Critters new coral tanks are in

[reewik]

Just to let you all know the Critter has the new reef setup in. Just wanted to let everyone know.

[aquaman67]

What are we talking about?

Don't get to the Critter much...what have they done???

[reewik]

If you have seen their coral holding tanks (stuff for sale), they were small and held little. They have now replaced the 4 tanks with two 90 gallon tanks and four 60 gallon tanks. They are adding MH to the ones they will be selling SPS's out of and LPS. I have not had a chance to see them all in action as I arrived durring the biuld. Looks like we might have a place to get more corals and to trade with, we will see. No offense EBay!

[aquaman67]

That's cool...I guess they are feeling the E-Bay heat! LOL!

[reewik]

Hey aquaman67,

Got any new pics?

[fishdoc11]

This may sound stupid but what does LOL mean? I know, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people that ask questions. Thought I'd interject a little humor, but I digress.

[aquaman67]

Sorry, that's chat short hand for Laugh Out Loud.

No, no new pics...I have to borrow a camera so I don't take many...sorry.

[reewik]

fishdoc11,

lol!!!

[fishdoc11]

Yeah, I've got it now. It's good to know I'm talking to happy people.

[reewik]

Hey Fishdoc11,

Now may be the time to talk to Ken about them frags.

[fishdoc11]

Yeah, I went over there today. My head got huge again when I showed them some pictures of my tank. I think they all approved. I plan on taking over some stuff. I have enough to go around. I just don't want to get in the middle of the whole Ebay vs. A.C. thing. I aprechiate having both stores and think both of them have their strengths and weaknesses. I think were lucky to have two good stores in town. Just like in football a little competition makes every body better. I do aprechiate Ebay trying to start the club thing and I owe them for giving me a place for taking my frags that were'nt allready the size of a softball. Why is it so hard to understand that small tank raised frags are better than wild caught ones as big as your head? Anyway I thought the tanks looked pretty nice, awfull deep though for stock tanks. They should start looking better after they get over the new water look, being cloudy and all. So now,I got all that off my chest. I hope those frags are doing well in your tank Eric.

[reewik]

Fishdoc11,

I know what you are saying. I enjoy both stores as well. Ebay is a haul for me though. But sometimes a drive is great. I agree a little more compitition gives us more variety.

Those frags are doing very good. Polps came out as soon as they hit the water....:O) The rock that you mounter the frag of Montipora Digi on, was that a frogspawn at all in the past? There are two very small polyps of some type on the white skeleton. When it gets larger I will let you know.

I'm going to make a trip up to Fishey Business in Feb or March some time. If you want to tag along let me know. That is if I get to spend any money. ...:O)

[fishdoc11]

If they are valonia I am sorry, but I think that's allready in your tank. That rock sat under my frogspawn for a coulple of weeks so it could be that.

[reewik]

It is not Bubble Algea. I think it is Frogspawn, time will tell. I found that book you were showing me. I will have to tell the wife that may be a good gift for me for Fathers day. Yeah, a day for me to get another gift!!!!

[reewik]

Ahhhh, but Valentines day is coming soon too!!!!

[wooglin]

I dont like Aquatic Critter very much, the prices are just too high.

[fishdoc11]

Sean and Robert will be glad to hear that , LOL!!! They are kinda high. I guess the key with fish stores is to know what your looking for and know what your looking at.

[A. Critter Killer]

I don't understand the point....first they say that the corals are not getting enough light, so they put cups with sand in there to raise the corals up in their 12" high tanks. So whats the logical idea? How about some 90 gallons that are 24" deep! Ok, now how to light 'um? Medal Halides...The original set up with 25.6 watts per gallon suspended 30" above the water wasn't enough. So, now with the high powered lights, what about the algae....I guess that they will simply bust out the eight foot ladder to scrape that stair-stepping acrylic around the corals. Now...water changes. How do you clean the virtually anarobic pocket behind the acrylic...or what if a coral falls behind? They have been talking about these tanks since before I left their store 1.5 years ago, and I still think that it is kinda' asinine! I see a lot more hassle, a lot more halide burns, producing the same quality! There is a reason that the double bowfront became a freshwater tank after it had been neglected. I think that it is simply a way for the "big dogs" to impress noobs with how much money they have! But I guess if one grosses millions per year, you can do that. "The bitter taste of poor quality lasts long after the memories of low prices are forgotten"!

[Oldschooler]

Ahhhhh... *stretches, yawns, rubs eyes a bit* It's late...

I *started* to just ignore this thread, then I decided (obviously) to post...

I just want everyone to know, for the record, that I DON'T have anything *against* the Neurotic Quitter, per se. I enjoyed working there for almost four years. My vandetta, if you will, is purely business, and frankly, I'm having fun with it. Furthermore, I've already proven every point I wished to make by taking them on- a "David vs. Goliath", if you will.

Fans of the Spitter can cheer for them all they want, but frankly, it will come down to karma. I personally BELIEVE that since Sean and I are NOT just in this for the money, we will persevere. We're true hobbyists, and our store was designed as such. I'm having a great time re-learning the reef stuff, because for the four years I worked at the Pleurotic Jitters, the owner REFUSED to let me even HELP in the aquatics dept. Even when they would be short five employees, have two hundred angry customers, and a fire burning inside the building, he wouldn't let me work in the fish dept., surely so I would grow rusty in "his" game. It worked. I forgot a LOT of marine stuff, and quite a bit more changed whilst I was "out" of the game.

