Huge SPS colonies, and I mean huge!

[RockyHeap]

With many posts here where people are selling 1" tips and nubs of SPS corals (It's a sore rub and pet peeve of mine illustrating a sad state of affairs in the reefing community IMHO, Come on people, grow them out to a bigger colony please!)

I thought I'd post some of my scuba dive photos from a land far-away where locals there actually walk out and stand on these Acroporas to do shore fishing for their dinner. Yup, they'll eat a trigger fish or other $85-100 fish from your local fish store for dinner, all 2-3 bites per side of it. grins.

Enjoy the eye candy. Walt Smith does his aquaculture here (see the one photo with the diver tending a Walt Smith rack, there were a dozen of these racks in the shallows at this one spot, and he has several of these farms out there).

Pay my airfare back down to Fij and I'll go hand pick you some myself.

Do you want 1', 2', or 8 foot wide SPS colonies?

smiles......

 

[roscoe]

Nice lets see some more pics of your great diving adventure.

 

[edwing206]

People sell small 1" frags for half the price of what online vendors sell them for and they're the same size. Reefgeek84 for example is selling frags, the same size as online vendors mind you, for a lot less then online. He, and the rest of the people who do this are trying to spread rare, and expensive corals around for a lot less money than vendors online are.

 

[roscoe]

Can we see some of your huge colonies in YOUR tank please? If you have some can I purchase a grapefruit sized of some of your rarest sps for $50 bucks.

 

[edwing206]

Not sure if you're talking to me or Rockyheap.

 

[reeffan]

With many posts here where people are selling 1" tips and nubs of SPS corals (It's a sore rub and pet peeve of mine illustrating a sad state of affairs in the reefing community IMHO, Come on people, grow them out to a bigger colony please!)

I thought I'd post some of my scuba dive photos from a land far-away where locals there actually walk out and stand on these Acroporas to do shore fishing for their dinner. Yup, they'll eat a trigger fish or other $85-100 fish from your local fish store for dinner, all 2-3 bites per side of it. grins.

Enjoy the eye candy. Walt Smith does his aquaculture here (see the one photo with the diver tending a Walt Smith rack, there were a dozen of these racks in the shallows at this one spot, and he has several of these farms out there).

Pay my airfare back down to Fij and I'll go hand pick you some myself.

Do you want 1', 2', or 8 foot wide SPS colonies?

smiles......

Rocky Heap, i've been to Fiji and they do have giant colonies of corals. I mean, very large ones. But as far as i can remember, i believe its illegal to harvest corals (i can be wrong of course). I don't think it would a good idea to just pick corals and bring it here....lol. You may end up in jail. Oh yeah..Bula. Hope you enjoyed the "CAVA" drink at the local market.

 

[roscoe]

Not sure if you're talking to me or Rockyheap.

Talking to Rocky.

 

[edwing206]

Talking to Rocky.

OK, because I only have small frags. :lol:

 

[roscoe]

I figured he has some huge rare brightly colored sps colonies in his tank since he can get some HUGE colonies under wholesale prices. I would like to purchase. No not really I just want to see what is in his tank.

 

[danno14]

Heap- Looks like a great trip. Congrats!
I also agree with you on the topic of letting things grow. Unfortunately for some, the road to recovery in this expensive hobby precludes them from doing so, and in turn trying to recoup all they can to make ends meet. Once you experience what happens in nature it's natural to try and replicate it. Ergo, we should all experience a dive someplace tropical!

As a side note - observe how the corals that look brown in the wild are some that turn the most colorful in our tanks (For those who know about Walt Smith and his endeavors...). Ciao, D

 

[SeaMonster]

It's legal to just grab some of those?

It's ok for them to just stick out of the water few hours a day?

 

[reefman069]

It's legal to just grab some of those?

It's ok for them to just stick out of the water few hours a day?

no its not legal to just go and grab coral. you have to have permits. yes coral can be out of water for a few hours. as you can see when the tide goes out the corals are out of water.

 

[dieden]

why is everyone freaking about over the whole size of the frag thing. He simply stated that he doesn't like small frags. No need to get hostile. This is supposed to be a FRIENDLY forum. so lets leave discussion as discussion and not pety arguments.

 

[RockyHeap]

Really, I don't know either, small minds must grow and sell small corals........who knows who cares. I post some jaw dropping dive pictures showing awesome corals in the wild, and the nano mind-sets have to slam about my opinion against people selling small 1" frags for sale, I only sell mature big frags and not nubs or rubble.

When was the last time people saw a first hand photo of Walt Smiths coral aquaculture grow out areas? I have more of these too.

I'm glad to share dive photos, everyone has an opinion. I've been in this hobby for many many years, and seen them come and go.....

 

[chend2]

"small minds must grow and sell small corals" hahaha that one is going up on my fridge.