Reef hobby owned by vendors?

[syncro]

Is the content of most reef blogs and forums directed by aquarium product vendors?

From The Truth About Orphek & Aquarium Product Marketing (http://blog.captive-aquatics.com/captive_aquatics/2011/11/the-truth-about-orphek-reef-aquarium-product-marketing.html):
Reef Central: $500-1000/month, ~$1/click (your product cannot be discussed on RC if you haven't paid them)
ReefBuilders: $400 for a "review" (all of their reviews are paid for), $400/month for ads so the staff will continue to talk about your company/products
Nano-Reef: $150/month
WetWebMedia: $200 month (WWM is an excellent source of info and mostly stays out of drama)
GlassBoxDesign: $200-400/month (GBD doesn't require payment for a review, however if it is a competing product to their sponsor's it will receive a negative review)

How does canreef compare?

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

I have never found the reviews of products on either of the Canadian fish boards (canreef & bcaquaria) to be biased towards sponsors. I have seen reviews written about products sold by sponsors and non-sponsors. I think that being Canadian boards, there is an expectation by the members & admin of fairness and not to have "paid" reviews that are based on the all-mighty dollar.

Canadian reefers also seem to stay away from this kind of BS. For myself, if I post that something is good, its because I have found it to be good, not because it is from a sponsor. I think almost everybody here has that same attitude towards truth in our reviews or opinions of products. Its our own reputations at stake. Like if we go around telling newbies to buy an inferior skimmer just because it is being promoted by a sponsor, then that newbie will be mad at us (not the sponsor) once the truth is known.

Just my $.02.

Anthony

[syncro]

Thanks, I had the same impression of canreef.

However, as a Canadian reefer I didn't know I was reading BS on reef central or reef builders. is it general knowledge that most reviews on the web are paid for?

[Aquattro]

Canreef doesn't have any sponsors that are product manufacturers. And if we did, they would be subject to fair and honest reviews by our members. If it's good, it's good. If it's crap, then it's crap.
The only restrictions in place are reviews of retail vendors themselves, and ad-lib advertising for non sponsoring retailers.
We did, at one time, protect a paying sponsor from negative reviews, to the detriment of the Canreef membership. Many people lost money dealing with that vendor before their demise.
A lesson learned from that experience had us revoke sponsorship from a vendor that was receiving too many complaints.
So while we tend to ask that Canreef members support the sponsors that promote us, we do not cover up poor products or services because we have received advertising dollars.

[Myka]

You gotta look at who is reviewing the products. If it's just a regular ole member, chances are it's just an individual's unpaid opinion. If it is a "celebrity" fish keeper, then it is often paid. Reviews in magazines are usually paid as well.

[Blom]

"celebrity" fish keeper

Oh one can dream of the good life haha

[Reef Pilot]

Where does the sponsorship money for Canreef go?

[Funky_Fish14]

Probably the cost of running the site... service... internet... I imagine the monthly fee for bandwidth is a few hundred all by itself. I have no idea what costs for running the site, staff, etc... would cost though.

[Reef Pilot]

Yes, would assume that.... but who looks after that, collects the money, pays the bills, etc,??

[Zoaelite]

Yes, would assume that.... but who looks after that, collects the money, pays the bills, etc,??

The all knowing Titus...

Sent from my HTC Desire HD using Tapatalk

[Reef Pilot]

So, he is the "owner" then?

Just curious.... thought maybe it was a consortium of vendors, who set the rules, and shared the costs/profits.

[Aquattro]

So, he is the "owner" then?

Just curious.... thought maybe it was a consortium of vendors, who set the rules, and shared the costs/profits.

Correct, Titus is the sole owner, not affiliated with any product or supplier. Revenues collected by him, as Canreef, go into the operation of the site and I suppose his time allocated to that activity.

[tgrover]

It's a business! Good for him. I'm not too sure why this is so bad? Hopefully Titus makes a bundle of cash!

[Reef Pilot]

Who says it is bad? Business and making money is good.... Wouldn't be able to afford this crazy hobby otherwise....

