I was still in the steepest part of the learning curve for reefing, local club members and online forums helped out multiple times when I had an emergency question when something was going wrong or didn't look right. And to this day the forums are a deep source of info from fellow reef keepers when I need info. Trustworthy information is probably the most valuable thing I've gotten from others over the years.
 

BiGGiePauls33

YT/GreatBeardedReef and IG/GreatBeardedReef
View Badges
Joined
Sep 28, 2010
Messages
1,734
Reaction score
3,836
Location
South of Boston, MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Of course, this is what community is about. Had a tank crash a year or two ago when I was out of town, lost thousands in SPS, pouring support from members of my local club and friends.
 

Vette67

Reefing since 1997
View Badges
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Messages
1,089
Reaction score
3,087
Location
North Olmsted, Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I met a local reefer just starting up his tank right before the lockdown. He had some trochus snails that bred. I traded a bunch of frags for about half a dozen baby snails. I was just happy to help someone starting out. I should find out if he was able to keep the corals alive. Some were easier SPS and a branching frogspawn frag. I think his LED's should have been enough for these.... I love helping out local reefers, to get them addicted.
 

blstravler

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
May 5, 2019
Messages
4,038
Reaction score
1,360
Location
Coastal New Jersey
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Many years ago I was helped out by a few local Reefers in NJ moving my 180 and they were lifesavers. I have paid that favor forward many times.

This past summer we had a power outage in a big part of NJ after a nasty storm. I came across a fellow reefer on FB and he had lost everything during the outage. We have all lost it all at one time or another and I really felt like I could help. So I offered him up frags once his tank was back up. Fast forward to about 3 weeks ago and I made good on my offer to him and gave him a ton of free frags and small colonies. He was beyond great full and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

it’s funny most people just wanted to scorn him for not having a battery back up or a generator. No kidding but why make the guy feel worse? So much of what we do was originally founded in being a hobby where we help each other. I’m not sure what has changed but the help doesn’t feel likes it’s there as much to me anymore. So many are quick to point out what you did wrong but many don’t offer real help. I’m not saying it’s everyone but we all see threads go downhill on a weekly basis.
 

Reefs anonymous

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 8, 2017
Messages
322
Reaction score
274
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Let me start by saying I’ve given away lots of stuff. I’ve literally donated my entire running reef system to a museum free of cost when I decided I was going to quit reefing because of kids going to college and personal traveling. The only issue with giving away is that LFS do suffer. How can they sell hardware or livestock (mostly corals) if reefers are fragging and now giving away stuff. I feel as if LFS are already in a challenging situation with online stores selling hardware and their only advantage is livestock. So at times I do donate frags to lfs and I’ve gotten some store credit, but typically I don’t negotiate and they get a heck of a deal with because I feel they have serious challenges with both online and reefers giving away and trading livestock.
 

RonSwanson

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 12, 2020
Messages
31
Reaction score
16
Location
Cleveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well let’s test it out. I’ll post how many people actually offered assistance. Yes I am new to the hobby, got velvet on Christmas Eve. My mistake, no excuse. Got cross contamination between DT and QT tanks. Main display went fishless for over 2 months and kicked everything out of balance. Lost all acros. I bet most posts will be...this !diot doesn’t know what he’s doing. Doesn’t deserve my frags that’s for sure. He deserves to quit the hobby.

2E46B179-86EB-4292-9107-C4B183EDCA6C.jpeg A039EDF4-707D-4C4D-8782-0CEEAA92C695.jpeg 7491455F-78DF-4329-A6BB-5A56888394B3.jpeg 8DED157F-863D-4628-920D-9CA8B28F4D59.jpeg 4B7F54D7-773A-4227-ADB2-927B5C7219BE.jpeg 6066FA61-E213-433B-B6F2-FB36004F9341.jpeg BB2E785B-509D-4938-8393-9D178C7C14E5.jpeg BE678A33-2FC1-43DB-9BF7-A5A3BFC59518.jpeg D8A55058-899F-42DB-8AC6-E214D87178C9.jpeg
 
Last edited:

Mark Gray

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
2,957
Reaction score
2,827
Location
Athens GA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have not but I would. I just don't really know anyone around ne. I only have one friend a LFS owner that I know thats into aquariums. If you need it ask me I probably have 2 or more.
 

gary henkel

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 13, 2015
Messages
51
Reaction score
81
Location
Hatboro, pa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I actually give frags to my closest reefers like money in the bank. We trade so if we ever lose something we can give a frag back. We all benefit.