Either way, the beauty of our rivalry is that I cannot lose. :) Seriously, when you are the little guy, at the bottom, you have NO WHERE to go but UP. When you are THE top dog, EVERYONE is gunning for you-nowhere to go but DOWN. I'm rather ENJOYING the chance to take a breather. And either way, I'm still THE guy in the state for reptiles, so the reef stuff, for me, is pure fun.

And although I have yet to see the new set-ups at the Apple Fritter, I cannot imagine their stock suddenly being loved-after any more than our babies. :)))


TTFN...
~Roberto

[Oldschooler]

Oh, and one more thing... We don't yet have a TON of growers trading with us, but the few we do have have been a PLEASURE to work with. Quite unlike anything that exists in the reptile trade. Not nearly as much jealousy and in-fighting. I'm really humbled by the class you guys have shown, and YOU know who you all are.

'Night.
~Roberto

[reewik]

The reason for the post was not to stir up any ill feelings so please do not take my post as a "I love critter and critter only" as that was not my intent. I was just giving the locals a fyi as to the reef department. I love any store that has what I want!!! :O)

[fishdoc11]

Just FYI, those cups that were in the critters tanks are normally used to put under clams. Disclaimer: I in no way suggested the cups or approve or dissapprove of them in any way. People in the know normally put those cups under clams.This way when you take the clam out to send it home with it's new loving parents its bysus is attached to a bunch of gravel and is'nt damaged in removing it from the tank. If the byssus gland is attached to the bottom of the tank or something else and you remove it forcefully you stand a good chance of tearing it. Most clams with a torn byssus survive for a short time but sucumb to infection and eventually die.

[Oldschooler]

Another FYI... The store's owner, when asked by myself, said the cups were to "raise the corals up closer to the lights". At any rate, they should be a thing of the past because with their new set-ups, they should have enough light, whereas they didn't before. I think now the big issue will be water quality and feeding.

God, don't get me started on clams... LOL

~Roberto

[Oldschooler]

okay... FINALLY made it down to the Critter to see what the hub-bub was about. I was nervous, at first, having heard their new set-up was "awesome", but was relieved to see that, IMHO, they aren't any more competitive than they were. I mean, really, although the tops of the TANKS are closer to the lights, it really didn't seem to me that the CORALS were any closer (not that they had ANY high-light requiring animals on my visit). Still running the SAME VHOs. Still NO s.p.s. to be found. Only thing "new" were the tanks, acrylic racks, and filtration. They still had a tank with 50 million anemone piled atop each other. *snif*
:.(

I was also kind of shocked to see the shelves had no discernable holes, so I was confounded as to the amount of flow within the actual column of the tank. The tanks were still very cloudy, so maybe they were there and I just couldn't see them. Should clear up in a few days or so.

Prices *seemed* abnormally low (for them), but I could also be mistaken about that.

My final summary (as if anyone cares): Not bad, but IMO still not as good as ours (thankfully) :) . I didn't see any "happy" corals on this trip (well, *maybe* a hammer)...

~Roberto

[fishdoc11]

Once again ignorant to the forum speak. What does IMO mean?

[A. Critter Killer]

IMO= In my opinion

[Oldschooler]

Some forum-speak examples that I can readily think of:

IMO: In my opinion
IMHO: In my honest opinion
LOL: Laugh out loud, laughing out loud
ROFLMAO: Rolling on floor, laughing my a** off
k: Okay
LFS: Local fish store
TTFN: Ta-ta for now (a strange good-bye, but I've seen it used often)
Digi, Acro, etc.: Coral shorthands for the Latinised names

I'm late for work... I'll post more later if I think of any others...

~Roberto

[aquaman67]

IMO = In My Opinion

IMHO = In My Humble Opinion

OMG = Oh My God

BRK = Be Right Back

OK = OK

I can't think of any others right now...

[aquaman67]

Here (http://www.megapathdsl.net/~fmariani/abbreviations.htm) ya go doc!!!

[fishdoc11]

Thanks guys. I know most of the fish ones (go figure) but the forum speak is pretty new to me. ROFLMAO is particularly descriptive. Good link Aquaman!

[reewik]

I like that aquaman

[aquaman67]

reewik,

Did ya get that posting a picture thing figured out???

[reewik]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/4746401182004fullfrontt.jpg

This is the tank so far! Going to look at a frogspawn and a new peice of rock tomorrow. We will have to see what else is out there as well...lol

[aquaman67]

All I see is a red X.

I'll give it a try...by the way...nice set up!

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/1/4746401182004fullfrontt-thumb.jpg

[reewik]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/4746401232004newrock.jpg

I moved the image, that is why it is gone. I just placed a new 6 # hunk of Figi in there. (Top Right)I really think it gives the aquascape a finished look. Now here comes the hard part , waiting!!!! I have to wait for the frags to grow up into colonies. But that is also why I bought frags instead of colonies. I am still on the hunt for some corals though. A Green w/ pink tip Frog spawn for one.

[aquaman67]

Looks real good!

How did you make the pic bigger?

[reewik]

Thanks, I resized the photo in photoshop.

[aquaman67]

I keep hearing about photoshop...I guess I need to get it. I have some pics but they are too small to really see anything.

Thanks reewik!

[reewik]

What are you taking them with, size? 640x 480? If you want email them to me and I will resize them for you in the mean time.