Curious question about frags

Wow this is a long thread!!!

If I might interject my point of view... Starting out my new tank a few months ago, there were people in the club that showed awsome love to a person who was gettin gback into the hobby after many years away and was working on a shoe string budget. I have nothing but POSITIVE things to say to people like Doug, Cameron, Darren, Andre! I can not wait to upload pictures of my tank for these guys to see what they have helped me create. Some charges, some did not... either way it was much cheaper and healthier then going to the LFS. Darren, your frogspawn that you gave me was HUGE and the color is the best out of any frogspawn that I have seen anywhere, and believe me I look! I think that frag was $10 and for the size/color it would have been $80-100 at cap bay. The toadstool that I got from you was like $10 and is huge. I love it more then you can imagine and would be like $75 at cap bay. Doug has helped me out with cheap/free stuff all the time. The least I could do was give him some flat LR this morning when he stopped by!! And don't even get me started on all that Cameron has given to me!

My point is, I have a 55gal that I could not imagine being better stocked with corals for around $100. (The price of one coral at a place like Cap Bay!) Sure I have been "ripped off" by one or two members but on a whole, I think everyone agrees that we are here to help support eachother. I know Darren used my $30 to buy a new bucket of salt... I see no harm in that. I got a GREAT deal and he got a bucket of salt... Furthermore, I am to the point of being able to frag so things here soon. A few new members are first on my list to get their first corals as my welcome present. It is nice to do that as well. Might I charge something down the line for a hard to grow coral? Sure! Will it be better quality and price then you can find at your LFS? You better believe!!!

Charge/don't charge... it is up to each person but I think the people who help eachother out in the spirit of the hobby are better off in the end!
 
tsciarini;29828 wrote: actually since taxes got brought into the conversation... how many people realize that by selling frags youre legally required to report it to the IRS as income?
How many of you are actually doing it?
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Not I but I do write off everything that I put into my tank since my tank is in my "office" and part of my "employee relaxation" program... We will see if it will fly this year on taxes. Maybe will be a perk of owning my own business! :D
 
washowi;29826 wrote: Oh yeah..I started this cause there was no decent conversation going on here on the boards...was tired of this and that for sale...frags for sale, tanks for sale. It was starting to look like the the AJC classifieds in here.

So continue the debate. At least it is fun to come back and check on what people think..
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You know what. I was thinking this was the reason you started this thread. It was very easy to they sucked into this conversation. I was looking for a thread to jump into not long before I found yours.
 
I actually stopped giving away free frags at meetings just because I wasn't comfortable with the hawks that attacked me when I did. I remember a specific meeting where a group of people were gathered in a corner to trade/sell and there were atleast 4 guys swarming like vultures asking me over and over and over what I had and if I'll give it away to them. Meanwhile I didn't get to trade because I just got pissed at their lack of consideration and left the frags on the floor as I walked away.
As easy as it is to have a select few to make it better... it only takes a few to ruin it as well.
 
George;29838 wrote:
Plus, and I make no apologies for this, if I've never seen a person before at a meeting and make no associations on the boards, I'm less likely to give a frag away. I don't want the ARC becoming a haven for "bungee" members who grab some free frags and never show or involve themselves again.
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AMEN to that brother!!! I think to recieve so shall you give.. If you are not a member, I would be less likely to throw freebies your way. Support the group that you are trying to get help from!
 
tsciarini;29843 wrote: I actually stopped giving away free frags at meetings just because I wasn't comfortable with the hawks that attacked me when I did. I remember a specific meeting where a group of people were gathered in a corner to trade/sell and there were atleast 4 guys swarming like vultures asking me over and over and over what I had and if I'll give it away to them. Meanwhile I didn't get to trade because I just got pissed at their lack of consideration and left the frags on the floor as I walked away.
As easy as it is to have a select few to make it better... it only takes a few to ruin it as well.
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Sorry... and next time I promise I won't poke you repeatedly with my keys or step on your hands to get your attention.
 
George;29838 wrote: Plus, and I make no apologies for this, if I've never seen a person before at a meeting and make no associations on the boards, I'm less likely to give a frag away. I don't want the ARC becoming a haven for "bungee" members who grab some free frags and never show or involve themselves again.
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Same here. I totally agree. Not to be a snob or anything, but a stranger is not considered a friend of mine. I don't want to waste my time fragging things to give them to other people who were only at a meeting to get free frags and who don't actually support the club.

I want to see my frags go to a good home and thrive and later on get fragged themselves and go to good homes again.

