No I'm not suggesting that, however dead coral doesn't die unlike live coral which has around 10% survival rate. Also removing dead coral from the reefs is much less harmful than removing live coral. It's a known fact that using dead coral in your tank over live coral has much less of an effect on the environment, it's published in almost every aquarium book I've seen.
I can assure you the this hobby doesn't help the natural reefs in anyway, to say otherwise is simply a way of absolving yourself. If you disagree show me anything that suggests otherwise, and no research facilities are not part of the hobby.

When I first got into marines 25 years ago, I bought a large dead coral for around $75 as the main center piece in my fish only tank. It was one of the smaller ones in the store even. I wanted to buy the bigger $100 one but I just didn't have enough money. I still have that coral. It is now sitting on the top of my living room shelf as room decoration.

+1

I would have to disagree. Dead coral skeletons will give a good base for new corals to grow on and give animals shelter just like live ones would.

I personally see the hummor in it, I got a football sized piece of "real" dead coral in my tank that I got for free, so personally I can't imagine paying that much for dead coral. I guess there are people who think of them as being "art" and would pay good money to display it, but to me it still seems unlikely.

+1

Disagree? So you're saying removing dead corals is worse than removing live corals :neutral:? I'm not saying either is good or perfect, I'm simply saying one is significantly better than the other.

No I am saying removing one is just as bad as removing the other.

There's pros and cons of doing both and saying removing live corals from reefs is bad and shouldnt be done is pretty hyocritical for anyone with a reef tank.

Ohhhhhh!, okay I get it now.:smile:
If the reefs are only somewhat damaged or harmed........ it's not quite as much of an issue?

Also, I never said that this hobby helps reefs in any way. I said "Some might even argue". There is a difference.

Calling it "dead coral" is so harsh. Would you like to buy a bucket of my rare white environmentaly freindly recycled coral?:wink:

Interesting but I'm not sure I understand your logic, if I understand correctly, you're saying that removing one coral that's already dead has the same effect as removing 10 live corals (based on 10% survival rate)? Then on top of that the live corals can die later one from one of many typical causes, very rarely does a single coral live forever in an aquarium while a dead coral does.

You're reading between the lines, my point from the start is that some people will spend good money on fake/dead coral rather than cause more damage to living reefs and I don't think it's right to cut them down for that. I support the hobby just like everyone else here, I don't think its really a good thing but like the rest of us I'm not overly concerned, I'm just one of the few that will actually admit it.

Exactly, it's not as much of an issue. Any improvement is better than no improvement, just like anything else, we call things green now as a way of saying it's better for the environment. It's not 100% better but anything less damaging would be an improvement, wouldn't you agree?
Maybe we should call it that, makes perfect sense to me. Hybrids and new electric cars are labeled environmentally friendly but they still produce harmful emissions.

Fair enough, I get things for free sometime too, one example are some very nice rare coral frags from good friends. The difference is I don't try and publicly humiliate and insult a guy that doesn't have the same advantage and has to buy the same corals for full retail price (and I'm not saving you did).

Finding something funny is one thing but when it results is harsh criticism and unnecessary comments I believe it crosses the line, which is the only reason I piped up in the first place.

And here I was going to take this colony out this weekend, guess I should just leave it in the tank and save the environment

link

Well this has gotten pretty intense. I think if someone found the post funny perhaps it was because they thought the dead corals weren't worth anywhere near $500. I still don't which is independant of all this chatter.

Screw the environment, thats like a $700 piece of dead coral make some money :lol:

This has been quite the read.

Do you ever get those funny emails?...You know, the ones your friends forward you.....maybe you dont... Thats all this was......I posted it because it made me snicker and I thought some here might feel the same....and they did....if you didnt think it was funny....fine....keep your mouth shut and let us have our fun....is it hurting anyone?....if anything I just got a thousand more people to look at the add then would have before....just blows me away how something so innocent like my original post can get so intense because of one or two .....people.... poo poo on someone else's parade *just my 2 cents.*

Shelps I am talking colony to colony. The dead pieces have just as much impact on a reef as live ones do. Removing a piece whether live or dead can and most likely will have a major impact on a reef.

Can you please explain this logic to me.

Its my understanding a dea coral is already dead so how does it live forever in an aquarium?

Haha too funny, I knew you'd pick on that part of my post, you got no argument left so you try picking on my wording, classic! It's pretty clear what I meant, dead corals stay the same forever, live corals don't. To say the impact is the same is laughable.

How is it laughable? Both live corals and dead skeletons have a role to play on a reef. Removing either of them will disrubt that. Other dead skeletons form a base for the new ones to grow on. If you take out the dead ones where will the live ones grow?

I am not trying to pick your words apart I am just shoing the flaw in your logic.

Have fun at your own expense not someone elses who had no choice. Yes I think someone got hurt, seems people think the author has seen this thread how does he feel? Emails are private, public forums are not.

Yes the cycle of life exists but life conquers death, rock can be replaced, live coral not so easy. Even now when they attempt to rebuild reefs they don't have any problems making the structures to hold the corals, it takes hardly any time to make them yet it takes many years to grow the coral.

The original poster of the original add posted it on a public forum....He probably thinks "wow...people who know a bunch about reef tanks, think my price is out to lunch....maybe I should adjust my price a little"....hmm what do you know?...he did.... I have a top of the line (in the 90s) dual cassette deck....really sweet unit at the time....cost, like $500....I imagine they are fairly rare now...would you give me $300 for it? Times change and so does the value of things.

So your saying that we shouldnt post links to anything? Ive seem numerous links to things meant to be funny and things that arent meant to be funny. We then post and laugh and cry and talk and argue about the link. Why is what I posted any different?

The second you insult someone publicly things change, I'm not saying you're responsible so get defensive as I'm not looking to fight with anyone. I simply wanted to stick up for the other side as I thought the comments where getting out of hand.

Besides I'm not sure what you're mad about, you posted something to get some interest and you got it, everyone doesn't have to agree with you.

And yes things change but not everything, retail price is still high for coral skeletons and they are harder to find. Like I said before not everyone gets opportunities to get things for free. Many people around the world would pay a lot of money for many things we take for granted, doesn't mean they're stupid or wrong in anyway.

Of course the author had a choice. The second you post it up for sale...... You've made that choice. Maybe the author thought that their choice was going to bring quick cash and not a good laugh.

We are all subject to the opinions of others. This is even more true when using the internet for whatever we use it for. If the authour has such a light grasp on reality that my opinion may damage their delicate psyche, maybe the internet should be avoided by them.

What is of great value to me is worthless to others in most cases. I have people walking into the tattoo shop all the time who are pondering getting their first tattoo. They come with nothing more than an expectation that they got from their most recent viewing of LA ink. When they find out what's involved and how much it's going to cost, the whole idea loses it's lustre very quick in some cases while others bring whatever they can afford each and every payday to get their fix. Some are very vocal about what they view as a rip off while others swear that they've never had a better deal.

It's how it goes. Love it or not, it just is.

It's very commendable that you care about what the seller of the dead corals feels. I think that it shows that you're good person with a warm heart. I actualy mean it, but I'm still going to have that laugh.:smile: