Group buy for MTRC Meeting at Emerald Bay

[crumbletop]

For the upcoming meeting at Emerald Bay on August 4th, the folks there are allowing us to do a group buy on cleanup crew items. I'll coordinate the group buy for the club. This is something that is open to MTRC members. As a disclosure, I have no financial ties to Emerald Bay and do not stand to profit from this:

The prices below reflect a 5 item minimum order. Tax and shipping are already included in the price. For some of the snails and hermits the price can drop if we order a bunch. Also, the folks at Emerald Bay should be able to have all of our order in for the meeting, but in case some things are not available for some reason, they will notify us when those items come in and still honor the price. If you are a club member and want to order, please post to this thread.

Peppermint Shrimp- 5.00
Emerald Crabs-4.50
Sally Lightfoot Crabs-5.00
Blue-legged Hermits-.60
Scarlet Hermits-2.00
Nassarius Vibex-1.40
Turbos-2.60
Ceriths-1.60
Astreas-1.30

Others:

Tricolor Hermit Crabs: .75
Zebra Cowrie: 8.00
Queen Counch: 4.50
Tiger Cucomber:7.00
Lettuce Nudibranch: 5.00
Arrow Crabs: 5.00
Horseshoe Crabs: 5.00
Porcelain Crabs: 6.00
Diamond Gobies: 15.00
Sand Sifting Stars: 7.00
Brittle Stars(Black): 5.00
Yellow Reef Brittle Stars: 15.00
Lawnmower Blennies:9.00
Blue & Gold Rabbitfish: 20.00
Black Turbo Snails (Cyano Eaters): 1.35
Sea Rabbits: 10.00
Cleaner Shrimp: 15.00

Thanks to Sean and Kevin at Ebay for doing this!

[c_stowers]

I would like the following: 2 emerald crabs, 10 blue leg hermits, 10 cerith snails, 1 cleaner shrimp. Thanks to Ebay for giving us great prices!

[crumbletop]

I'm in for the following:

1 cleaner shrimp
20 Nassarius
10 Ceriths
2 peppermint shrimp
4 emerald crabs
10 blue-legged hermits

[gsusfreak]

when do we need to let you know by?

[crumbletop]

Hmm. I'll check with the folks at ebay to be sure. I'm thinking you would have until maybe next Wednesday or so to decide. I'll post the definitive answer when I get it.

[DMBillies]

Jack,
I'm assuming we'll just pay at the meeting?

I'll take 15 ceriths and 6 turbos.

Thanks

[crumbletop]

I need to get the order to Sean by July 30, so we have until then to decide what you'd like to get.

[mamagoose45]

Put me down for 2 lettuce nudis please!

[NeveSSL]

Put me down for the following:

20 Bluelegs
1 Emerald crab
5 scarlets
10 Nassarius Vibex
5 Ceriths
10 Tricolor Hermits
1 Porcelain crab
1 cleaner shrimp

Thanks!

Brandon

[Crazy 4169]

I found out Emerald Bay is also offering a group buy on I.O. salt for the reef club meeting @ 38.00/ 200 gal. box

[crumbletop]

Yes, I forgot to post that. I think there is a 10 box minimum order.

[Pickupman66]

I will take a Lettuce Nudi and 10 Tricolor hermits.

[DMBillies]

Put me down for a box of salt also. If we are close to not getting the minimum order I would consider getting a second, just let me know if that's the case.

[Kalied20]

put me down for a box of salt. I will be working that night, but if I can send someone the money or pick it up later at Ebay?

[torpedo101]

Here s my order:
20 blue leg
7 red leg
10 cerith snails
3 turbo
10 naussirauss
1 brittle star..thanks :)

[torpedo101]

does that look like a good starter group for a 37 gallon ..??

[crumbletop]

Yes, that looks like a decent starter group to me. You could get more, but that is a nice starter set.

[fallinapart]

Here is my order

2 Pepermint Shrimp
4 Scarlett Hermits
1 Lettuce Nudi
2 Queen Conch

Thanks to EBay for this buy and meeting

Norman

[acecool]

Please count me in for the following:

4 x Emerald Crabs-4.50
1 x Sally Lightfoot Crabs-5.00
10 x Astreas-1.30
2 x Tiger Cucomber:7.00
1 x Cleaner Shrimp: 15.00

EBay is the best place, love it.

[HowardCath]

Two questions:

"Lettuce nudibranch" -- I don't seem to have much algae, other than enough to need to clean the glass once or twice weekly. What might be the odds for survival of a "lettuce nudibranch". It seems there are 3 types of this sea slug and warnings that many starve.

Tiger cucumber -- I would like something to keep my surface sand whiter. (I have a small fuse gobie which cleans its own little area and does not disturb the rockwork.) Shimek's "Marine Invertebrates" says the tiger tail sea cucumber "may release the toxin holothurin if bothered by hermit crabs, which should be removed." I have scarlet and also blue-legged hermits which do a good job on the rockwork. Should I avoid the cucumber?

[aquatron123]

I am a new member with MTRC and would like in on this deal. Have ya'll already ordered or is there room for additional orders?
Thanks,
Preston

[ocd_mariner]

I would like

1x Cleaner Shrimp
1x Yellow Reef Brittle Stars
10x Black Turbo Snails



Also, can someone enlighten me as to what a sea rabbit is? :p

[crumbletop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10393179#post10393179 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aquatron123
I am a new member with MTRC and would like in on this deal. Have ya'll already ordered or is there room for additional orders?
Thanks,
Preston

Welcome to MTRC, Preston!

The deal is still on. You have until July 30 to post what you would like to get. Sean from Emerald Bay will then place the order and we can all pick it up at the Meeting on August 4.

[DMBillies]

I believe a sea rabbit is the same thing as a sea hare... which is a type of sea slug that voraciously eats hair algae.

Most that I have seen in the hobby look like this...
http://baja.divebums.com/FieldID/Images/Foretic_Paul/sea_hare_blunt-end_3160379.jpg

Now that I've said what they're good for, I need to to tell you what they aren't good for. When I say they eat hair algae, I mean I got one a while ago and it almost cleared a very invested 90 gallon tank of algae in a matter of 4-5 days. I had heard this and life was good. I also heard that you need to get them out once they finish eating the algae. However, before it finished the job, it started hiding when it had to work harder to find food, which means I couldn't find it to get it back out of the tank. It starved before I could get it out and then the resulting muck it put back into the tank took me almost back to square one on the algae issue. Lessons learned... they eat algae faster than you can imagine and if you don't get them out long before they run out of food you might as well not put one in to begin with. More importantly, I realize (now) that no matter how fast something eats algae, the algae will always just come back unless you have fixed the problem that initially caused it. So... work on that first, then if you still need it consider herbivores such as a sea hare.

I don't want to hurt Sean or the group buy, but if there are a few people that think they need one of these, I'd buy just one and pass it around quickly as it takes out the majority of algae in each tank. Then, sell it back to an LFS where hopefully they'll be able to keep it alive before someone else who needs it buys it. I wouldn't recommend one though unless you have A LOT of hair algae (meaning covering almost every surface).

[DMBillies]

Howard-

I don't know about the starving issue as far as lettuce nudi's go, but I do know that you have to be very careful about your pump intakes and powerheads with this guys. The nudis are very light and have no type of skeleton, so they easily get sucked into those kind of things and/or blown around the tank in a high flow environment. Sometimes (if they/you are lucky), an encounter with a pump will end up with 2 nudis instead of one. Most of the time nobody is that lucky.

As far as the cucumber, I've never had a tiger, but I have a sand sifting cucumber in each of my bigger tanks (not sure of the species, but they both seem to be in the same genus, Holothuria). I had one die on me a day after I added it to a 46 gallon that I was using as a kind of "quarantine" tank (I put it in quotes because it wasn't quite dedicated solely to that purpose). I was running carbon, and the cucumber didn't have a lot of time to sit there (overnight), but I didn't experience any problems with any of the frags that were in the tank. So, while I've heard that they can cause tank problems by way of toxins, my own experience is different and I would tend to believe that they more than likely cause problems by way of "polluting" the tank with sheer rotting biomass (especially if you're running carbon). Just my experience. FWIW, my hermit crabs don't bother either of my cucumbers at all.

[kev-dog1]

Me too, please...

5 Tri Color Hermits
2 Peppermint Shrimp
5 Astrea Snails

Haven't been to a meeting in a while, and haven't been to EB in a while either...two birds with one stone as they say!

kev

[torpedo101]

I would appreciate any input on what to add to my tank I have started of with 20 blue legged , 7 red legged, 10 cerraiths, 3 turbo, and 10 nausau vibrex, I am wondering if adding a blenny would help or hinder at this point ?? or a sand sifting star.? well have to get those damsel out first...lol..and I have that brown kind of mossy looking algea starting on my rock closet to light so have been limiting the daylight but what if anything eats it? thanks mary

[HowardCath]

THANKS, Brian. That was very helpful.

[crumbletop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10396088#post10396088 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by torpedo101
I would appreciate any input on what to add to my tank I have started of with 20 blue legged , 7 red legged, 10 cerraiths, 3 turbo, and 10 nausau vibrex, I am wondering if adding a blenny would help or hinder at this point ?? or a sand sifting star.? well have to get those damsel out first...lol..and I have that brown kind of mossy looking algea starting on my rock closet to light so have been limiting the daylight but what if anything eats it? thanks mary

IMO, you are fine sticking with your current order. The turbos alone should take care of the algae you describe, and the rest of the crew will help keep things nice and clean. You can then add over time depending on how the tank develops.

[Fanof49ASU]

What's a tri color hermit? Isn't that the same as a blue legged hermit?

[NeveSSL]

Nope... I got some from Sean couple of weeks ago. I think they're kind of like zebra hermits. I've not looked at them real close, though. I'm not 100% what the three colors are, but they're not blue leggs. :)

Brandon

[NeveSSL]

Here ya go:

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/838/product.web

Brandon

[crumbletop]

I don't have any, but FWIW, Sean said they are his favorite hermtis.

[Fanof49ASU]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10400141#post10400141 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NeveSSL
Here ya go:

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/838/product.web

Brandon

Thanks Brandon. I've heard of blue legs called tri color.....guess they were wrong. :rolleyes:

[crumbletop]

Wow. Lot's of people getting in on the group order!

Here's what I've got so far. Double check your order to make sure I got it right. There's still time to add things, or place an order if you haven't already.

Also, looks like the salt is only at 2 boxes. If you use IO salt (most of us do), this is a good buy. I've already got 3 boxes in my garage so I don't need any right now..

Some of the other items may have a minimum order of 5. Sean will let me know if there are any issues with that, though, when I submit the list on the 30th.

Anyway, here's the list so far:

http://bellsouthpwp2.net/c/r/crumbletop/images/group_order_snapshot.jpg

[NeveSSL]

Just keep us up to date, Jack!

I may order some more if I have to... :)

Brandon

[SRT80]

I will be adding to the order in a couple days. I know I need a box of salt. What are sea rabbits?

Steve

[NeveSSL]

Go back a page and check out Brian's explanation. :)

Brandon

[dishray]

Here's what I want.....

1 Sand Sifting Star
2 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Sally Lightfoot
10 Tricolor Hermits
10 Blue-leg Hermits
3 Scarlet Hermits

[meintn]

is the Nassarius Vibex the standard or fancy nassarius snail? I will put in an order later on today

[crumbletop]

the vibex are the smaller, more "standard" nassarius snail.

[eyebedam]

Id like the following
10 black turbo snails
1 arrow crab
2 tiger cucumbers
40 blue legs
1 brittle star
1 sand sifting star
1 sally lightfoot crab

[eyebedam]

1 box of salt also

[fallinapart]

I just drove over to Ebay from Murfreesboro, just to see where it was and was greatly impressed with the store and Sean. I introduced myself & started to buy some accesories and he told me if I waited till the meeting I could get more than the 10% off that night. So guess I'll wait, every penny counts. Super guy that Sean. They have some excellent looking corals!

Norman

[NeveSSL]

Sean is an awesome guy! I really wish he was closer to us in the 'Boro, Norman. :)

I can't wait for this meeting!

Brandon

[Fanof49ASU]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10405601#post10405601 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fallinapart
and he told me if I waited till the meeting I could get more than the 10% off that night.

True. Not many stores/owners would have told you that.

[gsusfreak]

could you add me to order...here's my list

1 peppermint shrimp
10 blue leg hermits
5 nassarius vibex
5 ceriths
1 IO salt box

[SRT80]

please put me down for 2 boxes of salt.

Thanks,
Steve

[crumbletop]

Updated list. We are closing in on 10 boxes of salt :)


http://bellsouthpwp2.net/c/r/crumbletop/images/group_order_snapshot2.jpg

[Fanof49ASU]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10405309#post10405309 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by eyebedam

40 blue legs


:eek2: Planning on having crab for dinner?

[crumbletop]

Just a few more days left to get your order in if you haven't already :D

[meintn]

I would like

- 15 black turbos
- 25 tricolor hermits
- 2 queen conchs
- 2 emerald crabs
- 10 nassarius
- 20 ceriths
- 1 sand sifting star
- 2 boxes of salt


Thanks!! :rollface:

[tmcghee]

We would like: 20 Nassarius Vibex, 2 Cleaner Shrimp, 2 Emerald Crabs, and 2 boxes of salt.

Thanks,
Terrie and Terry
MTRC and NTRC

[crumbletop]

Meintn, I sent you a PM.

Terrie and Terry, got it, and glad you are coming to the meeting!

[HowardCath]

Please place my order for:

Emerald Crab x1
Scarlet Hermits x4
Nassarius Vibex x6
Diamond Gobie x1
Cleaner Shrimp x1

Thanks for all your organizing, Jack!

[RevRoy]

I'll take
Blue-legged Hermits-5
Ceriths-5
Astreas-5
Turbos-2
Scarlet Hermits-1

[crumbletop]

Update:

Please double check all the #s for your own order. I send this to Sean at Emerald Bay tomorrow. There is still time to get in on this, but time is running out! :D

http://bellsouthpwp2.net/c/r/crumbletop/images/group_order1.jpg

http://bellsouthpwp2.net/c/r/crumbletop/images/group_order2.jpg

[crumbletop]

A couple of other important points to reiterate regarding the group buy:

1) Sean will do his best to get this stuff. Most, if not all of it should be available, but sometimes his suppliers run low on a few things. IF anything is not available, Sean will give you a raincheck for the same price so you can get it sometime in the future.

2) There was a minimum of 10 boxes of salt, which we have surpassed -- so that part is good to go. On the live goods, the minimum was 5. Some items have not reached that point yet. Sean may still be able to get those items, but there is a chance that the items that are under the minimum he may not be able to order. I'll ask about that when I give him the list on Monday.

[crumbletop]

Also, a HUGE thanks to Sean for doing this. It will be a lot of work on his part. Please make sure you pick up your order, and thank Sean and the kind folks at Emerald Bay.

[montemans]

Put me down for:

Peppermint Shrimp x 2
Scarlet Hermits x 3
Ceriths x 5
Queen Counch x 1
Sand Sifting Star x 1
Cleaner Shrimp x 1

Thanks,
Daniel

[NeveSSL]

Definitely a big thanks to Sean... he is having to pull from three different suppliers to get this stuff to us.

FWIW, Jack, I personally wouldn't mind paying a little more for my porcelain crab since the minimum hasn't been met if need be.

Brandon

[Ebay Fish]

All orders for the clean up crew group buy are due today. Emerald Bay will purchase the remainder of the minimum number of animals to insure the lowest cost for all. Please get any last minute orders in, and we will see you this weekend.
----Sean

[NeveSSL]

Sweet! Thanks Sean!

Brandon

[Scucci]

I talked with Sean today, told him to put me down for a 200gal set of salt. I'll put it up here too so that there's no confusion with the numbers. So I'm in for a 200gal salt mix... should last me @ 2 years... lol

[ReefingMadness]

If I am not to late I would like to order.
2 Emerald Crabs
5 Nassarius Vibex
5 Ceriths
That is it. I know I will regret not ordering more but I don't want to overdo anything.

[crumbletop]

You just squeaked in :)

The order is off to Sean.

A brief update: The suppliers are all out of the tricolor hermits. If you ordered those, you can take a rain check, or you can pick up some blue-legged hermits (Sean is ordering extra).

Thanks to all who ordered. 25 people got in on this :D

[ReefingMadness]

Whew, that was close.

[gottahaveaDori]

I would like to get some more snails, but my hermit crabs are always eating them when I get them--anyone else have this problem?

[Scucci]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10464657#post10464657 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gottahaveaDori
I would like to get some more snails, but my hermit crabs are always eating them when I get them--anyone else have this problem?

Only time had this happen is when I don't supply my hermits with enough shells to change into. Just last week I noticed one of my hermits sporting a new cerith snail shell... ... didn't put any cerith snail shells in there for him... So, gotta get a replacement snail now.

Anywho... sorry for the OT post, just wanted to toss my 2 cents in there, I'm done now.

[rutledgek]

When is everything set to pick up? At the meeting or ahead of time? I would like to get everything in my tank as soon as I can.

[DMBillies]

We bought a bunch of empty snail shells from that fish place last time we were home and having those extra snails significantly reduced the number of snail mortalities we noticed, so that should definitely help.

That said, hermits are always going to kill a certain number of snails and a certain number of each other (R.I.P. gigantor). Assuming you have a big enough tank and enough clean-up crew, I would think you would notice these fatalities as a slow but steady decline over the course of a year or so and that the decline wouldn't have serious short-term effects on the tank. Feeding heavier would probably reduce this even more, but the clean-up crew is supposed to catch extra stuff not create an even heavier tank load by having to purposely feed them.

More of a problem for me than hermits is that my astreas sometime fall for no reason. When they fall, they inevitably land upside down. Since they can't flip back over, they sometimes kick the bucket. If a hermit is nearby they find a floundering snail to be an easy meal. So, when you see a hermit eating a snail (particularly any species that can't right itself) you might want to question whether the hermit actually hunted it or just happened upon it.

[NeveSSL]

Pretty sure at the meeting.

You may be able to pick them up earlier, but whats the fun in that?

:)

Brandon

[crumbletop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10468892#post10468892 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rutledgek
When is everything set to pick up? At the meeting or ahead of time? I would like to get everything in my tank as soon as I can.

They are all set to pick up at the meeting

[rutledgek]

Sounds good. I just thought if they were just sitting in the store taking up space...

[NeveSSL]

Also, FWIW, there's a store on eBay (not emerald bay this time... that confused the crap out of me when I first started hanging out on this board :lol: ) that sells 100 shells for hermits for like $10 shipped or something. I think I'm going to get some of those soon, maybe we could do a small group order. I think they combine shipping. PM me for a link.

Brandon

[crumbletop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10469368#post10469368 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NeveSSL
Also, FWIW, there's a store on eBay (not emerald bay this time... that confused the crap out of me when I first started hanging out on this board :lol: ) that sells 100 shells for hermits for like $10 shipped or something. I think I'm going to get some of those soon, maybe we could do a small group order. I think they combine shipping. PM me for a link.

Brandon

You can pick up a bunch of shells cheap from Michael's art supply store. Get the ones that aren't shellacked. I think you can get like about 50 of various sizes for a dollar or two.

[Crazy 4169]

Or while at the meeting, ask John to give you a bunch of empty shells.

[gottahaveaDori]

Thank you guys so much for the tips. I know I have empty shells in my tank--but maybe not enough. I do have a large number of blue leg hermits--we ordered 100 of them a couple of months ago. I don't think there is a single snail left, though. I have a 125 gallon tank--any suggestions on how many snails I should get--and of which varieties? Thanks!

[NeveSSL]

As far as cleanup crew, in my opinion, just buy as you need. For some reason, some people here on RC suggest like 150 crabs per gallon, 54-58 ceriths per gallon, etc. (I'm slightly exaggerating ;) ), and I think its definitely best just to get a couple that will eat what you're having problems with as far as algae and as far as detritus, a small cleanup crew for that would do well. Maybe 20 hermits, 20 of the nassarius, astreas, and ceriths, and a brittle star just for the fun of it. :D

Thats just my opinion, though. More than anything, I just get tired of people saying buy anything per gallon and stuff like that. :)

Brandon

[gottahaveaDori]

uh-oh--another night owl (like me!)

[NeveSSL]

:D

I'm actually in the studio right now. My wife is doing overdubs. ;)

Brandon

PS PM replied ;)

[crumbletop]

An update from Sean:

Not everything came in. The tricolor hermits, cleaner shrimp, and Diamond Gobies. There are extras of some items. For the extra items the group buy price will be extended for club members. For the items folks ordered that didn't come in, you can get a rain check.

Thanks, Sean!

[DMBillies]

Thanks to Ebay and the crew for having us. I'm sure after tonight you'll all have your bag tying techniques down pat. It was nice seeing and talking to everyone. Another great meeting.

[Scucci]

Yeah, I had a blast. :)

I'll really have to try to make it to the next meeting.

[NeveSSL]

Definitely great meeting. It stinks not everything came in, but it truthfully worked out better for me financially anyway!

BTW, I was shocked by the zoo frags! Thanks Jack, Chris, EBay, everyone else involved with that. I got some really cool colors that are contrasting well with the zoos from last meeting... IE, a few opened up tonight. :D

Thanks to everyone who planned, hosted, or both! :)

Brandon

[RevRoy]

Hi gang, I had something come up Sat. and could not make the meeting. Is there any way i can still get the Group buy cleanup crew?

[Kalied20]

did the salt come in? And did someone pick it up for me? Or do I owe Ebay for it?

THanks,

[crumbletop]

The salt did come in. Give Sean a call at emerald bay. I think they still have it there -- unless someone picked it up. It was pretty hectic up until the end with all the purchases, etc., so it may be that they still have it there for you.

[Ebay Fish]

The salt is still here with your name on it.
----Sean

[Kalied20]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10492475#post10492475 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ebay Fish
The salt is still here with your name on it.
----Sean

thanks Sean, I will come and get it this weekend. Probably Sunday.

[crumbletop]

E-bay is closed on Sundays.

[Kalied20]

Well that's not good. I will have someone come and get it on Saturday

[SRT80]

Kalied, I might be headin' that way Sat. I am seriously thinkin' about gettin' one of those burmese pythons....if they are still on sale. I will let you know though cause I'm still not sure yet.

Steve

[Kalied20]

Steve, if you go let me know. I think I am working this weekend...new job is long hours and nothing getting done. But if you go maybe you can pick it up for me. I could give you the money before or after you go.

[Ebay Fish]

The Cleaner Shrimp for the group buy are in stock. Come & Get 'um! We bought our suppliers out, but there are limited quantities, so call to make sure we have them before you make the drive 615.646.8950.
----Sean

[Ebay Fish]

What all items still need to be picked up for the group buy?
----Sean

[crumbletop]

I got my cleaner shrimp. Thanks, Sean!

[fallinapart]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10586117#post10586117 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ebay Fish
What all items still need to be picked up for the group buy?
----Sean

I'm waiting on a nudi branch and some tri-color crabs

Norman

[rutledgek]

I am looking for my 8 banded trochus snails.

[Ebay Fish]

Emerald Bay now has Hundreds of Tricolor Hermits in for group buy rain checks!
----Sean