Small scale profit

[JaneDoe]

Hello all,

I would like to know from those of you on RC selling or trading frags, if on a small scale do make any kind of profit?

I am asking because I have three tanks that I have been messing around with the idea of making into prop. tanks. Nothing major mind you, they are two 20 gallon cubes and a 20 long. I have all manner of lighting to support softies to SPS. Basically if I do this, will the sell off be enough to support the cost of keeping the tanks running?

For the average person who is selling his frags from his/her tank, do you think it makes $$ in the long run? I know it is nothing to live off of :D but does it support your reef keeping hobby in any way. If so how?

[ron4675]

IMO You probably won't make enough to pay for the hobby. You just don't have the room. Get Anthony Calfo's book of coral propogation from www.readingtrees.com
It changed my world.
That being said you could make enough to pay for kalk, salt, new frags but you need a customer base and recurring product (frags).
I grow frags, to trade sometimes sell, and sometimes I get store credit at my lfs. I usually charge $15 for a big frag, I only sell a couple every couple of months but for me profit isn't the point. I like to trade more so I can get other species of sps.
To be profitable I feel you need large vats with dozens of frags of each type of sps you have,
natural lighting (greenhouse) possibly supplemented
and a good customer base that keeps coming back.
Among MANY other things!

Good Luck!
:D

[griss]

I agree with Ron, I don't think you will really see a profit unless you go really large scale.

I propogate SPS in my 100 gallon sump/prop tank and cannot even break even on my expenses. I use the selling/trading of frags to gain new specimens and to occasionally purchase food, bulbs, etc.

Griss

[ATLANTIS]

The only way to make one million dollars in selling tank raised frags is to start with two million dollars

or you can hack wild caught and call them tank raised... but that is another story ;)

Unless you can utilize the sun as your source of light, profit is unlikely.

Most folks do this because of a love of the hobby and an excuse to have more tanks :D

Good luck with you venture.....

[JaneDoe]

Thank you everyone. It is as I thought. :) I do have Anthony Calfo's book and have read it over and over. It has changed my idea about keeping coral 10 times over.
If I had the room for an outdoor venture I would be blessed I am sure. One day I hope. For now I think I will still setup a small little grow out in my garage. I don't mind paying out of pocket because it is too much fun not to. Maybe just for trade and a sell now and then but not much more then to learn how to provide the best and learn on a small scale before I go any larger. I have kept reefs for 6 years now but frag tanks, even tiny ones, are a whole different monkey.

:D

[Frick-n-Frags]

Somewhere in the middle may be an opportunity to cash in a little bit. Typically if you have a prolific coral(pink Xenia ia a good example of prolific), you could swap frags for supplies at the LFS('s) on a regular basis so that bulbs, additives and salt are free. Then at frag swaps, you get all your new corals for free. Finally , once in a blue moon, if you do a cash deal, that can go in the electric bill jar.

I would be screwed without my multiple tanks and sumps all on one system. They are each set up differently for different things and the giant multi-refugium concept is great. Several tanks have no Mithrax crabs. They have lots of tube worms which the crabs wreck. Several tanks have no fish or pepps so I have natural populations of pods and mysis shrimp(???look like brine shrimp on speed doing loop-de-loops?????) I keep the toxic softies far from the SPS forest with this system.
Point being that I recommend several tanks on one system because of the flexibility and even if you aren't commercial, ya gotta have a little frag tank to horse around with :)

[Frick-n-Frags]

Jeeez, I almost forgot the best reason to add tanks: The bigger the water volume, the more stable the system.

[JaneDoe]

Thanks F.N.F! :)
I have been talking with a few people about how my setup (one being Anthony Calfo! :D) might be done. I do wish I could have more water volume but I am going to be very happy for now I'm sure.
I have been keeping reef tanks for some years now and I think going on this small scale (3 20 gallon tanks) will give me flexibility. Each tank will be independent of each other and with different lighting scheme for each.
1 20 gallon cube will be a softie tank. I am going to try to find the african blue xenia and grow that along with a few other softies.
2 the other 20 gallon cube will hold more rare ricordea color morphs (yuma as well) only. This will be our major investment. I hope to do some trading and buying to get the colors more desired, at a price that will be within reach. Or just for more trade! :D
3 The 20 gallon long tank will house montipora. I hope for some rare ones.

I think this little project is more for fun then with the hope to earn $$. If I get some (thanks for those ideas FNF) and make fellow reef keepers happy by fragging now and then I will be very happy. I agree everyone should have a frag tank (if they know what they are doing of course) to mess around with. :smokin: