Why I No Longer Support LFS

[TYC]

Originally Posted by Diana A

it's the water...the best pizza and bagels

True, beat Evian in taste test...

[callsign4223]

Originally Posted by hkgar

For or against?

Against. He is just very much of the opinion you should dose calc and alk separatley to the levels needed. Doesn't believe in balanced dosing.

[TYC]

Originally Posted by callsign4223

Against. He is just very much of the opinion you should dose calc and alk separatley to the levels needed. Doesn't believe in balanced dosing.

I too believe in balanced dosing however there are many reef keepers who don't... endless debate about this but at the end of the day what works for one person may not work for others.

[Diana A]

TYC, where are you buying coral and fish from? I am tired of walking into Tropiquaium. Up to two years ago, their coral supply was decent. ACC - I hate dealing with the owners son. He is so unpleasant

[TYC]

Originally Posted by Diana A

TYC, where are you buying coral and fish from? I am tired of walking into Tropiquaium. Up to two years ago, their coral supply was decent. ACC - I hate dealing with the owners son. He is so unpleasant

Mike from Frags Galore from CL (Parsippany), has a nice small setup (so limited fish but lots of frags) in his garage/side of house with really good quality livestock and been happy with him, perhaps bc he's the owner/operator service is very good. Sea Level in Parsippany also has good livestock but their customer service is lacking... Elos in Millburn had good livestock but recenlty shut down, not surprised bc they're customer service was horrendous. Heard some good things about Absolutely Fish in Clifton so may check them out or just stick with what's worked for me, Mike from Frags Galore.

Online I've been very happy wiht Pacific East Aquaculture http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com/ who's based in MD so shipping is cheap to NJ. They always have very good quality corals.

Think also checking out people on CL who sell from their home may be option as far as service and quality since they're owner operated and smaller. Just be careful when u shop on CL and be aware of weirdos...

Hope this helps.

[Oberst Oswald]

The 4 stores I go to that are all about an hour away from me.
Absolutely Fish... the best but expensive and very busy on weekends.
Something Fishy... my favorite store.
Aquatic Obsessions... small store with nice fish & coral.
Ocean Galleries II... I don't go here often because the other stores offer more

[ktownhero]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

Jersey/NY... nuff said

Not "'nuff said" -- Jersey has one of the best LFS probably in the country (Absolutely Fish) and there are several others that I hear great things about as you head further south.

[ktownhero]

Originally Posted by TYC

Mike from Frags Galore from CL (Parsippany), has a nice small setup (so limited fish but lots of frags) in his garage/side of house with really good quality livestock and been happy with him, perhaps bc he's the owner/operator service is very good. Sea Level in Parsippany also has good livestock but their customer service is lacking... Elos in Millburn had good livestock but recenlty shut down, not surprised bc they're customer service was horrendous. Heard some good things about Absolutely Fish in Clifton so may check them out or just stick with what's worked for me, Mike from Frags Galore.

Online I've been very happy wiht Pacific East Aquaculture http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com/ who's based in MD so shipping is cheap to NJ. They always have very good quality corals.

Think also checking out people on CL who sell from their home may be option as far as service and quality since they're owner operated and smaller. Just be careful when u shop on CL and be aware of weirdos...

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the info on Frags Galore... never heard of him. Just looked it up on CL and seems great! I only live 20 mins away.

[TYC]

Originally Posted by ktownhero

Thanks for the info on Frags Galore... never heard of him. Just looked it up on CL and seems great! I only live 20 mins away.

Your welcome.

[anthonys51]

Not all lfs employees are rude and unknowable. I own a restaurant and been dealing with the public for more years then I like to mention. I find a lot of times people ask you a question just to give you the answer. Instead of making it a competition of who knows more if who knows less why don't you open up your ears and listen I like to think I know a little about keeping fish and corals , sometimes more ,sometimes less than the next guy or lfs worker. But just because I have a good amount of knowledge this doesn't mean I don't listen to what others have to say, even if I don't agree with it. Too many on here and in general think it's there way or the wrong way.

On a side note I currently have 44 fish in my 265. Bet a lot of reef central will tell me I can't have that many fish in one tank and they all get along
My current fish list
Blonde naso tang , chevron tang yellow tang , hippo tang , powder blue tang , fox face , pair bellous angels , flame angel , flameback angel , coral beauty , 6 lyertail anthias , 6 barletts , 2 twin spot anthies , 2 mel wrasses , 2 cleaner wrasses , 2 solan fairy wrasses , 2 flasher wrasses , radion wrasses , 2 mandarin, 2 clowns , blue throat trigger , 3 Bangaii cardinals, goby


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[TYC]

Originally Posted by anthonys51

Not all lfs employees are rude and unknowable. I own a restaurant and been dealing with the public for more years then I like to mention. I find a lot of times people ask you a question just to give you the answer. Instead of making it a competition of who knows more if who knows less why don't you open up your ears and listen I like to think I know a little about keeping fish and corals , sometimes more ,sometimes less than the next guy or lfs worker. But just because I have a good amount of knowledge this doesn't mean I don't listen to what others have to say, even if I don't agree with it. Too many on here and in general think it's there way or the wrong way.