Selling them for a reasonable price allows people on tighter budgets to acquire corals they wouldn't be able to afford at LFS or online. The sellers get some money back to recoup their time and money they have spent growing the coral. Is it enough to pay for their entire system? Of course it isn't, but every little bit helps. In turn, it may help the seller buy a really nice coral that they didn't originally have the money for, which in turn, leads that person into fragging it and possibly selling/giving away frags of that to other people. It's a big cycle and everyone is a winner IMO.

If you want to talk about helping people with tight budgets and low incomes, why don't you give away more expensive things like powerheads, pumps, test kits, plumbing, lighting, tanks, stands, etc? This would help people out more than a frag of a coral. Most of us have excess stuff lying around, let's just give at all away.

And how do you know someone has a tight budget? Maybe they spend their money on beer, or gamble or whatever else, so b/c they choose to spend their money on other things, I should give away frags of corals I have spent alot of time and money growing?

Friends are a different story, but there are only a couple people in the ARC I would actually call a friend.

I think selling frags for a good price is more than helping out other people. Where else can they get quality corals for that price? So they get a huge discount on frags and the seller makes alittle bit of money to help buy other corals and equipment and supplies needed to maintain their tank.

I'm bored and at work, so this helps me pass the time.

Good thread.
 
The simplest answer to Todd's original question is - "Frags have value". They may not to some, and not everyone is willing to give them away, but just watch people at meetings when anything comes up about frags, and people go crazy. If they have value, then people will charge for them. Always have and always will.
 
...and let's face it. Some people are just in it for the money. It's the whole reason why we give some of our corals such exotic names and label them limited editions, rare, etc.
 
yup just like the free frag meetings, sadly those meetings are our highest turn out meetings....Ive been to many meetings and there is never that amount of people at a "regular" meeting. i agree with Chris, some corals have value and some dont (to that person). I'll gladly offer my frags and I usually do in the form of a trade, in fact every "sale" I've done with frags has stated for trade and I list what I'm interested in and I also put a cash value. Not everyone is going to have what you need/want in form or corals, but will always have the green.
 
i will say this that i think a man's word with is worth a million bucks...for example Sal gave me a really nice toadstool last Saturday and I promissed to frag him some of my bright green mushrooms once i have enough that are big enough to frag. Like Mojo said if there is a value people will charge for them and thats ok with me if it helps me get what I want at a reasonable price. I have had many good experiences with people on this forum selling me frags and I would continue to buy them. Also what Maveri said I think it is the equipment that people really seem to need help on...i want T5's or Halides but I cant afford them if someone here doesnt sell them.
 
Xyzpdq0121;29839 wrote:

I think everyone agrees that we are here to help support eachother. I know Darren used my $30 to buy a new bucket of salt... I see no harm in that. I got a GREAT deal and he got a bucket of salt...
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I agree but why don't you offer to buy a bucket of salt instead of trading cash!! The whole cash thing to me is very un-personal. It's a transaction for profit.

And don't give free frags to just anyone..know your frag friend.. :) Isn't that what the monthly meetings are for? Instead of listening to a speaker then bolting out the door after?

New topic - meetings....how about just sitting around eating, drinking and just having fun soon? I am about speakered out.
 
Showtime305;29842 wrote: You know what. I was thinking this was the reason you started this thread. It was very easy to they sucked into this conversation. I was looking for a thread to jump into not long before I found yours.
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Is that good or bad ? hope your are enjoying:yay: For my part, I am...
 
washowi;29862 wrote: New topic - meetings....how about just sitting around eating, drinking and just having fun soon? I am about speakered out.
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Two words: ARC Kegger
:party:
 
Looks like we all have our reasons for ............

Ah, never mind starting to beat a almost dead horse.
 
washowi;29864 wrote: Is that good or bad ? hope your are enjoying:yay: For my part, I am...
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<span style="color: black;">This is good. I was trying to think of something unique to stir up a discussion, but I didn’t want to repeat something we’ve discussed on this board recently. This is a great topic. </span>
 
mojo;29855 wrote: The simplest answer to Todd's original question is - "Frags have value". They may not to some, and not everyone is willing to give them away, but just watch people at meetings when anything comes up about frags, and people go crazy. If they have value, then people will charge for them. Always have and always will.
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Frags have value to those that think they do.....Just like the stock market. Everyone says they lost $ in the big declines...No they didn't they only lost $ if they sold it.....my point is..I do not put a price on something that grows in my tank for a hobby..I am not a farmer.

Friends for frags!

I would say that all that responded so far are Friends, we love our hobby, and want it to flourish. So stop selling $10 peices of corals! :)
 
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