Why are (most) Canadian SPS garbage?

[Bill@IA]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I mean really, why can't the standard supply chain supply something that the LFS can actually sell.

Mine doesn't order SPS because they can't sell them. They can't sell them, because they're crap. I've seen toadstools with more color than the box full of tenius colonies.

I know the nice stuff gets here, but I have to order it online as a frag. That online place got it in, how come the LFS can't get the same pieces?

Ok, I'm done. Coffee time

Brad,

Its not that easy for the LFS. For example, I have imported many colonies of Blue Millepora with very little luck obtaining the BLUE I was looking for. In fact I wouldn't have the bluest of all blue milleporas, a colony I have today, if it wasn't for the help of a past Reef Central TOTM winner. It also took him several colonies until he landed a true beauty that held it's colour. He then sold me an AquaCultured Frag which I had to grow out myself. It takes time.
You have keep in mind a LFS needs a lot of time and patience to collect, receive and acclimate. Hopefully the exporter he is dealing with has decent product to begin with of course. If the LFS has the skills to keep SPS it will take months maybe longer to get an idea of the true potential of that imported piece, and that goes for both Mari-Cultured and Wild Colonies received.


HTH

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Bill@IA

Brad,

Its not that easy for the LFS.

I know it's not easy, I'm more involved than most hobbyists in the ordering and scoping out suppliers. But the pics sent never, or almost never represent what is shipped. Not even same species.
I see you have amazing stuff, as do the other sponsors, but I can't believe you order 30 boxes and keep the one good piece from each box and toss the rest

I have unpacked a box here and there that had nice stuff, but it's tough to get repeat shipments

[Ron99]

Yup, for the same zoas. Maybe they didn't have all have the fancy names then but they sure look the same to me.

[Bill@IA]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I know it's not easy, I'm more involved than most hobbyists in the ordering and scoping out suppliers. But the pics sent never, or almost never represent what is shipped. Not even same species.
I see you have amazing stuff, as do the other sponsors, but I can't believe you order 30 boxes and keep the one good piece from each box and toss the rest

I have unpacked a box here and there that had nice stuff, but it's tough to get repeat shipments

We certainly don't toss the rest but they do get picked over pretty quickly because, as you say, superior pieces don't always come in.

That said, Wild Colonies and MariCultured colonies are still a risk. Wild colonies always come in so faded and can wipe out overnight…even months later. MariCultured, if they come in colourful, often lose that colour a little later and may take months to come back…..and many times a lot different looking.

When we do find a keeper piece we grow it out under optimum aquarium conditions and that takes a little time but we are there with many pieces.

Here is an example…… Red Diablo

The original Colony in Sept. 2012 (Pic saturated)



Our frag from THAT original colony taken in 2012 (under T5s)



1 year later (Under T5s)



2 years later (Pic taken under purple plus/and Blue Plus T5s)



...all the while Frags were taken many many times while we grew this out.

Pic of OUR Frag (Taken under 250w 14k Phoenix)



My point is the process takes time to get great truly healthy pieces out there. At least this way you get something that has kept/improved its colour over time all the while growing in an actual aquarium environment much like your own.

[Bill@IA]

……another example of SPS in CANADA

RR Wolverine

The original mother colony we received our frag from.



Our frag 2012/2013


Our colony today grown from that original frag (Pic taken under T5s July 2014)


Closeup of todays colony at IA (Pic taken under T5s July 2014)

[Bill@IA]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I have unpacked a box here and there that had nice stuff, but it's tough to get repeat shipments

And my point is that you don't want them anyway. I think you will get a better SPS coral, a lot closer to what you expect, by buying one that has actually coloured up IN captivity and more so GROWN in captivity.

My 2 cents.

[don.ald]

Originally Posted by Bill@IA

And my point is that you don't want them anyway. I think you will get a better SPS coral, a lot closer to what you expect, by buying one that has actually coloured up IN captivity and more so GROWN in captivity.

My 2 cents.

I agree, the best SPS, IMO comes from your neighbours tank.

[Proteus]

I my short time in the hobby I've noticed smaller colonies with higher price tags. I was taking with lfs on weekend about the bland acros always being the same every order. He stated that he found a new supplier with amazing pieces but retail will be $300(his cost $80) who's going to buy a $300 acro

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Proteus

I my short time in the hobby I've noticed smaller colonies with higher price tags. I was taking with lfs on weekend about the bland acros always being the same every order. He stated that he found a new supplier with amazing pieces but retail will be $300(his cost $80) who's going to buy a $300 acro

Well, I think markup can be reduced a bit there, but ultimately, if an amazing acro shows up I would be willing to pay that. Unfortunately I'm probably an exception, but people are paying almost that for nice frags.

On a good note, if he buys 2 boxes of these, he gets free shipping