Putting GARF to the test

[Manofathousandpolyps]

Regardsless of what everybodys opinions are of GARF, Im looking forword to your findings SWreefer.

Nate

 

[Clearblue303]

Good luck Steve!
Keep us informed.
FM.

 

[stevemcadoo]

I have to agree that some of GARFs photos have a look like pure actinic bulbs and black lights, but some photos do seem very true to color. There really is a diiference in lighting. I have seen reef tanks that had fluorescent purple and green corals, and they change from VHO to 10K MH and actinic PCs and the corals almost look brown. There really is such a thing as BRIGHT purple coral and BRIGHT pink and green and multi-colored. Even in the wild. I've seen it in the wild and in tanks,so maybe they enhance colors, maybe they dont, I'm sure they have bright, healthy, fast growing corals. Are there people out there that are ENVIOUS? I am but I dont throw darts at them. I listen to them and try to duplicate their work. It works. Try it as the the first person to start this thread is doing. He is not questioning the integrity of the photographer, he wants to see if he can make a 55 gallon reef tank that wont break the bank AND grow corals. Maybe if youre a skeptic, you should try it. Steve

 

[SPC]

For anyone who is interested in Garf, they have their own area in the Reefs.org archives, simply look under the Garf files.
Steve

 

[cubera]

We use editing software to correct digital photos of frags mostly to get a sharper image and to correct tint. It is extremely difficult to get an upload on our site of a frag that looks close to how it looks with the naked eye. I can't speak for GARF. I know very little about them. I can say, however, that most of us using digital imaging use enhancement software as well. We try to upload images that best represent what our frags really look like and this is no simple task. It is much better than no image at all, however.

 

[JoshF]

I don't know much about GARF. When I was new to the hobby I purchased some of their GARF grunge and clean-up crew. Well-packed, and all healthy. The grunge had tons of life in it and acted as one of the better live sand activators I've seen yet.

I don't know about their corals. I do wonder why people seem so concerned about their non-profit status?

If they successfuly propogate a lot of healthy corals, and put a lot of captive fragged corals into circulation that only benefits the hobby. Certainly some people have had a bad order, but name ONE MO house that doesn't have at least one unsatisfied customer. Actually, don't bother because I know it doesn't exist. I do know a few VERY small production hobbyists who have nothing but happy customers, but they only have about 20 customers a year.

Sure, their photos are outrageous. They're also extremely low res and were probably taken with one of the early digital cameras resulting in outrageous bloom (color oversaturation.) Do I think they doctor them? Maybe. Do I care? No. Would I buy their corals? Maybe. Do I understand why so many people hate them? Not at all. Do I hate their website? Absolutely.

Josh

 

[Anonymous]

I hope none of you have made the same mistake I did and buy "Aquarium Corals" by Eric H. Borneman. I thought it was the best book on corals I had read until I got to the photo credits. Do you know what that stu!! Borneman did. He used some GARF photos in his book. He also gave them a "special thanks" for thier help. Lets ban this book...

[ July 22, 2001: Message edited by: cwa46 ]

 

[Carpentersreef]

cwa46,
Despite your not agreeing with the photo credits, that book is full of useful information that should be part of any reefkeepers library. I hope you were joking.

 

[DaktariEd]

Despite many people not agreeing with or understanding GARF, much less actually KNOWING about GARF based on factual, firsthand experience, I always find it difficult to understand where people get their level of INTENSITY about it!

F.I.D.O. !

Forget It and Drive On!

Don't get a wedgie about it...just wait and see what Steve (swreefer) finds out. Then if you don't believe it, buy a ticket and go visit GARF in person. Build a bullet-proof reef yourself....don't sit in the bleachers and watch...
Go out and DO IT YOURSELF!

Whew!

My 2 cents....

Ed

 

[Alice]

I certainly hope the poster was joking about Eric's book, too. It's a great book, very informative. Knee jerk reactions are never very pretty

 

[Kalkbreath]

Phony photos and tacky trade marked phrases have given many people the wrong ideas about Garf. They may have made poor choices with these actions , but perhaps we should look at the whole picture befor passing judgment? Every image you see today on TV and in mags. is touched up. I see some of the actors in person, and wonder how they get these actors skin to look so good on film and Tv, because that is not how they look... The trademarks are to keep other companys from making money selling their idea and hopefully making some money themselves....to stay alive......This hobby will not survive or advance without people being able to make a living at it.Garf is just trying to survive doing what they love......and are harming litle , Chances are your local LFS has more to complain about with wild imports and even poorer advice..?

 

[Anonymous]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by swreefer:
<STRONG>55 gallon tank $70 at Petland Discounts
metal stand $40 at Petland Discounts
Remora skimmer $180 at LFS
lighting $75 at LFS
powerheads $60 at LFS
Aquaclear 300 filter for carbon use and circulation $45 at LFS
200 watt heater $35 at LFS
</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The satisfaction of proving or disproving the "bulletproof reef" concept... priceless.

Some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterClub(tm).

(Sorry folks I couldn't resist!

(hey maybe I'm a superconductor...) )

 

[swreefer]

Ok, here is an update.
55 gallon tank $70 at Petland Discounts
metal stand $40 at Petland Discounts
Remora skimmer $180 at LFS
lighting $75 at LFS
powerheads $60 at LFS
Aquaclear 300 filter for carbon use and circulation $45 at LFS
200 watt heater $35 at LFS
60 lbs LR (fully cured from another system)
150 LS (also from another system)
I added roughly 20 gallons of water from a 3 year old tank and used new SW for the rest.
The Triton bulbs give a really funky pink color that makes the sand appear pink and the coralline on the LR looks weird. The coloring is all off. I do not like these bulbs. I have decided to switch all the bulbs and go with 50/50 bulbs. So far all of the items are readily available at just about any store. The purpose behind this is to not only see is a reef tank can be done with NO bulbs successfully, but to also have a blueprint for setting up an inexpensive tank. I will be adding corals from other systems on Tuesday providing the parameters are stable. They should be from the items I have used so far. I am at a total cost of $505 so far. If I add in MO proices for the LR and LS that I had, I am at about $985. Not too bad so far. Very inexpensive as far as a reef goes. I will take some pics on Tuesday after the corals are added (provided the ammo and nitrite are 0, and nitrates are acceptable). I will set up a page on the web and plan to add weekly updates on the tanks progress.

 

[Anonymous]

Why drag Eric into this, the only beef people seem to have is the GARF website. You want some respect, FIX IT FOR THEM. Take the nice tax write off and be proactive in the process instead of all the whinning going on about a bad website.

You know it would be very funny if GARF is on the right path and all the whinny Garf bashers are whinning for nothing.

I am not endorsing this org. that I know nothing about, just commenting on all the website bashing, so what if they compensate for color in thier website. I took pictures of my 90 gallon with only the tank lights and they all came out dark. Ivy lightened them up and they look just like reality. So in the truest sense my photos are doctored too.

 

[Anonymous]

I have posted three times on this thread. Once in responce to Cheese Sandwich and once in response to PurpleTang2001 when they were flaming GARF. They are on page one. I also brought up Eric's book . It was ment as humor.... You guys would know that if you read the 1st page. Sorry for being so "dry".

[ July 23, 2001: Message edited by: cwa46 ]

[ July 23, 2001: Message edited by: cwa46 ]

 

[Alice]

sorry cwa46...I had read the first page earlier and then clicked back into the second a while later. Guess that kinda proves the point, doesn't it?

Or else it just proves I have CRS disease, lol.

 

[DaktariEd]

Almost twenty years ago one of my medical school professors was viewed by most of his colleagues as "out in left field" for his views on alternative medicines.

Now, he's the "Guru" of alternative medicine in the U.S. (Andrew Weil,MD, PhD), and way ahead of most of us in the profession.

Makes me think I ought to keep an open mind about GARF...


My 2 cents,

Ed

[ July 23, 2001: Message edited by: DaktariEd ]

 

[swreefer]

The first pics have been taken. Unfortunately I don't have a digital camera so you will have to wait until I develop the roll and scan the photos. I should have the pics posted by Friday. Believe it or not button polyps, mushrooms(even ricordia), and the finger leather are opening up nicely. All the coral are aquacultured. They are frags I grew out from my other tank. Hopefully this will mean they are hardier and more adaptable than wild collected ones.

Here are the specs.
pH 8.3
temp 82
SG 1.024
1.5 watts per gallon of NO fluorescents
ammo 0
nitrites 0
nitrates barely detectable but there. Most likely due to the 20 gallons from the other tank used to set this one up. Or it could be from moving LS from one tank to another. Who knows. Well within acceptable levels so I'm not too concerned. If they rise then that's another story.


Help me choose a fish.

 

[cubera]

The photos in Borneman's book "Aquarium Corals" are some of the best I've seen anywhere, 'touched-up' or not. I keep this book in the company of Tyree, Moe, and Vernon to name some. Imaging corals in aquariums is extremely hard to do if you want a reasonable rendition of what the corals look like with the naked eye. Like I said, I know little of GARF except that they support captive propagation and bring many people to the hobby. Therefore, I salute them. The same could be said for Eric H. Borneman who's book "Aquarium Corals" is simply excellent. We need some room in this hobby for forward thinkers. I've come a long ways since the UGF days of the 1960s and plan to move forward yet. Just my $.02

www.lonestarcorals.com

 

[Joe_B]

SW let me know if I can help with your project! I have a Digital Camera, Scanner, can also build a web site for you..let me know.