*mods please delete*

[farkwar]

Definitely not a troll. I am a paying member of this website. I had no idea you guys would be so unsupportive. Oh and I've already made 10% of my goal in one day. Thanks to everyone who isn't a hypercritical jerk.

 

No deal is done until the check clears the bank.

[kimberbee]

The project currently has $112 pledged by three backers...

 

But if one person has backed for $1, another one for $20, and the third for $75... that totals $96

 

[Mr. Microscope]

lol, a part of me wishes I'd thought of this first. Gotta hand it to a supporting member of the forum for creative thinking even if you find it distasteful.

[theishkid]

Definitely not a troll. I am a paying member of this website. I had no idea you guys would be so unsupportive. Oh and I've already made 10% of my goal in one day. Thanks to everyone who isn't a hypercritical jerk.

You at least have to be a little understanding of where everyone is coming from… Most kick starters offer some kind of service to better society or offer a product that they are trying to make. The "product" that you are offering is so highly priced that most people could go buy multiple frags for that amount of donation.

It would be one thing if you were trying to do something different… but you're literally asking for a hand out to fund the same hobby that everyone else is here for, not anything more special than that.

[BilgePump]

You at least have to be a little understanding of where everyone is coming from… Most kick starters offer some kind of service to better society or offer a product that they are trying to make. The "product" that you are offering is so highly priced that most people could go buy multiple frags for that amount of donation.

It would be one thing if you were trying to do something different… but you're literally asking for a hand out to fund the same hobby that everyone else is here for, not anything more special than that.

 

The idea wasn't to "sell" frags, but to offer a reward that might interest reefers. I am not claiming that the frag is WORTH the donation amount, it is merely an "incentive". Had I known that the frag incentives would be so offensive to fellow hobbyists, I certainly wouldn't have included it... I am asking for money to complete a project I have long dreamed of, which seems to me the point of kickstarter. What if I was starting a brewery or a garden? There are plenty of those already but still they get funded on kickstarter. If you don't like the idea, don't fund it! actions speak louder than words.

[evanski]

The market will determine if you are successful or not based upon your pitch, cost etc.

 

Without making a value judgement, the feedback you are getting here would seem to indicate that you have not found a fertile, receptive market.

[hey]

Definitely not a troll. I am a paying member of this website. I had no idea you guys would be so unsupportive. Oh and I've already made 10% of my goal in one day. Thanks to everyone who isn't a hypercritical jerk.

 

Wow, you even have the attitude of someone expecting handout's. Kickstarter has gone from a business start up to internet panhandling. When you take away the shame of having to stand at an intersection with a sign its amazing what people will ask for.

[NorthGaHillbilly]

Listen bubba, I will take the risk and assume your a young guy who is excited about the hobby, and that's great. But many people here work hard at whatever it is they do in order to enjoy this hobby, I work an ass ton of over time and take half that money for savings, the rest I blow on the tank, so I get it. But when you come asking for handouts to fund a project you obviously are not experienced or knowledgeable enough to make a success. I know of a few people with financial backing that are doing it big, but it's with far more than 1k and most importantly years of proven success and accomplishments.

 

Come back to this in a few years and have a good laugh. Make sure to look up the definition of hypocrite between now and then.

[theishkid]

The idea wasn't to "sell" frags, but to offer a reward that might interest reefers. I am not claiming that the frag is WORTH the donation amount, it is merely an "incentive". Had I known that the frag incentives would be so offensive to fellow hobbyists, I certainly wouldn't have included it... I am asking for money to complete a project I have long dreamed of, which seems to me the point of kickstarter. What if I was starting a brewery or a garden? There are plenty of those already but still they get funded on kickstarter. If you don't like the idea, don't fund it! actions speak louder than words.

I'm sure people in the brewing hobby aren't too thrilled about people asking for hand outs for their hobby either.

 

I've been dreaming about an MP10 for my upcoming tank, if anyone wants to fund that for me please let me know.

[TJ_Burton]

[tibbsy07]

Breweries are a different ball game, as are large-scale community gardens. Homebrewers aren't asking for handouts to make more of their own beer for themselves. People are trying to start actual breweries that make beer and sell it to the community, and craft beers lovers will fund them if they want/need more beer in their area and actually like the concept of the brewery kickstarter. They will also be usually given incentives much more applicable to what they get. The brewery contributes to the local economy - jobs, sales, etc.

 

The gardens are usually the same in some fashion - local, large, community gardens designed for all to see and enjoy.

 

In your case, you will have an aquarium in your home that is yours and yours alone, enjoyed by you and only people who are allowed into your place of residence.

