Reefermadness

StOnErSpS · 12-27-2006, 03:54 PM

I was thinking about ordering the 20 frag pack from www.reefermadness.us

Has anyone ordered from here?
Good or bad?

Thanx
Chris

David Grigor · 12-27-2006, 04:01 PM

You've got the wrong address, reefermadness.us not .com

One of the complaints ( and may be different now ) is that corals or sold from one place but shipped from another. The guy selling the coral has never actually seen it. So both you and the company are relying on pictures.

There have been plenty of complaints that picture is better than the actual coral they recieved. Which is very common with most websites anyway.

I have never ordered frags from them, but others in the club have and have been very pleased with them and most of the time above expectations. However, I haven't really heard how well they do long term mostly just see pics right after receiving and never any follow up.

Also, if it is not documented be sure to know what you are getting are fragments that have broken from wild caught colonies, they are not captive raised. So very likely will see some color shifts once under tank lighting vs. natural conditions. Also may not be as hardy and like most wild caught have a greater risk of casualties in the first year than corals that were captive raised such as ORA corals.

StOnErSpS · 12-27-2006, 04:09 PM

learn something new everyday on this website,

Thanx david, you replied faster then i could edit the thread!

I didnt know they are broken from wild colonies either!

The pack i was looking at is the one where they throw in 20 frags of their choice, so if they are broken from wild colonies, and their choice i might not be getting what i am looking for in terms of color.

I am jsut looking to fill the tank with some frags and grow them out for a year or so get them into bigger pieces before putting them in a bigger tank.
Thanx for the quick responce

David Grigor · 12-27-2006, 04:21 PM

They are nice and doubt you will be disappointed, I'm sure they will give you a pretty wide variety of colorations and types. you will likely have greater casualties than other frags over time so factor that into the costs. Color shifts aren't necessarily bad thing. It can be a fun part of the hobby to see things change. May find some diamonds in the rough which is always cool.

ORA corals are very nice and will likely hold there color well and have been several generations removed from the wild colony. However, average is about $50 each.

redwinger · 12-27-2006, 04:37 PM

I stopped by RMI when I was in LA last year and toured the joint. I was rather impressed at the operation. All corals including frags under the aquacultured section are aquacultured. The ones that are under handpicked are wild colonies. The wild colnies that I have ordered from them do need lots of blue light/20k to maintain there vivid colors. They are more proned to not survive also. But overall I have been satisfied with the wild colonies that I got from them. The frags are a great deal IMO as they are rather large frags that they send. There photos on the site are pretty darn close to what you get as far as color is concerned as when I looked at the holding tanks and they showed me where they took the pics and colors are very well represented.

David Grigor · 12-27-2006, 05:17 PM

So John, the frags are now cultured and not just branching broken off during shipments. I know when they started the frags that was indeed the case but certainly could have changed since then.

StOnErSpS · 12-27-2006, 06:10 PM

I think i might give it shot after the info guys..thanx

I think that the wide variety will spice up the tank and if a lose some i will be adding more, i just want to tank to look like it has life in it.

Thanx again

redwinger · 12-27-2006, 06:11 PM

What they told me when I was there is that all the frags are aquacultured. Now that does not mean they are but I have to take their word for it. Plus it is on the aquaculture page on their site and would hate to see the legal ramifications of false advertising.

StOnErSpS · 12-27-2006, 06:43 PM

How would i tell the difference?

redwinger · 12-27-2006, 06:47 PM

Unfortunatelly there is no real way to tell the difference.

StOnErSpS · 12-27-2006, 06:54 PM

bummer

Ill give it a shot, my cousin threw me a couple hundred so i will call it a christmas gift!!

Ill order it friday i think, see what i get. i will try to post some pics.

When the arrive whats the correct way to acclimate them, and should i glue them to a peice of rubble?

Thanx again

redwinger · 12-27-2006, 07:25 PM

Well I am not the best person to tell you how to acclimate a coral. I don't acclimate corals, I just throw them in. However your mileage may vary.

Floating the bags and equalizing temp and then dripping for a half hour or so is the most common method. You can glue them to a rock,rubble or a frag plug/disk.

StOnErSpS · 12-27-2006, 08:20 PM

You just throw them in huh.lol.

Perfect! I should go buy some rubble and some glue and get ready for them!

Ill post some pics when i get them!

redwinger · 12-27-2006, 08:38 PM

Yeah I do.

StOnErSpS · 12-27-2006, 09:05 PM

gotta q for ya redwinger-

What return pump were you planning to use on your 120 that you had setup up, or kinda setup?