I like to give new reefers easy to care for coral. Get them hooked! I'm a big time enabler... :)

If I have extra equipment its always available to borrow. We have a local reefing group. We share equipment all the time until replacements can be purchased. Or sell it cheap.
this guy has his act totally together. i would love to have that arrangement. good on ya mate
 

XRayLee

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
26
Reaction score
15
Location
Gilbert, AZ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Anyone in the Phoenix area want to give a newbie on what would be a easy start. I have one Zoanthid on my rock, bought it from the LFS on Jan. 20th this year and not sure if it's alive or dying? Doesn't seem to be getting any bigger or growing out onto the rock. But maybe it doesn't do that. Looks pretty cool at night when I have the blue light on. Would like to put some other types on what rock I have but no idea what to get. LFS knows I'm a newbie at this and the first soft coral I bought didn't last 2 weeks. I have a 55 gallon that's been up since November. Any starter help would be great. Thanks!
 

Attachments

  • 20210129_215342.jpg
    20210129_215342.jpg
    98.8 KB · Views: 25
  • 20210121_183615.jpg
    20210121_183615.jpg
    177.6 KB · Views: 26
  • 20210121_130504.jpg
    20210121_130504.jpg
    146.6 KB · Views: 25

Vette67

Reefing since 1997
View Badges
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Messages
1,089
Reaction score
3,087
Location
North Olmsted, Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well let’s test it out. I’ll post how many people actually offered assistance. Yes I am new to the hobby, got velvet on Christmas Eve. My mistake, no excuse. Got cross contamination between DT and QT tanks. Main display went fishless for over 2 months and kicked everything out of balance. Lost all acros. I bet most posts will be...this !diot doesn’t know what he’s doing. Doesn’t deserve my frags that’s for sure. He deserves to quit the hobby.
Hey Ron. I'm near Cleveland, what do you need help with? When you get things stabilized, let me know. I have plenty of coral that I could part with....
 

RonSwanson

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 12, 2020
Messages
31
Reaction score
16
Location
Cleveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey Ron. I'm near Cleveland, what do you need help with? When you get things stabilized, let me know. I have plenty of coral that I could part with....
I live in Parma. What a small world. I’ll buy some from you. Everything got stabilized only after I dosed Nitrates and Phosphates during fishless period. Got Geo calcium reactor setup a few weeks ago and things are moving into the right direction it seems. Moved the few survived fish back into DT and I am in the market for new coral.
+1 for vette67.
 

dsloan

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 31, 2020
Messages
8
Reaction score
27
Location
usa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I like giving frags to other reefers and they do the same if either of us have a problem we can help each other get tank restocked.

I had a local store in Florence KY the owner Bill stay really late one night because my 110 separated at a seam and had to get new tank on a Saturday night he even cut me a deal give it to me at cost. Thank God for store owners that get to know their regular’s
 

Rubberfrog

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 14, 2021
Messages
918
Reaction score
2,016
Location
Phoenix metro
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Pfffffft....

We can't even get along driving and switching lanes without a lil road rage. I really think we're turning into a society that really couldn't give a rat's butt about one another. They just want you to ditch your car to get out of the way.

I attend a Mega-Church and the big joke at dismissal is for everyone to be "Christian" in the parking lot trying to leave. Haha...

If someone gave away an expensive frag to a local reefer, I'd bet you a dollar-a-donut the giver would EXPECT smthg in return. If they recvd ZIPPO, they'd never give out any more frags.

Most transactions i do locally is thru Craigslist, they want cash and explicitly say NO TRADES.

They want the moooola to spend on their future projects


Raining Money GIF by memecandy
I've given away frags to help out before and didn't expect anything in return. Not every one is greedy.
 

elcapitan1993

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 4, 2021
Messages
819
Reaction score
356
Location
white city
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
It sucks because even if I needed help there are no locals where I live, I live in white city Oregon and I have never met anyone that is in the reefing hobby, I would have loved some free starter drags or even frags I can buy and not have to get shipped to me
 

Anchor

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
991
Reaction score
1,155
Location
Zimmerman, Minnesota
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes, I have donated much to one person in particular after he was forced to move.. like half a dozen old tanks 10 to 55 in size.. along with various filter equipment and a sump As to animals, I typically trade when I can.. but sell at low enough price to make it outrageous not to buy them.. Like 4 Rock flower nems, all for $20 kind of thing.. I bought one of them as a better than normal coloration.. I am finally in a place where I can donate things too.. especially LPS.. cause I have not figured out the stick thing yet. But I will.. , :)
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,815
Reaction score
200,024
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
1. What are some ways we could be ready to help another reefer who has suffered a type of tank loss?

Sheer advice, if local some reset assistance and assist with testing using my kits and theirs for comparison

2. Has anyone ever helped you with frags or with equipment during a time of loss?

ha-Ha. . . Never.
Everyone looking for my money or offering a deal that is 2x the price of my LFS. Heck, I cant even get someone to spend $20 on me for Christmas event


1612828588851.png
 
Last edited:

MSarro27

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 20, 2020
Messages
139
Reaction score
144
Location
USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Actively taking donations in NJ ......will return the favor tanks in advance.
92FCBE9D-F20E-4DF0-9B93-80B6B26B2FA6.jpeg
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 67 37.6%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.1%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.0%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 27 15.2%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top