When we mean "encrusted"...

[uniquecorals]

Hey everyone,

A lot of people ask about our frags. They ask things like "How hardy are they?" The answer: Very! "How colorful are they?" The answer: Quite!

And the most common question: "How 'encrusted' are they, really?"

Hopefully, these pics of random pieces from our inventory provide some clarification:

Our Acro frags are always fully encrusted on the plug. Healthy, and actively growing. We feel that this gives you an advantage, because a healthy, happy frag generally leads to a healthy, happy colony! They have already healed over after being cut from the mother colony, and tend to be more disease-resistant, adaptable, and they typically begin vertical growth much more quickly than freshly cut, quickly glued frags.

We're planning on being around for a long time, so we don't need to rush freshly-cut corals out the door. It's just not the way we do things at Unique. When you purchase something from us, it's been fragged carefully, allowed time to heal up and encrust, lovingly cared for by fellow coral geeks right up until the moment it's shipped to you!

You work too hard for your money to risk it on a "fresh cut", un-healed Acropora frag.


Oh- Our sale may be over, but the cool stuff is still coming! We've going to be adding a bunch of new stuff throughout the week. And, next week, we'll be updating you on some of the CRAZIEST Chalices we've ever offered!

You haven't seen ANYTHING yet! Keep your seatbelts fastened!

Happy Holidays!

Scott and Joe

 

[maharsreef]

Awesome. You guys are raising the bar for sure.

 

[Pappy]

It is SO AWESOME to see this from and online vendor versus a fresh cut or pic of mother colony but not wysiwyg! Great job!

 

[buddythelion]

Those are some encrusted frags! Love the care and quality that you continue to provide. One of the cleanest websites as well, looking forward to you guys bringing on the heat!

 

[gar732]

Wow, I'm so used to seeing a freshly cut nub. It's nice to see a vender who cares about the product they put out. Well done!

 

[Pkunk35]

+1 on the UC sps frags. Most of what i have seen there are completely encrusted frag plugs, you could frag the frag plug. I have several in my tank that are doing really well.

 

[MattL22]

Any like these in manhatten store !

 

[Fatmike92]

alright ill have to add one of these to my order lol

 

[Just Clownin Around]

Beautiful
The way I sell corals when I had a tank.

 

[uniquecorals]

Awesome. You guys are raising the bar for sure.

Thanks so much for the kind words. We still have a long way to go to get to where we want to be...We make the occasional mistake. But we do have some minimum standards to keep you- our customers-happy, and we are glad you can appreciate them!

-Scott

 

[uniquecorals]

It is SO AWESOME to see this from and online vendor versus a fresh cut or pic of mother colony but not wysiwyg! Great job!

Our not-so-inside-joke is that the only freshly-glued stuff that leaves our facility is our fingers! it's so important for us to keep quality high. We do occasionally show the mother colony for reference, but always try to provide a frag shot, so that you know what to expect. We like surprises- but not the kind that come from not getting what we expect when we pay for something...and we made that part of our core values- to exceed expectations as often as possible.

 

[uniquecorals]

Those are some encrusted frags! Love the care and quality that you continue to provide. One of the cleanest websites as well, looking forward to you guys bringing on the heat!

Thanks a lot! We put a lot into designing the aesthetic of the website to avoid the usual "web vomit" that you tend to see in the industry, and it was a long and difficult process getting it developed. We were looking for a (gulp- I know it's cliche') "Apple-esque" aesthetic when we developed it. We're glad you like the clean look. It's not easy to keep it that way, given the frantic pace of this business and the need to constantly tweak and add new stuff! There is still much to improve, though, in terms of functionality and navigation, and we learn something new every day. Your feedback is so critical.

 

[uniquecorals]

Wow, I'm so used to seeing a freshly cut nub. It's nice to see a vender who cares about the product they put out. Well done!

In defense of the many fine people in this industry- most of them care a lot about the products they sale, and the corals.We just decided to set some standards for our products from day one and own them. The key is to marry quality product with a great customer experience, while still creating a personal vibe with every client. Harder than I thought to do, but it's the very best part of working in the industry! It starts with the "no fresh cuts" rule, and continues on from there. We just want to give everyone the best chance for success with our corals, and it starts with us being disciplined. We are very glad that people notice...And if we ever do slip up, we welcome the criticism- it's how we improve, and build a company that reefers feel good about doing business with.

 

[uniquecorals]

+1 on the UC sps frags. Most of what i have seen there are completely encrusted frag plugs, you could frag the frag plug. I have several in my tank that are doing really well.

That's too funny! But it is true! We've actually had new frags arise from broken frag plugs! There is just no point in rushing getting coral to market. I'd rather have a customer a bit anxious about it taking longer to get a high quality new-release frag, than be ticked off at us because we sent some thing that disappointed because we rushed it out to make a quick buck.

-Scott

 

[uniquecorals]

Any like these in manhatten store !

Although my partner, Joe Caparatta, owns Manhattan Aquariums, UC is a totally separate entity. He does send some UC pieces to Manhattan from time to time, so that shoppers can see the corals in person. You'll definitely see UC pieces in his store!

 

[mnat]

Great job guys, really happy to see people taking the lead and getting away from fresh cut and glued nubbins. I really have to laugh when vendors brag over .5 inch to .75 inch frags as you are getting a deal. I will be placing an order soon, (excited for your chalice release) and will be adding some SPS. We will have to get you guys back out here to Jersey for another frag swap.

 

[uniquecorals]

alright ill have to add one of these to my order lol

Just say the word, LOL. We should develop an "impulse buy" pricing structure for some pieces, so that you could throw on a few high-quality frags at the last second with really good prices...Hmmm...another idea to work on!

 

[uniquecorals]

Beautiful
The way I sell corals when I had a tank.

I think it's the best way to go! And I'm a big fan of your fish, btw!

 

[MitchReef]

Those frags are beautiful...They remind me of the ones I used to get from Juicy Corals before Juice passed away....

 

[Fatmike92]

Just say the word, LOL. We should develop an "impulse buy" pricing structure for some pieces, so that you could throw on a few high-quality frags at the last second with really good prices...Hmmm...another idea to work on!

oh no... lol impulse buy might as well be my middle name lol