Frag Swaps

[LavenderTi]

When I lived back in the Midwest and reefed about 15 years ago, the club I was in would do frag swaps. Like local reefers swapping corals they cut/grew or corals they no longer want. I was wondering if that’s something this club has done? If not is there interest to do it? 

[Kerbash]

We had one a couple of months back I think? During christmas right? at the pizza place

[svt_guido]

I love frag swaps.!. Let’s make it happen

[Emerald525]

We did a few blind frag swaps at 2 of the meetings which was fun.  @obrien.david.j helped to organize them.  We also did a high end one where the organizer was the judge if the item was high end enough . 
 

Others have set them up on their own as well.  They are a great way to get new corals without spending money.  Anyone can set one up .
 

 

[obrien.david.j]

In the last two years, we've done three Blind frag swaps.   But no "let me see yours, I'll show you mine - lets swap" event.

I know how to organize Blind, because not-showing is easy.  

Any suggestion how a true swap would work?   Does this mean we need a bunch of coral show like tanks, and display?  (club has one)    Do we pre-arrange via website for people to agree "I've got this, what will you swap me when we get together" kind of activities?   How's this work

[Eatfrenchfries]

When my past clubs hosted we did not always have show tanks. Show tanks are nice but the logistics can be more trouble than it is worth. 

I think swap and show are two different things. 

Recent years are leaning more towards a "show" format for swaps. Less trust on what you are getting if you cannot see it. People just don't share as much as they used to and I can understand that with how tough the hobby is right now. Miss the days where people shared corals they thought were cool just to spread the love. 

 

 

 

We used to host a potluck and organize a couple people to bring totes with saltwater + heaters to hold everyone's coral.

-entry fee, bring coral frag (be respectful) 

- RSVP to attend. This is to account for who brings what. Had someone come uninvited with 5lbs of Kenya tree, pandoras, and other stuff no one wanted. 

- more than 10 people bringing frags. 

- The ask was to bring 1 - 5 (or more) frags that people would actually want to trade for. If you wouldn't trade/buy it. Why bring it. 

-No recent fragging unless healed over. Fresh glue isn't a good look. No night before fragging. Label all containers if placed in tote.

-People usually brought their own coolers to hold things.

- post pictures of what you are bringing if you'd like. Or list what you are bringing by name. 

-frags that are not traded have the option to be donated for a raffle. Each donation equals one raffle drawing. Towards the end we start doing the raffle, if you are picked then you get first pick from the frag pile. This continues until all frags are picked. 

 

 

Just came from a frag swap in San Francisco before the PNW April Coral Farmers Market. Little over 80 people met up at a reserved spot in a park with coral in coolers. Most items were pre bagged. 

-separated corals in totes by type. Everyone who put frags into the swap got an entry.

-when your name is called you get a couple minutes to check over the items before you and pick one. 

-keep going until all corals are gone. If you brought 5, you left with 5. 

Started as mostly small time vendors/private sellers who wanted to exchange recent goodies from events they had been to. A local store also invited its customers to see what we were doing. Had burgers, something like beer, and blue flashlights to check corals. Taught a lot of newer hobbyists how spotters pick coral without having to display it.

Example:

- use royal blue flashlights to display fluorescent proteins in corals. The light will reflect showing us the potential coral colors. Also a good judge if the coral you are examining is healthy. 

-  UV flashlights are not ideal because they do not charge the proteins as much to reflect color back. Also things other than proteins will be react under UV.

 

[Eatfrenchfries]

I like the concept of high end / ultra swaps for reefers but those tend to turn into a farmers market / show for vendors with the purchases rather than swap. 

Need people to bring in hots to get hots. 

 

[obrien.david.j]

8 hours ago, Eatfrenchfries said:

When my past clubs hosted we did not always have show tanks. Show tanks are nice but the logistics can be more trouble than it is worth. 

I think swap and show are two different things. 

Recent years are leaning more towards a "show" format for swaps. Less trust on what you are getting if you cannot see it. People just don't share as much as they used to and I can understand that with how tough the hobby is right now. Miss the days where people shared corals they thought were cool just to spread the love. 

...

Great description.  So it's more like a "you bring 5, you leave with 5... But you get an ordered chance to pick which 5 you want to take home - from what's left / available."   I like this idea.

And make it for Supporting Members Only.  

[Oelyk]

I would love to participate, but I don't think I have anything big enough to frag/heal or valuable enough to trade! Sounds like it's something to aspire to!

[LavenderTi]

I like the ideas that have been proposed here.

• Active supporting members only
• I think it'd be cool to do a raffle for leftovers or a separate category as well.
• Blind swap seems cool
• Maybe a way to include new reefers that don't have frags to offer up?

If we do this with some regularity that people can expect, members can prepare by fragging some of their corals in advance. I know I will once I get some substantial growth out of my new system.

[Abarger16]

Is there anyway to make it friendly to people starting reefs kinda like a buy in? 

More so for people who dont have anything to frag up