- Location
- Jim Thorpe PA
You should know what you can keep before buying. If your not sure ask the seller, if your still not sure post a question thats what the site is for or ask a friend in the club
Well....I have been on both sides...
As a buyer, I think it is important to understand the species and its needs. I have purchased SPS and taken a risk at some species and they did not do well...it happens. Some species the percentages are against you regardless. That being said, I don't blame the seller. My expectations of a seller are: is the item what you wanted, does it match description, inc size. The huge issue with the corals I deal with is color.
So here's my rant on color. Any coral can look awesome with proper care, lighting and feeding. Any coral can look really awesome with good photography. But, as we all know many choose to PS the images. I know it is frustrating trying to get the photographs to come close to what you see in your tank, and many times they fall short. Unfortunately some vendors do alter images.
With the ricordea (since that is my specialty), I get the best coloration with high light with actinic supplementation. Bi-weekly hand feedings and some detectable nitrates! YIKES!! Yeah I know you SPS nuts are about peeing your pants eh...sure you don't want to come back to the realm of softies LOL
That being said, they color great even in very pristine water. I just find they grow better with some nitrates in the water. They do well with water in the mid to upper 70's.
So, now that I have said that. What do I expect from a buyer-
Bring polyps home and acclimate them to temp and drip to get ready for intro to your system.
Place in a medium to low flow area. Well lit, not in the shade.
Try not to place the rics next to some nasty neighbor...not that they can't hold their own, but still.
Once the specimen is in the tank it will show extension within 12 hrs. If it does not I would like an email, or call.
Most will open and be happy within 3 hrs.
I am willing to hear any problems and try and come up with a solution for a buyer.
I don't offer a 14 day policy...sorry I am not F&S, but I will try very hard to rectify the situation.
I hope that about sums it up.
Beth
Stores AND vendors here on MR still have responsibility to educate their client?le on whats going on with the animals and whether or not they can care for them. Even with seasoned buyers/reefers, we take the time to help them understand the needs.
As for acclimation procedures etc, this is a baseline knowledge necessary for this hobby - do tire stores teach you to drive? you get my point. All that aside, I look for clues and position questions to help me gain knowledge of the reefer who is making the purchase and their knowledge base. This often drives my replies and questions to determine if they need additional assistance (acclimation procedures etc)
I think, especially here on MR, we have a responsibility to educate the buyer and that buyers need to be realistic about what they can put in their tanks. Unfortunately, everyone believes their cycle is further along that it actually is.
I never vote on binary questions - especially when this is a shared responsibility.
House
:shhh: so Far coRaLs stiLL have their coLor and no RTN... cRoss fingers!