VT reefers!

[MikeyD1182]

Any chance you can edit - and then delete it? I've not tried that so not sure if edit will show it.

you only get like 5 minutes to edit after it’s posted or something like that. They did remove the picture with the phone # though.

 

[User1]

you only get like 5 minutes to edit after it’s posted or something like that. They did remove the picture with the phone # though.

Cool!

 

[Eric R.]

So according to my friend that used to work for Step Ahead Innovations, they ran out of money and laid everyone off.

 

[User1]

So according to my friend that used to work for Step Ahead Innovations, they ran out of money and laid everyone off.

Oh....boy.

 

[MikeyD1182]

Well geeze I guess the over 7 million they raised in a year wasn’t enough to stay afloat somehow.

 

[User1]

Well geeze I guess the over 7 million they raised in a year wasn’t enough to stay afloat somehow.

7 million is a lot. But then again I was in a small startup and the owner raised over 30 million. We seem to have blown through that in about 18 months give or take. Not saying this had anything to do with it but he would drive in with his Porsche 929 or Ferrari F40 and one would wonder. Then again they paid us very, very, well so in the end I'd say it was just a mismanagement of money and priorities.

To be fair that article is almost 2 years old - so I'm pretty sure they can run through 7 million in that time frame. Especially if they had to re-do manufacturing.

 

[Eryeal]

7 million is a lot. But then again I was in a small startup and the owner raised over 30 million. We seem to have blown through that in about 18 months give or take. Not saying this had anything to do with it but he would drive in with his Porsche 929 or Ferrari F40 and one would wonder. Then again they paid us very, very, well so in the end I'd say it was just a mismanagement of money and priorities.

To be fair that article is almost 2 years old - so I'm pretty sure they can run through 7 million in that time frame. Especially if they had to re-do manufacturing.

Yes I agree - you see this in a ton of startups who are able to raise money quickly. And that's the problem with these scenarios - you don't watch every dollar and you don't run lean, because you see all that money in the bank. You end up overpaying for everything because you aren't pinching pennies. It's a lot different than creating a startup with no financial backing and every decision is financially scrutinized because you can't afford not to. Look at the 5 people in leadership at Step Ahead - that's easily $1-$2 million a year in total salary alone for those guys I guarantee.

 

[ScubaFish802]

Another Vermonter here.. where are you all finding your corals? Anywhere local? :)
I’ve only found one place with a small selection near Burlington.. heard of another out in Stowe but every time I drive out there during posted business hours it’s closed.

 

[Eric R.]

Another Vermonter here.. where are you all finding your corals? Anywhere local? :)
I’ve only found one place with a small selection near Burlington.. heard of another out in Stowe but every time I drive out there during posted business hours it’s closed.

I'm assuming you mean the place near Burlington is The Pet Advantage? I didn't know they had any SW stuff, but I haven't been there in a while. I've gotten a few FW fish and plants from them in the past, but more recently have gotten my FW fish and plants either from the local fish club or ordered online. Unfortunately not too many folks in TFCB that have reefs that I know of, just one guy with a 210 gallon. I haven't tried going to the place in Waterbury yet, but have also heard that they are closed frequently and don't always seem to be around when their posted open hours are, even pre-covid.

 

[Bailey VT]

Hello!

Brand new member here from the Northeast Kingdom! I'm slowly backing out of my discus addiction and into reef keeping.

Looking forward to meeting some other Vermonters sometime post Covid!

 

[Bailey VT]

I'm assuming you mean the place near Burlington is The Pet Advantage? I didn't know they had any SW stuff, but I haven't been there in a while. I've gotten a few FW fish and plants from them in the past, but more recently have gotten my FW fish and plants either from the local fish club or ordered online. Unfortunately not too many folks in TFCB that have reefs that I know of, just one guy with a 210 gallon. I haven't tried going to the place in Waterbury yet, but have also heard that they are closed frequently and don't always seem to be around when their posted open hours are, even pre-covid.

Pet advantage has a saltwater section, and they can probably special order things for you. I've gotten a couple clowns, a watchman goby/shrimp pair, some snails and hermits there. They have a few corals and anemones as well. I'm getting most of my stuff online as we are in the sticks, and it take me 2 hours to drive to Burlington.

 

[fish farmer]

Pet advantage has a saltwater section, and they can probably special order things for you. I've gotten a couple clowns, a watchman goby/shrimp pair, some snails and hermits there. They have a few corals and anemones as well. I'm getting most of my stuff online as we are in the sticks, and it take me 2 hours to drive to Burlington.

It is hit or miss at PA, just be careful with inspecting corals from there. They have some red algae in their tanks that I've gotten in my tank and was difficult to get under control for a while. They also have some drab green palys growing everywhere in some tanks which are one you really don't want. I had a single polyp come on a disc with another paly and it grows twice as fast as everything else.

