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frag swap 2011 feedback

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cichlid9
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Well, I had some feedback about the 2011 swap but didn't see a new thread so I started a new one.

Let me start off by saying that it was my first time attending your swap and I had a great time. I am a newbie to the hobby and a few things would have made the swap a little easier for me.

1. A viewing period before the actual swap started would have been nice because it would have given a chance for people a chance to browse the corals before the rounds started. I was lucky enough to be in the first group and believe me that time went by in a flash, I had to just grab something with seconds left Sad

2. I noticed that a lot of the labeling on the corals were VERY hard to read and weren't entirely filled out. Many just had a description such as orange zoas (which when they opened up had only one orange zoa and 5 green ones), many I saw without the person's bar handle on them. ( I know that some of your members donated 10x more frags than were required and labeling all those would have been a pain, to those... thanks for your generosity)

3. Get those poor guys working the door some shade!!! LOL, I felt so bad for them. I can bring a pop up canopy to the next one for them Tongue

I was kind of reluctant to post this thread because I know all of you that worked the swap were people that care about your club and wanted to help and I in no way wanted to take away from that. I appreciate all of your hard work and did have a great time so let me say thank you. I am looking forward to your next swap!!!

Plumstr8
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cichlid9 wrote:
Well, I had some feedback about the 2011 swap but didn't see a new thread so I started a new one.

Let me start off by saying that it was my first time attending your swap and I had a great time. I am a newbie to the hobby and a few things would have made the swap a little easier for me.

1. A viewing period before the actual swap started would have been nice because it would have given a chance for people a chance to browse the corals before the rounds started. I was lucky enough to be in the first group and believe me that time went by in a flash, I had to just grab something with seconds left Sad

2. I noticed that a lot of the labeling on the corals were VERY hard to read and weren't entirely filled out. Many just had a description such as orange zoas (which when they opened up had only one orange zoa and 5 green ones), many I saw without the person's bar handle on them. ( I know that some of your members donated 10x more frags than were required and labeling all those would have been a pain, to those... thanks for your generosity)

3. Get those poor guys working the door some shade!!! LOL, I felt so bad for them. I can bring a pop up canopy to the next one for them Tongue

I was kind of reluctant to post this thread because I know all of you that worked the swap were people that care about your club and wanted to help and I in no way wanted to take away from that. I appreciate all of your hard work and did have a great time so let me say thank you. I am looking forward to your next swap!!!

The reason there is no viewing period is because if everyone got to come in before the actual rounds started, they would be able to locate all the "Higher-End Corals". That would take the fun out of having to hunt for the better stuff and everyone in the later rounds would have nothing great to pick. However I do agree with the labels, some had hardly any info or where to small to read, but Im sure we can fix that. Smile

Hey Boss! " You can starting making my checks out to PG&E "

Mike, San Francisco, CA

tuberider
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1. We eliminated the view period because it was being abused year in and year out. At the members only swap there is a viewing period though as that is not a problem at those swaps.

2. Agreed, however, it seems that it would be easy, but when the rush comes at the check in everything can turn into a blur. Plus quite a few people do not know what they have, add that to having corals that close up and are not identifiable to the check in crew, then things get complicated.

3. The venue change created many challenges, sometimes you can't think of everything.

Thanks for the feedback, it is always good for us to have it.

I'm smarter than some things, but maybe not this thing here because it has a battery" -Ricky

GreshamH
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Feedback is awesome... Smile

Like Jeremy said, the viewing period was actually just recently removed. Its sad people abuse stuff like that, it ruins it for everyone.

cichlid9
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1. Thats funny, I actually thought that some people might have messed things up for a viewing period

2. Yeah, I can understand checking corals would be a nightmare when the rush comes. Maybe if people had to at least have their name on coral they would be reluctant to bring unhealthy or questionable frags. Plus if anyone finds a bad pest while dipping they could post so that others who chose corals from the same person can be warned. ( I cant wait till I have a quarantine tank!)

Thanks again guys for listening to my babble...

How often do you do club only swaps?

tuberider
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Once a year in August, they are much more laid back and loaded Smile

I'm smarter than some things, but maybe not this thing here because it has a battery" -Ricky

houser
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Feedback is key!

- dave

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patchin
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2. Maybe we can add another table and more check-in people during the rush. We stopped some poorly laabeled stuff, but it was hard when there was a long line.

JAR
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I remember my first swap. I had no clue what to pick. I was nervous and confused because even with labels I did not know the names of any corals or any BAR members.
Now that I have been to a few swaps I am no longer as confused and am much more relaxed. The next swap you attend will be better for a number of reasons.
1. We will be able to use your pop up canopy (Please have a BAR logo screened on it so we don't look like a band of gypsies )
2. Members only swap is less crowded and might have a higher quality of corals.
3. Gresham will bring gaffers tape instead if the funky duct tape we were using.
Big smile

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anathema
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I for one had no idea that we couldn't preview since the only other swap I'd been to in years was the one last August. Good thing Jar was there to put me in line. Wink

I think the best suggestion I've heard is adding a DBTC pickup table to these, but I see room for abuse here too sadly. I had a hard time locating a few of my dbtc people, but just leaving coral out on a table for pickup with that many people around seems troublesome.

Overall awesome job, it's crazy to see how these have grown since the old swaps at tropical paradise.

cichlid9
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lol, I hear ya JAR....i remembered your name from the "what are you bringing to the swap" thread so i grabbed up one of your HUGE MONSTER FRAGS of rasp lemonade with my first pick with a few seconds left on the clock