Guy, please respond

[steamboat1569]

I trust your knowledge and would like an opinion. I would like to order some acro's, softies, and montipora, but would like them to actually survive shipping. I have done everything that I can do to make my water quality as perfect as possible. Can you recomend someone that I can order from that has good quality corals that I can order? The LFS's in this area are, how would you say, rip off artists, and I need some help.
Any advise would be appreciated.
NMReef, You, also I trust, as I do broomer, wamp and Mr. salty, grouperhead, and the rest. Beth, I do not know too well.
I really want to stay in the hobby, but am getting discouraged. Do you guys know where I can order some good LPS corals, softies, acro's, or anything that is good quality.
I can't propigate the LPS corals, as I can't bring myself to use a dremmel on them. But I have had good luck with them, and think that they are really the best looking ones.
Any advice from these and others would be greatly appreciated.

 

[nm reef]

Steamboat...I wish I could help you but in all honesty I've never ordered corals on-line. I'd much rather be able to see and evaluate each coral addition personally. I can suggest that you attempt to locate a LFS that you can trust(mine is 110 miles one-way)....my relationship with the owner and staff is developed well enough that they tend to point out new arrivials (even e-mail me) that they think may work in my system. Plus any decent LFS that carries corals has access to most of the corals on the market. The LFS I frequent can ... and if requested to ... will...order nearly any coral I'd like to add. So while I can't point you to a good on-line vendor.....I can say that personally I'd go as far out of my way as possible to develope a relationship with a LFS. I understand that a "trusted LFS" may be tough to find....but I'd much rather deal with folks I can look in the eye and discuss things with on a personal level.

 

[broomer5]

That's a good question steamboat - one that I can relate to as well.
I've only ordered corals online once - and it was not the greatest experience.
I once ordered 4 species of corals, and 2 of them died soon after arrival.
The star polyps survived, but the others did not.
I'm with NM reef on this one. I too shop locally and have had better success seeing before buying. Plus I think the short drive home is less stressful on some corals, than the 24 hours or so they are bagged and bumped around when shipped to us.
This time of the year can also expose the corals to some pretty severe temperature swings during shipment. I think that can do them in as well.
Maybe buying just one coral at a time from an online source would be better than buying several at once. See how the one does, then decided from there.
Try not to let it discourage you too much if possible.
This hobby can be frustrating at times - not always due to anything we did or didn't do - just the delicate nature of the animals we keep, and how well they survive the shipping.

 

[j21kickster]

Stemboat,
At my work we do our best to get anything a customer wants for their tank. If it were up to me, id make prices lower but, it is a buisness and we dont have 1/3 as much day-to-day buisness as popular online retailers. Thus we must charge more for the things we do sell. I dont know about your LFS (prices) but ousr arent too bad, it just depends on what you buy. The best thing about it is though, is that you get to see your purchase up close and evaluate it before a buy. You also dont have to pay 40$ in shipping and it goes directly home, thus reducing the time in the bag. So when it all weighs out shopping at your LFS for corals can be a good way to go. Keep in there.

 

[bang guy]

Dr. Mac & Sons has excellent coral that will be packed perfectly. These are ALL propagated coral... I was assuming you would want that.

 

[steamboat1569]

Thanks, you guys. I am just tired of spending and spending. I will check out Dr. Mac. I decided to really get into the hobby, by fragging corals, but so far, just getting a coral to live seems to be beyond me. Tank has been set up for well over 5 years and I keep losing corals that I buy. The ones that I have had for a long time are doing well, but, like I said, I have lps corals, and do not want to take the dremmel to them to split lps corals.
Price is not an issue, if, they live for more than a few days.
I am joining the Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society, so maybe I can get some help locally.

 

[bang guy]

If you're going to delve into SPS I'd recommend a Montipora digitata as a starter. Although it's a very common coral and not stunningly beautiful like a tri-color Acro, it is hardy and grows very fast. It will be rewarding to watch it form a colony from just a frag. First it will seem like it's doing nothing, then it will start to encrust on the rock, then it will begin to branch out and form a colony.
Remember Phosphate levels low, current and light levels high.
Guy

 

[bang guy]

I just wanted to add that SPS is NOT one of my specialties. I've had quite a bit in the past but I've never dug deep into the minute details like others on the board. I currently only have 3 SPS species in my tank, all easy ones.
Have fun!
Guy

 

[wrassecal]

Steamboat where are you shopping? If you ever make to OKC/Norman area I can give you the names of a couple good lfs's. Sorry to hear about your problems.