 

[Bailey VT]

It is hit or miss at PA, just be careful with inspecting corals from there. They have some red algae in their tanks that I've gotten in my tank and was difficult to get under control for a while. They also have some drab green palys growing everywhere in some tanks which are one you really don't want. I had a single polyp come on a disc with another paly and it grows twice as fast as everything else.

I got 1 head of frogspawn there that has done well (but I did see a few suspiciously aggressive looking inhabitants in their tanks!) I do have a bit of red cyanobacteria now, but I can't say for sure where it came from. It seems to be receding as I get a better handle on nutrients.

If the border were open I would look into going to Montreal. It's about the same distance as Burlington for me. I have no idea if it's legal to bring corals back across the border.

 

[fish farmer]

I got 1 head of frogspawn there that has done well (but I did see a few suspiciously aggressive looking inhabitants in their tanks!) I do have a bit of red cyanobacteria now, but I can't say for sure where it came from. It seems to be receding as I get a better handle on nutrients.

If the border were open I would look into going to Montreal. It's about the same distance as Burlington for me. I have no idea if it's legal to bring corals back across the border.

My avatar picture is of a hammer I got from PA as a tiny pinky sized frag for $35 grows incredible in my old dirty tank. Probably had it for three years, few heads bailed on it last year, but it is adding a lot of heads back.

Not sure on border stuff in a normal year. You are very far from anywhere worth travelling to. I won't mention Green Mountain Corals in Waterbury, there's enough info if you look through the pages. Probably nothing worth driving to in NH except toward the MA border. Don't bother wasting a trip to Lebanon Pet.

 

[Eric R.]

@Bailey VT and @fish farmer, you guys should post some shots of your tanks! And @fish farmer, I see that you have some mangroves, I'd be interested in seeing some recent pictures of them. When I have something worth sharing, I'll do so as well.

 

[fish farmer]

@Bailey VT and @fish farmer, you guys should post some shots of your tanks! And @fish farmer, I see that you have some mangroves, I'd be interested in seeing some recent pictures of them. When I have something worth sharing, I'll do so as well.

I used to have mangroves....in a failed SW paludarium....I literally chopped them down the other day so I could use the tank as a temp home for the fish/rock out of the 120 gallon tank I tore apart yesterday.

My pics are never stellar....I scrape coralline monthly.

Green favia from Unique Corals tripled in size since fall 2019



This picture is almost a year old.


Blueberry favia from Cultivated Reef bought March 2020. It is expanding now to the rock.

 

[Bailey VT]

My avatar picture is of a hammer I got from PA as a tiny pinky sized frag for $35 grows incredible in my old dirty tank. Probably had it for three years, few heads bailed on it last year, but it is adding a lot of heads back.

Not sure on border stuff in a normal year. You are very far from anywhere worth travelling to. I won't mention Green Mountain Corals in Waterbury, there's enough info if you look through the pages. Probably nothing worth driving to in NH except toward the MA border. Don't bother wasting a trip to Lebanon Pet.

I've stopped in Waterbury on 5 occasions and never caught it open, so I'm guessing the retail traffic was enough to keep retail hours. It's hard to say if Vermont could support a REAL fish store in the internet age. I tried! I'd always rather support someone locally if at all possible.

I grew up in Lebanon and remember when Lebanon Pet opened that store. It was incredible back then (30 years ago?). Kind of sad to see it now.

I drove to Florida last week, and stopped at Worldwide Corals. That place is incredible. Now that I've seen it, I probably won't be satisfied with any store!

 

[Bailey VT]

@Bailey VT and @fish farmer, you guys should post some shots of your tanks! And @fish farmer, I see that you have some mangroves, I'd be interested in seeing some recent pictures of them. When I have something worth sharing, I'll do so as well.

Give me a few more weeks/months! We're firmly in the ugly phase right now.

 

[Eric R.]

@fish farmer, too bad the sw paludarium didn't work out. Nice facias though! I think I read your idea of a mangrove tank in a greenhouse in a thread, I was thinking that would be an amazing thing to try at some point if I ever had the right house for an attached greenhouse. I just have a simple hoop house in the yard at the moment.

@Bailey VT, looking forward to pics once your tank clears up!

 

[fish farmer]

@fish farmer, too bad the sw paludarium didn't work out. Nice facias though! I think I read your idea of a mangrove tank in a greenhouse in a thread, I was thinking that would be an amazing thing to try at some point if I ever had the right house for an attached greenhouse. I just have a simple hoop house in the yard at the moment.

@Bailey VT, looking forward to pics once your tank clears up!

I would do a mangrove tank again if I didn't have cats and more space. Even a simple 40 breeder with a sump in the back with the island part there, but trained with feeder roots going into the reef.