Location
Long Branch, NJ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This was mine and my husbands first time at frag swap and it was AWESOME!!!! We drove from New Jersey and got there for 10am and didn't leave until 5 :) Every one was so welcoming... from the young lady at the check-in table to the members helping out throughout the event. I do want to point out that the speakers for both presentations were fascinating!
We thought we were going to get a few pieces and get a feel for the event... but there was no time... I kept falling in love with pieces and giving my husband the look (he did the same I swear). We had to buy a cooler to carry everything! I also got a beautiful coral from the last presentation that was given up front... and boy did we get lucky... we realized that we came home with two small brittle starfish :) There is a whole one and a tri pod :) They were moving and eating last night! Thank You to everyone who made yesterday happen!!!
 
Location
Richmond Hill
Rating - 100%
6   0   0
*****To all you reefers/vendors who say I'm bad mouthing the swap,that's your opinion. It was my 1st time there and 1st time getting Into mixed reefing, in my opinion the online community is great but at the swap I felt like it wasn't about the hobby or the community anymore, it was all about the money. I bet it was different some odd years back when all of you started this reefing parenthood. Some of you may believe I have no say since I'm a new member or a noob if you so call it, and I don't know jack. That's your opinion. I believe anybody and everyone can start a reef with any budget With no experience. For instance I'm building a mixed reef for $600, most everybody on this forum said it can never happen?,Sorry I don't use words like that in my life. I came here for guidance and to share my 2 cents to who ever wishes to hear it. As for the swap I will not be attending again, but I will still be here to share help and get advice from the community. If you chose to badmouth me, call me a low ball,,,,,, be my guess....

PS: I came to the swap 1ish because my father needed a hand to cut a tree down last minute so I chose to help him over being early to an event that I RSVPed for.
 

Paul B

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 100%
28   0   0
Shastri Sookraj. I think you can easily start a mixed reef for $600.00. I don't think mine cost that much to start today. Of course the corals will cost more but you can get frags cheap and watch them grow. You are correct a frag swap anywhere is "mostly" about buying frags, and the name "Frag Swap" tells the story. They usually have speakers as this one did and you were correct these speakers were for more advanced aquarists but I think the speakers were named before hand and the topics they would speak on. I have spoken a couple of times myself on different forums. The learning experience happens on these forums and you can ask anything you like as there are plenty of advanced people here willing to help.
But when you start your tank, a frag swap is a good place to get corals because you will find the largest assortment of corals there. Much more than any one store and the prices are reasonable.
Have a great day.
 

SteveZ15

Advanced Reefer
Location
Ridgewood Queens
Rating - 100%
60   0   0
I Could NOt Complain Gift Bag With Gift CupoN And Other Stuff A Meal Ticket. That AloNe Is Pro Worth More Than The Admission.The VendoS Had More Than Good Prices. Imo It Was A Nicely Set Up Event More Than Worth it.
 

duke62

Advanced Reefer
Rating - 100%
224   0   0
*****To all you reefers/vendors who say I'm bad mouthing the swap,that's your opinion. It was my 1st time there and 1st time getting Into mixed reefing, in my opinion the online community is great but at the swap I felt like it wasn't about the hobby or the community anymore, it was all about the money. I bet it was different some odd years back when all of you started this reefing parenthood. Some of you may believe I have no say since I'm a new member or a noob if you so call it, and I don't know jack. That's your opinion. I believe anybody and everyone can start a reef with any budget With no experience. For instance I'm building a mixed reef for $600, most everybody on this forum said it can never happen?,Sorry I don't use words like that in my life. I came here for guidance and to share my 2 cents to who ever wishes to hear it. As for the swap I will not be attending again, but I will still be here to share help and get advice from the community. If you chose to badmouth me, call me a low ball,,,,,, be my guess....

PS: I came to the swap 1ish because my father needed a hand to cut a tree down last minute so I chose to help him over being early to an event that I RSVPed for.

