Sunday July 3rd Club Frag Event Final Details

[cerreta]

Okay, things are shaping up for the event.

Sunday July 3rd at Zach's (Aquatic Oasis) at store closing, 6pm.

Corals will arrive on Friday. Hopefully, they will have time to fully open up before the event.

The rules will go as we had previously discussed.


1. The choosing order will be done in Fantasy draft style. All participants will pull a numbered card from the deck to determine order. If you choose first in round one, you will get to choose last in round two. If you choose last in round one, you go first in round two. This is by far the best way to give everyone a fair shake at the best stuff.

2. The last purchases were made today. Along with all the zoos, rics, and shrooms, Zach will be providing some frags of flourescent green candy cane, xenia, and a couple others. Hector is providing some very nice hairy green mushrooms, and two blastomussas.

3. The following math is based on 110 corals, that I am assuming we will have. A final count will be done on Friday when all the corals are unpacked and counted. Therefore the following info is subject to change, slightly. The total cost of all corals, shipping, and fees for using Aquatic Oasis ($100 for supplies and use of water and premesis) is $1106
We will round to $1100.

4. Each ROUND (selection of corals) will feature 11 picks. To keep the math simple, that equates to $10.00 for each frag if divided by eleven LOTS. Therefore each LOT of picks will cost $100.00 and each buyer of a lot will get 10 corals for $10.00 each.

5. Remember, a lot of pieces have been bought at various individual prices. This means that the rics at $18.00 each and blastos at $30 each will have equal value to the many shrooms and zoos that were bought for less than $10.00 each. It does not mean that these pieces are not worth $10.00 each. They certainly are! However, this is done to make the $20 and $30 pieces more affordable. In other words, you will be getting some more desirable pieces at a fraction of the cost!

6. One does not have to buy an entire LOT. If you only wish to buy a half LOT, just find someone else to share the LOT with you and you can each pay $50. You guys can be as creative as you wish. Slpit the LOT four ways, or whatever. You can also make your own arrangement in selection order too. Be creative here.

OK, if you have questions, ask?

I would also like to get an idea of who will be able to attend? Please post here. If there are too many people interested, we may have to make some other arrangements.

OK, I am in for 1 LOT, and maybe more.

Who else?

[jeasley]

I am interested, but i would like to see them before i make a money commitment. i would be in for at least one lot assuming that the animals look as nice to me as they do to you.

[hancockrich]

well i was in for zoos but that is a little out of my price range. plus it is very hard to commit when you have not seen anything or know where they come from, and i have to drive 1 and a half hrs the day before to see them...plus the sale will be at 6pm and i have a two year old. so if im there 2hrs that will put me home near 10ish . plus i dont know anyone to split the cost with me...i even asked the wife to split it with me...and she said no...so i guess im out...hope everyone else has a good time....rich

[phlipper84]

Unfortunately, I will not be in town during the draft. I will see what I can do about having someone proxy for me, I will also swing by the store to see what there is to see on Friday. I am interested, but it may not play out for me.

[cerreta]

Fair enough, guys. Jon, you and all the others in the area can stop by the store and view the corals before Sunday. Rich, for you and the Sierra Vista guys, I will take some pics and post them on this thread. If the stuff looks good to you, maybe you can make it down. As for splittling a LOT, I'm sure there are some other members who would be willing to go in for a half LOT with you. If not, then I will split a LOT with you, for 1.5 LOTS for me.

BTW, Rich, $10 a frag for zoos, like the blues, pinks, and other exotics hardly seems out of range.

[cerreta]

I also forgot to mention that the Web stores used for this purchase will be made available to all on Sunday. I have not released the info on these stores to protect the availabilty of corals for this group purchase. Had the info been released, anyone in this group or outside of it, would be able to buy the corals that we as a group are trying very hard to get at reduced prices.

[ghostbear29]

makes sense. Just to let everyone know, I personnally saw the blastos and the shrooms. Killer colors. Nice for variety. Unfortunately, I will not make it sunday. family matters. I will try to get with you guys and plan for a new meeting for july. Good luck and get some cool frags! (then, give em to me!hehe.)
jeff

[kscrimshaw]

I am definitely interested in buying one lot. And looking forward to finally meeting all of you guys!

Just to clarify, Aquatic Oasis is at Pima and Alvernon, right? And I assume this is a cash only deal?

[hancockrich]

ya if we can get some pics down here that would be great...it will help with the wife too...talk to yall soon..rich

[cerreta]

Karen, cash is preferred, but I will also take a check. Your location is correct.

Cheers,
Scott

[cerreta]

The goods should be arriving today! You can stop by Aquatic Oasis late today, or Saturday to preview the corals. I will also snap some pics of the stuff when all have been placed in the tank. The zoos are likely not to be fully open, so it may be difficult to see all the colors.

Also, Hector will bring the Blastos from his store on Sunday bagged and ready to go home with someone. If you would like to view those, he has welcomed all to stop by his store and check them out, Oasis Tropical fish.

Last note, if you have a large container to place your newly chosen corals into, please bring it on Sunday. It will save time from bagging each piece.

Cheers,
Scott

[hancockrich]

yah its friday, cant wait to see some pics...talk to yall soon..rich

[cerreta]

yup, stuff is here. All looks good, thus far. Off to see the wizard

[Aquatic Oasis]

Hey Rich, the stuff looks pretty good and the prices should be fairly affordable. I know that you are probably going SPS on us, but I fragged out a couple large leather fingers that I will put into the auction. These guys would be a steal for anybody into soft corals.

[cerreta]

Ok, the stuff is in the store and many of the zoos are now open. The shrooms are still a bit shriveled, they will take longer to adjust and open.
In todays count, we have a total of 104 corals + 10 from Zach (3 xenia, 4 neon candy coral, and 3 soft leathers) and 2 Blastos from Hector to arrive on Sunday. That is a grand total of 116. In order to make 110 total corals, there are a few loose shrooms that are very small. They will be grouped with a couple other small shrooms so that we only have 110 selections. That way no one will get stuck with the 1/2" shroom either, instead they will get two.

I will post pics of the stuff soon.

It was my fear earlier that we would not have enough interest in the group buy, and I may be left with a bunch of extra corals. However, today when I was at the store, I met several local reefers, not in the club that are interested in the event and in becoming club members. It dawned on me that we may have way more than 11 people interested in joining the event.

Therefore, I wanted to assure members that they will be given priority to buy a LOT before any LOTS are made available to non-members. I will have the member list from Jeff later tonight.

If more people show up for the event, than we can purchase more corals from Zach. He has agreed to add these for our event at the same rate of $10 each. He will have frags ready to go. Therefore, we can increase the LOT size from eleven to fifteen or so.

I also fear that if too many people buy into the event, then it defeats the purpose of the Tucson Reefers (and Sierra Vista groupies) from getting the choice corals that we worked so hard to purchase and obtain. Remember, if we increase LOT size to fifteen, then you have to wait much longer, before it becomes your turn to choose again. Therefore, the most desirables dissappear faster.

After all, this is a private event and the club is paying to rent the space from Aquatic Oasis for club purposes. If it becomes a public event, I fear that the members loose out.

What does everyone think of this?

Am I being overly worried?

Should we set a limit on the LOT size?

Maybe we can just do our 11 LOTS and then begin another seperate event, following ours with Zach's corals? They are indeed very nice.

Please pipe-in and confirm that you will participate.

So far I have these people confirmed:
1 LOT; Scott (me)
1 LOT; Karen
? LOT; Jason
? LOT; Jon E.
? LOT; Tom

Jeff and Phil will not be able to attend.
Ed and Rich, I am unsure if they will make the trip.
John, I know you are an sps guy, but would you like to join?

I met two guys at the store today, who widh to become members. I will give them priority over others if LOTS are still available. One guy is Justin, I did not get the other guys name.
Please let me here from you all.

[cerreta]

These pics were taken four afters after placing in the tank. Check out those ricordias ( all will open to >2"). Look at all the poylps on the zoos. Many of the shrooms are shriveled, but will open with time. Many are >2" diameter. The tiny little specs of mushrooms open to 1/2" or bigger.



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[hancockrich]

can you email me the pics...cuz they dont come up here...thz...rich...the wife is getting in to this now...thz..rich

[hancockrich]

well the wife said if they are bright and colorful i can get one lot.....so plz send me a few pics so she says its okay...thz rich
...ps....is it okay if my 2yrs son comes with me...he is cool...just looks at the tanks and says fish ...fish...bubble...fish....look...fish...

[cerreta]

Rich, I think my website is down. Try back later and the pics should work again. I see no reason the boy can't come.

[cerreta]

Hey, it should be working now.

[hancockrich]

is there any close up pics of the zoos..so i can show the wife the color????....thx..rich

[cerreta]

The zoos had not fully opened at the time of the picture. The last pic is the best shot. You can easily see some bubblegums, and mints, next to each other.

[jeasley]

I think I am going to pass this time. I was hoping for more ric's

[hancockrich]

well the wife said no go for me....can't see any thing with the pics.so i have to pass on this one...rich

[cerreta]

Rich, I was down to take more pics for you Saturday, but I did not see the point of taking them since you had already been at the store.

[ffjpayne]

i am only going to be able to buy a 1/2 a lot i hope thats ok scott, thats all that i can afford this week. but ill be there thanks jason

[cerreta]

Jason, that is fine. I will split the other half with you. We can flip a coin to see who picks first.

[Tballa]

How did the event go? I wasn't able to attend and didn't have enough money or room for a whole lot, but the stuff looked really good the other day when I saw it. Just want to kno how it went and if everything sold.

[cerreta]

Hi. The event was fun and everyone seemed pleased with their selections. The bubblegum zoos, rare zoos, ricordia and blastos went really fast, like in the first three rounds. Jon even found a lost ricordia hiding in the gravel near the back in round 7. It was a true find!

There were several LOTS not purchased, so I had extra picks to make and ended up with a bunch a cool stuff. I think I got about 6 of the ricordia myself. My favorites were a large teal ricordia and a three mouth blue (which did not appear so big when selected), and a blue center/orange circle/blue fringe, not to mention the pink/orange.

For all the inquiring minds, the mystery zoos I took in round three started to open slightly today. They are a beautiful bubblegum, just like Karens. However it has a third as many polyps.

After getting the zoos under better lighting, I can really see the colors. I have several with powder blue centers. I will post some pics in the next week or so.


Hector, the blastos look very exoctic when opened. Even the two babies expanded to about a half inch in size. Way Cool!!!

Tom, it was nice to finally meet you. Thanks to everyone for coming, and a special thanks to Zach for loaning us the tank/facilities, not to mention putting up with us for THREE WHOLE DAYS!

[ghostbear29]

awesome....Glad you guys had a good time. Now we need to see pics of the stuff in your tanks! Also, lets get a date for the July meeting. I will contact Tom and see what happens. PM me with your suggestions. Then we will take a vote. I say Chinese food again....sound good.