[tgrover]

agreed!

[martinmcnally]

I can throw a little light on this as a vendor, who spends money with these sites.

The only site I have had negative experience with was ReefCentral. I was actually in discussions with them to setup a sponsorship agreement. Its really expensive minimum $500 a month. Before the agreement was completed a few people had stumbled across my site and were discussing on the boards. I even had a customer post some pictures of Modular LED stuff. All of the posts were removed, and one customer was banned. Their other LED sponsor had an existing agreement and we were not setup yet. I complained about this; that it seemed weird to me people were only permitted to discuss LED if it was related to one of their sponsors. Their reaction was to ban me and our pending agreement was terminated.

As for ReefBuilders. They did a unsolicited review for us and it was not paid for. I had a great experience with them.
http://reefbuilders.com/2011/09/29/modular-led-easy-diy-demon/

I have not had any other problems with any other sites. Most are pretty reasonable, you get a sponsor forum and a banner ad. Its like any advertising, you have to pay for it.

ReefCentral is the only one I came across where it is a total capitalist system were you cannot discuss items if there is a competing sponsor.

[Myka]

I can throw a little light on this as a vendor, who spends money with these sites.

The only site I have had negative experience with was ReefCentral.

I've heard of these negative experiences from other vendors in regards to ReefCentral as well. Not the same issue as you, but varying disagreements.

[lastlight]

on the flip side when I was trying to sell t-shirts reefbuilders did a blurb on me free of charge and reef-central offered to give me a discounted rate.

[fishytime]

on the flip side when I was trying to sell t-shirts reefbuilders did a blurb on me free of charge and reef-central offered to give me a discounted rate.

thats cuz everybody loves "Fishbrains"

[Lampshade]

I do really like the new rule that if you get free/discounted merchandise you have to claim it in your blog review. There are still positive/negative reviews on everything, but having that out there seems to make me feel a little better about the "advertising" side of a lot of the reviews.

[StirCrazy]

Canreef originaly started as a forum for "Canreef Aquatics" (Titus' company) who made skimmers, Ca reactors and a few other things, some good ideas and designs. when that stopped Titus turned to sponsers to prevent closing down the board as it has caught on way better than other "store forums" and continues to be probably the most informative board in Canada.

If he had policys like the other boards I would have been banned a long time ago :mrgreen:

the only board I have experiance with on that list and I can tell you they go as far as removing posts that make there sponcers look bad is RC.

I was banned and a whole thread was removed when I exposed that IceCap was missleading customers with falce and deceptive information. I called them on it and when they were confronted with the numbers and tests that I had obtained they went to the reef central board owners and had my thread and some of my other posts removed and me banned for 6 months. needless to say I have been back there 3 times in the last 8 years because of there policys.

Steve

[Aquattro]

If he had policys like the other boards I would have been banned a long time ago :mrgreen:


I think you haven't got banned because you bought me pizza...

[fishytime]

I think you haven't got banned because you bought me pizza...

now he tells me:mrgreen:

[Aquattro]

now he tells me:mrgreen:

s'ok, I don't eat pizza anymore :)

[StirCrazy]

I think you haven't got banned because you bought me pizza...

I even grabbed some Ali Babba's while I was in Vic last weekend. wish they had one here... but we do have Vern's pizza, but it is in vernon...

Steve

[Aquattro]

I even grabbed some Ali Babba's while I was in Vic last weekend. wish they had one here... but we do have Vern's pizza, but it is in vernon...

Steve

I'm off the pizza now, only healthy stuffs for me :)

[Aquattro]

And you've hijacked yet another thread!

[StirCrazy]

And you've hijacked yet another thread!

um.. read back, you started this one.

Steve

[lastlight]

it's 1:30am and as i read this i am in fact eating some pizza. I am a model of health!

[Lampshade]

The pizza 100% relates to the marketing of aquarium products. The extra amount of cheesy crap they sell us is just the same as pizza's apperently:

http://pizzaliciousblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/cheese-scandal-rocks-usda.html