Reef Farm Houston

[Tim Marvin]

Has anyone heard of an importer/wholesaler/Reef Farm in Houston? I just received a phone call this morning, from a reef farm claiming to have Eric Borneman as the director of research for them? Did Borneman start a reef farming facility? This is the first I have heard of a farming effort in Houston on a large scale. I am also interested in what you guys and gals think are fair prices on small acropora colonies? What are the current "going rates' on what you have researched for a colony of around 3 inch tall and wide. I am very interested in supplying the market, but do not want to damage any of the stores or aquarium business in general. Thanks in advance for any of your insight, and we will continue to provide the high quality frags you have become accustomed to.

[GaryP]

Tim,

I guess it really depends on the frag. Something like Montipora digitata is common as dirt at the LFS. When was the last time you saw a Tort at an LFS? You don't see the rare stuff at the LFS very often. That would be my suggestion, concentrate on those. In so doing you won't be competing with the LFS since you are only going to be selling items that they don't commonly sell. Price of course is based on rarity and size. You might check out some place like frags.org to see what is the competitive price for a particular frag.

Gary

[JimD]

You cant blanket price acro colonies, prices vary from species to species. Tell me what kind you intend to offer and I can give you some ballpark figures. Typicly, a run of the mill stag or table will cost in the area of $25 and $50 for the size you described depending on color, form, cultured or wild caught. The more rare saught after ones will draw sometimes much more.

[Tim Marvin]

I have looked at Frags.org and the prices seem too high to me. It could be that I am used to buying so much stuff wholesale that I have lost touch with the retail market, or the consumers are being ripped off.
JimD, I was thinking the same numbers as you are posting.
Now, has anyone heard of this Reef Farming venture?

[::pete::]

Dont have an answer for you, but this (http://www.bchs.uh.edu:16080/~coralreef/Eric's%20pages/EHB%20CV.html) might help. Email the man himself!

[JimD]

I did a google and an RC search and came up empty, Id email him like Pete suggested.

[GaryP]

Tim,

As I have moved around the country I have discovered that pricing in S. TX is very low compared to elsewhere. Just ask Austin Aquariums. I know they were shocked at the pricing for the local markets when they set up their operations in Austin, as compared to what they saw in Dallas. The pricing you see there can still be used as a basis for establishing local prices.

[Tim Marvin]

I will e-mail him, thanks.

[theedprado]

Tim,

I guess it really depends on the frag. Something like Montipora digitata is common as dirt at the LFS. When was the last time you saw a Tort at an LFS? You don't see the rare stuff at the LFS very often. That would be my suggestion, concentrate on those. In so doing you won't be competing with the LFS since you are only going to be selling items that they don't commonly sell. Price of course is based on rarity and size. You might check out some place like frags.org to see what is the competitive price for a particular frag.

Gary
i agree, a brown turd looking piece could sell for less than $10 wholesale, but a nice colored piece could sell for hundreds at a lfs or online. as for frags.org, i bet 90% of those guys dont sell s***.

[scuba_steveo]

You might check out some place like frags.org to see what is the competitive price for a particular frag.

IMO, frags.org is overpriced and that's why I have never bought off thier site.

[BIGBIRD123]

Tim,
There is supposed to be a new reef farm located near Hwy 6 and Westheimer. It is supposed to open at the end of this year or the beginining of '05. I have been hearing about it for about a year now from my friends in Houston. I'll try to get info for you.

Steve
512-564-1247

[Tim Marvin]

I have more information about the farm in Houston. From the information I have gathered it sound like an unbeleivably sound business that is very ecologically friendly. They are re-implanting corals on reefs, have permits and are collecting corals out of Florida for re-implantation at a later date. I spoke with a representative of the company for a couple hours today and am very interested in what is going on. We will be doing an order from them next week for distribution to the LFS in Austin and San Antonio, but will also be selling retail if the interest is too low from the LFS. This sounds like the right thing to do! In an e-mail from Borneman he wrote: "I spend a great deal of time over there, that the facility is remarkable to say the least! " So with this said we are going to change gears a little on our venture, and help Reef Savers Inc. move forward with saving the reefs, and will will start selling the top notch, colorful corals that they are now producing!

[Isis]

Has anyone heard of an importer/wholesaler/Reef Farm in Houston? I just received a phone call this morning, from a reef farm claiming to have Eric Borneman as the director of research for them? Did Borneman start a reef farming facility? This is the first I have heard of a farming effort in Houston on a large scale. I am also interested in what you guys and gals think are fair prices on small acropora colonies? What are the current "going rates' on what you have researched for a colony of around 3 inch tall and wide. I am very interested in supplying the market, but do not want to damage any of the stores or aquarium business in general. Thanks in advance for any of your insight, and we will continue to provide the high quality frags you have become accustomed to.The company is called Reef Savers. And yes Eric is doing research with them.

[Tim Marvin]

Thank you Kim.

[JimD]

Do they have a website?

[Tim Marvin]

Not that I know of, but Eric Borneman sent me this link also.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-08/eb/index.htm
There are pitures of the ReefSaver tanks in this article.

[Isis]

Do they have a website?Not that I am aware of.

[alexwolf]

So, you are going to be selling to LFS? not direct to us?

[JimD]

Looks like a very worthy cause and theres a lot of popular names on the contribution list, wouldnt mind seein maast as one of them. Kim, is your club involved?

[Tim Marvin]

We are going to market the local fish stores Alex, but we will retail also if we have to. I have a feeling the LFS won't be overly receptive to our idea. We are also in the process of setting up a retail space on the web.

[oceancube]

well seems like a great idea i think, alot of time and money will sure be in this, but i think it'll be very fun and some work, i hope everything goes good with this new project i would call it, just hope in the near future i can get my hands on those nice colony's that im sure you will have!! good luck tim im sure you will be able to handle it!

[scuba_steveo]

I want to buy some!

[alexwolf]

Well, I hope you sell to Fin Addict!!! he likes that rare stuff........

[Tim Marvin]

We will have some probably next Friday. I am guessing it will take some time to convince the LFS into buying from us so we will probably end up selling off the first few orders. Oh, and by the way, these corals are held for 2 weeks in the Houston farm before being sold to us. This means your corals are almost certain to survive. I was told they will all show polyp extension and good color or they will not be sold. This means no bleached or dieing corals. I am guessing the ones that don't import well will be some of Bornemans study specimens.

[oceancube]

now all we need is someone to come up with a zoanthids/ricordia farm, just specialize in these, that would be awsome as well!!

[Tim Marvin]

OceanCube, Reef Savers Inc... I was told they have it all, but keep the fish at a min.....