 

The BIGGEST difference, though, is not the incentives or the fact that you are asking for something that others already have. It's the fact that the breweries and gardens are often large enough in scale to be totally cost-prohibitive without backers and investors of some kind. In your kickstarter, that is 100% not the case. You could save and save and save like most people in this hobby and get your tank going when you have enough. Large scale breweries and community gardens don't work that way - even if you could save up for years, it is unlikely someone would have enough on their own to start a brewery. Have you ever been into one of those?? I am a homebrewer, and I can tell you, the cost to set up a brewery is on the order of tens to hundreds of thousands. I have looked into starting my own brewery and it is crazy expensive and very risky.

 

You basically asked a bunch of people, who fret over their money so they can participate in a hobby they love, to give you money so that you don't have to wait and save, you can just start it up and then offered poor incentives.

 

If that makes me a hypercritical jerk, so be it.

[BigRed10]

Breweries are a different ball game, as are large-scale community gardens. Homebrewers aren't asking for handouts to make more of their own beer for themselves. People are trying to start actual breweries that make beer and sell it to the community, and craft beers lovers will fund them if they want/need more beer in their area and actually like the concept of the brewery kickstarter. They will also be usually given incentives much more applicable to what they get. The brewery contributes to the local economy - jobs, sales, etc.

 

The gardens are usually the same in some fashion - local, large, community gardens designed for all to see and enjoy.

 

In your case, you will have an aquarium in your home that is yours and yours alone, enjoyed by you and only people who are allowed into your place of residence.

 

The BIGGEST difference, though, is not the incentives or the fact that you are asking for something that others already have. It's the fact that the breweries and gardens are often large enough in scale to be totally cost-prohibitive without backers and investors of some kind. In your kickstarter, that is 100% not the case. You could save and save and save like most people in this hobby and get your tank going when you have enough. Large scale breweries and community gardens don't work that way - even if you could save up for years, it is unlikely someone would have enough on their own to start a brewery. Have you ever been into one of those?? I am a homebrewer, and I can tell you, the cost to set up a brewery is on the order of tens to hundreds of thousands.

 

You basically asked a bunch of people, who fret over their money so they can participate in a hobby they love, to give you money so that you don't have to wait and save, you can just start it up and then offered poor incentives.

 

If that makes me a hypercritical jerk, so be it.

^ so much this^

[4x5]

...Homebrewers aren't asking for handouts to make more of their own beer for themselves.

Well, not only for themselves. And on that note its Beer 'O Clock here.

[KurtS]

Definitely not a troll. I am a paying member of this website. I had no idea you guys would be so unsupportive. Oh and I've already made 10% of my goal in one day. Thanks to everyone who isn't a hypercritical jerk.

 

Have some honest feedback on your kickstarter then:

 

-"This project is a foundational step in the creation of an aquaculture business."

This is good, but do you have a business plan beyond starting the frag tank? Do you have a plan for the next few years?

Expanding on this on your kickstarter page would show people you have thought this through, list scenarios for what you would do later for both success and failure of the kickstarter project.

 

-The photo you used, is it yours? If not, did you ask permission to use it as you are using it to try and raise money for a business venture? Why is the owner of the photo not credited in that case?

If your plan truely is to start a business it is a bad sign that you would use someone else's photo in this way without permission.

If the photo is yours then this point is invalid ofcourse.

 

-"I have been in the hobby for five years and am confident in my ability to provide the optimum environment for fast growth and vivid coloration."

Show your past success in this with photos on the page, show people what you achieved and back up that claim of confidence.

 

Take a step back and try to understand why you are getting the reactions you are getting from others instead of resorting to terms like "hypercritical jerk".

Do not expect to throw up a kickstarter page, which to be honest does not tell me (and apparantly others) you have thought this venture through well enough, and expect everyone to be supportive. Noone wants to throw money away and there are by now enough kickstarter horror stories.

[Halo_003]

The idea wasn't to "sell" frags, but to offer a reward that might interest reefers. I am not claiming that the frag is WORTH the donation amount, it is merely an "incentive". Had I known that the frag incentives would be so offensive to fellow hobbyists, I certainly wouldn't have included it... I am asking for money to complete a project I have long dreamed of, which seems to me the point of kickstarter. What if I was starting a brewery or a garden? There are plenty of those already but still they get funded on kickstarter. If you don't like the idea, don't fund it! actions speak louder than words.

So what would you be doing with the frags you grow? Giving them away? You still have not answered anything and your Kickstarter is incredibly vague.

 

Go read post #20 and implement accordingly if you'd like a more positive response. Otherwise, what Tibbsy said is pretty much at issue. He's right. If you fail to I'll just go comment on your kickstarter a copy paste of it lol.

 

Also you will need to address the issue of using the other guys picture, which it undoubtedly is. It is very damning.

[tibbsy07]

Well, not only for themselves. And on that note its Beer 'O Clock here.

