Hi I’m Jason 👋 My tanks and I are based in beautiful Port Noarlunga, South Australia.
Outside of working as a software engineer, I’ve found a passion in reefkeeping. I’m just a hobbyist with a love for Acropora, and am more than happy to share what I’ve learned along the way and what has worked for me. But remember, every tank is different tm so your results may vary.
What are Frags?
ChatGPT gave me a good explanation…
Frags, short for “fragments,” are small pieces of coral that have been cut or broken off from larger colonies. In the reefing hobby, fragging is a common practice used to propagate corals, allowing enthusiasts to grow and share new coral colonies more easily. Coral frags can grow into full-sized colonies when provided with the right conditions in a reef tank. They are an essential part of sustainable reefing, as they reduce the need to harvest wild corals and help hobbyists maintain and diversify their home aquariums.
Frag by frag?
“Frag by frag” is a play on the well-known idiom “bird by bird,” which comes from the idea of taking things one step at a time.
In the reefing world, it refers to the process of building and growing a reef tank piece by piece, coral frag by coral frag.
Just like “bird by bird” encourages tackling big tasks by breaking them down into manageable parts, “frag by frag” reminds us that creating a thriving reef tank is a gradual, rewarding journey—each new coral adds to the bigger picture over time. It’s all about patience and enjoying the process of watching your reef come to life.
How did I start?
My dad had large fresh water tanks when I was very little and I’ve always loved aquariums, the ocean and the beach.
In December 2022 while I was taking a holiday from work I randomly got the crazy idea to spend some time investigating what it would take to set up a reef tank.
A visit to my local fish store (LFS) and a day later I’d somehow ordered an Aquarium and a bunch of items I barely knew what they were for and the rest is history.
Why do I love reefing?
Besides the challenge and problem solving, it ticks a lot of boxes for me…
- there is a creative aspect
- there is a collecting aspect
- there is a tech and automation aspect
- there is a science and chemistry aspect
- there is a photography aspect
- there is a community/people aspect
- and then there is the smile you see on friends and families faces when they explore the tanks and give names to the weird and wonderful creatures inside.
Why create an online shop?
Relax. I’m not trying to compete with or push out any of the online stores or LFS (many of whom I have really good relationships with) or turn my hobby into the next big coral business.
I make more than enough with my day job and still enjoy doing that.
My shop and this site in general is to showcase my collection and if I do happen to have a spare frag or two from chopping back (or fish breaking colonies) I’m happy to share the love with the local community (and make a fraction of the money I spend back to pay for food, equipment or my next acro purchase).
Additionally, in the past when I’ve offered frags via facebook its been a nightmare sorting through first come first served so this also makes my life a little easier with people able to put through orders.
I’m also dogfooding the softwareI help build. You should check out WordPress. There are a number of aussie LFS that use it too.