Did you go to the speakers presentation? You said you went there to learn and you didnt learn anything but you got there after 1 so im guessing no speakers for you so how were you supposed to learn? Did you think people were going to walk up to you and just start giving you advise? And now you are saying it was all for money so explain that. Yes the vendors spend 2 days there setting up of course they want to make money. I also dont think anyone would say you cant make a reef for 600 dollars. You need to take a breathe and realize its not all about you :) When you get to meet people over the next few years you will have alot more fun
 

Lee

Advanced Reefer
Location
Manhattan UWS
Rating - 100%
25   0   0
This was my second year attending this event, and I thought it was great! The speakers were both fantastic. Last year I came too late to hear the first speaker & was so involved buying corals that I missed the second one. This year I got there early and made sure that I caught both speakers. If you go to the swap and don't attend the talks you are really missing out. I think the voucher/cafeteria lunch was far better than the pizza last year. I was a little disappointed to see that some of the prices of corals/clams/inverts seems to rising at an astronomical rate. I noticed some items that I bought last year from the same vendors are now being sold at more than twice last years prices. There were still good deals to be had, and I really appreciate the variety that the vendors bring to the event. Many thanks to Kathy (I'm the guy you told to park my blue, wheeled cooler so that people don't trip on it) and everyone else that made this event possible. I can't wait until the next one.
 
Location
Nassau
Rating - 100%
164   0   0
I happened to overhear a conversation between Ming, a moderator, and some first-timers where he was giving great advice on fish selection and disease treatment. I think most persons, if not everybody, would probably have been ready to shoot the breeze about the hobby with anybody who was interested. These swaps are great oportunities to learn from fellow reefers.
 

BaaMNYC

Advanced Reefer
Location
Bayside
Rating - 100%
324   0   0
I happened to overhear a conversation between Ming, a moderator, and some first-timers where he was giving great advice on fish selection and disease treatment. I think most persons, if not everybody, would probably have been ready to shoot the breeze about the hobby with anybody who was interested. These swaps are great oportunities to learn from fellow reefers.

These swaps are great in my opinion. You get out of it as much effort as your willing to put in. If you Want to hear the speakers you can. I personally couldn't make it to the presentation but that was my decision. I came to see and purchase the beautiful corals and see fellow members.

Weather you are going purely for the purchase of corals or to learn about reef keeping. There are plenty of vendors and members you can spark a conversation with if you are willing to initiate it. If you don't put in the effort to go to the presentations or ask questions (or eves drop lol) you wont learn much at all. Can't blame anyone but ourselves.
 
Location
Long Branch, NJ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think I was the one he was speaking if it was closer to the end of the swap... but I bet there were a lot like me :)
Everybody is willing to talk is right! Not only did we get some great information from the Ming and other Moderators (Mike was awesome with all my coral questions) but there were some great vendors who took the time to look at pictures of our current tank and gave us ideas and advise. The thing is you have to start the conversation and be willing to ask questions. Only when I started overhearing presentations and coming up with my own questions did I start to feel the interaction part of these swaps. I have learned so much just by overhearing others conversations... I think this is the only time I would say its OK to ease drop on someone's conversation :)
 

James

Zen-Reefer
Location
Bay Ridge, BK
Rating - 100%
112   0   0
I think this is the only time I would say its OK to ease drop on someone's conversation :)

Completely agree. Most of the time you could even join the conversation without a second glance, the cool part about this event is we all share the same hobby and are more than willing to discuss it without getting weird looks from non-reefers (except SOs of course)
 

Pootie

Advanced Reefer
Location
42nd Street
Rating - 100%
6   0   0
I don't even have a tank anymore, but had a good time seeing some old and new faces . I played the Raffle with hopes of NOT winning anything that would force me to have cause to set up another tank. My wife thanks you all for winning all the prizes!! Lol
 

Thales

Advanced Reefer
Staff member
Location
SFBA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks everyone for the hospitality. It is always an honor and a joy to be asked to give a talk at an MR event. Thanks again!
 

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