Hahaha, neighbors don't count

[metrokat]

The idea wasn't to "sell" frags, but to offer a reward that might interest reefers. I am not claiming that the frag is WORTH the donation amount, it is merely an "incentive". Had I known that the frag incentives would be so offensive to fellow hobbyists, I certainly wouldn't have included it... I am asking for money to complete a project I have long dreamed of, which seems to me the point of kickstarter. What if I was starting a brewery or a garden? There are plenty of those already but still they get funded on kickstarter. If you don't like the idea, don't fund it! actions speak louder than words.

If that is your intent, why not be more specific?

 

Pledge $100 get a frag of Tierra Del Fuego

Pledge $75 get a 10 polyp frag of Rastas or Fruit Loops

 

More issues:

Pledge $50 Sponsor a fish. I will purchase a clownfish that you get to name

-What if 6 people sponsor a fish, you're going to keep 6 clownfish in this tank?

 

You said this is your goal/dream:

I want to establish a marine nursery aquarium in order to sustainably propagate corals that are threatened in the wild.

 

How about a pledge that no corals from this nursery will ever be sold.

Instead, any frags that are successfully grown in this project will be donated and given away.

 

People will be funding your dream, how about you give back? Or promise to pay it forward in some tangible way?

[evanski]

I'm sure people in the brewing hobby aren't too thrilled about people asking for hand outs for their hobby either.

Wait....I cna get money to support my brewing (and drinking, let's be clear) habit?!?

[metrokat]

-"I have been in the hobby for five years and am confident in my ability to provide the optimum environment for fast growth and vivid coloration."

Show your past success in this with photos on the page, show people what you achieved and back up that claim of confidence.

.

It is even more vague. He wants $1000

 

1. Where are the details on the tank he plans to buy?

2. What lights and equipment is he going to use?

3. What testing equipment does he plan on using?

 

He came up with $1000 based on what?

[4x5]

How about a pledge that no corals from this nursery will ever be sold.

Instead, any frags that are successfully grown in this project will be donated and given away.

I like that.

[glennr1978]

Listen bubba, I will take the risk and assume your a young guy who is excited about the hobby, and that's great. But many people here work hard at whatever it is they do in order to enjoy this hobby, I work an ass ton of over time and take half that money for savings, the rest I blow on the tank, so I get it. But when you come asking for handouts to fund a project you obviously are not experienced or knowledgeable enough to make a success. I know of a few people with financial backing that are doing it big, but it's with far more than 1k and most importantly years of proven success and accomplishments.

 

Come back to this in a few years and have a good laugh. Make sure to look up the definition of hypocrite between now and then.

 

And he stole someone else's picture, don't forget that.

 

OP, I'm trying really hard to believe that you truly believe that what you are doing is for a good cause and with honest intent. However, your response to the feedback you've received here makes me think that you know exactly what it really is (nothing more than a scam to get a free frag tank). You mentioned that you're a paying member here, which is awesome. Now that you've made it known that your intent is to be a business I suggest you buy a sponsorship like the rest of us that do exactly what you're claiming you want to do have.

 

Someone else hit the nail on the head, this is nothing more than Internet panhandling. It's a slap in the face to those of us that have put in the time, work, and money that it takes to get going in this business. I guess it's a sign of the times. Everybody wants something but they don't want to earn it themselves. Asking for hand outs is much easier...

 

 

[afyounie]

This is hilarious. I can't believe anyone is funding someone under the false pretenses that this will save corals from being harvested from the wild. Do you realize how many people have a frag tank in this hobby? None of them asked others to pay for it for them. They went on craigslist, found a cheap tank, and turned it into a frag tank with some eggcrate and spare powerheads. Most start small and work up to the larger frag tanks as they sell more and more frags. You should be ashamed that you are asking for honest people to spend their hard earned money so YOU can build a frag tank and make money off of the same people that helped you make get the frag tank. If you really want to help stop wild harvesting, why don't you develop an affordable and easily plumbed frag tank so the average hobbyist can buy it and grow their own frags. Maybe give out starter frags along with the tank to those that contribute enough money. I have reported your kickstarter as a charity because that is exactly what it is.

[BilgePump]

You guys are so right. I bet you are right about everything.

[afyounie]

If you don't realize how you are wrong in what you are doing, then there is nothing any of us can really do to help you. If you really wanted a frag tank, you should have looked up all the low cost options people have employed on this site. You should let go of your pride and accept that this is a selfish venture. Everyone here is willing to help you out with creating a cheap frag tank. Though, with your response I'd say the help you will get is far less than what it would have been. This site is always helpful and the reaction from everyone here is far less aggressive than what you would have received if you had posted this on Reef Central or R2R.

[glennr1978]

You guys are so right. I bet you are right about everything.

 

You're not really helping yourself with such a response. If we are wrong, please tell us why. Your little e-card board sign was so well written yet you can't refute any of your opposition.

 

There should be (unfortunately) a new forum rule stating that panhandling under false pretense is not allowed. JMO, I'll get off of my soap box and bow out of this pathetic thread now. Good luck with your "venture".