quite true, I'm a firm believer that what works for you may not necessarily work for others and you have to find out what works for you by trying. Unfortunately there r too many "know it alls" in this hobby who dont handle difference of opinions well. Havign said that my experience has been surly unfriendly attitude by LFS workers who never smile and look ****ed with a chip on their shoulder. I think it's the general NYC attitude that I''m just getting tired... I must be getting old

On a side note I currently have 44 fish in my 265. Bet a lot of reef central will tell me I can't have that many fish in one tank and they all get along
My current fish list
Blonde naso tang , chevron tang yellow tang , hippo tang , powder blue tang , fox face , pair bellous angels , flame angel , flameback angel , coral beauty , 6 lyertail anthias , 6 barletts , 2 twin spot anthies , 2 mel wrasses , 2 cleaner wrasses , 2 solan fairy wrasses , 2 flasher wrasses , radion wrasses , 2 mandarin, 2 clowns , blue throat trigger , 3 Bangaii cardinals, goby Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

exactly, so true and I agree each fish has their own personality. R the Bangali cardinals finicky eaters (meaty food only) or r they taking pellet/flakes? I'd like to get them for my tank but hesitant bc of their diet.

[anthonys51]

Originally Posted by TYC

quite true, I'm a firm believer that what works for you may not necessarily work for others and you have to find out what works for you by trying. Unfortunately there r too many "know it alls" in this hobby who dont handle difference of opinions well. Havign said that my experience has been surly unfriendly attitude by LFS workers who never smile and look ****ed with a chip on their shoulder. I think it's the general NYC attitude that I''m just getting tired... I must be getting old



exactly, so true and I agree each fish has their own personality. R the Bangali cardinals finicky eaters (meaty food only) or r they taking pellet/flakes? I'd like to get them for my tank but hesitant bc of their diet.

Yes some lfs owners and workers are no it all. But if they say something I disagree with instead of arguing i normally just let it go. I really don't go there for advice anyway

As far as bangaii. I started with 5 and 2 died with in a week. The other 2 hang out together and 3 rd one hangs out on the other side of the tank. So unless your tank is really big if you start with more than 2 you might have to rehome if they all live

I feed my tank mysis in the morning , mysis at 7 then flakes at 10. They eat all 3 but took them a while to eat flakes and yes they are very slow eaters. You have to put a lot of food in the tank to make sure they get there share. But with 44 fish I feed a large block of mysis a week so they always get there share.


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[TYC]

Originally Posted by anthonys51

Yes some lfs owners and workers are no it all. But if they say something I disagree with instead of arguing i normally just let it go. I really don't go there for advice anyway

you're a wise man, as I get older I try to avoid "conflicts" bc life's too short.

As far as bangaii. I started with 5 and 2 died with in a week. The other 2 hang out together and 3 rd one hangs out on the other side of the tank. So unless your tank is really big if you start with more than 2 you might have to rehome if they all live

I feed my tank mysis in the morning , mysis at 7 then flakes at 10. They eat all 3 but took them a while to eat flakes and yes they are very slow eaters. You have to put a lot of food in the tank to make sure they get there share. But with 44 fish I feed a large block of mysis a week so they always get there share.

thinking of 1 or 2 cardinals only. What's "...took them a while", r we talking weeks/months? I generally like to keep low stock so the family always complain that I don't have enough fish

[anthonys51]

Lol yes I am 41. 31 year old me might if told them off.
Didn't really keep track but I will say month or so
I do have 4 tanks hooked up to one system. I always add fish to one tank down stairs feed heavily for a month before transferring to main tank. They didn't eat flakes the whole month in bottom tank and only started when added to main tank. Mostly after they see the other fish eat it.


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[TYC]

Originally Posted by anthonys51

Didn't really keep track but I will say month or so
I do have 4 tanks hooked up to one system. I always add fish to one tank down stairs feed heavily for a month before transferring to main tank. They didn't eat flakes the whole month in bottom tank and only started when added to main tank. Mostly after they see the other fish eat it.
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ok, thanks for the good info... WOW, 4 tanks! U livin the dream man! Do u know how much grovelling I had to do to convince my boss I mean my wife just to upgrade from 60G to 93G ?... lol

[anthonys51]

lol


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[Stolireef]

Originally Posted by TYC

ok, thanks for the good info... WOW, 4 tanks! U livin the dream man! Do u know how much grovelling I had to do to convince my boss I mean my wife just to upgrade from 60G to 93G ?... lol

I'm 50 and have this all figured out. I just refuse to perform my husbandly duties until she lets me upgrade (actually, she's very forgiving and lets me pretty much get what I want...since she's looking over my shoulder as I type this.)

[TYC]

Originally Posted by Stolireef

I'm 50 and have this all figured out. I just refuse to perform my husbandly duties until she lets me upgrade (actually, she's very forgiving and lets me pretty much get what I want...since she's looking over my shoulder as I type this.)

Hey I'll be turning 50 this year! my wife is actually very accommodating & I really shouldn't complain since she let's me ride a motorcycle too...

[Therinx]

NY Reef Aquatic in Flushing has some great corals, fish, clean tanks, etc., and the owner is nice and helpful. I went the first two times just to scout and told him so, and he was very helpful even though i bought nothing either of those two first times.

[bnumair]

unrelated but i was in petco yesterday for some carbon i needed. was looking at the saltwater fish (i never buy from petco) employee there was advising an older lady that it was of for her to get a flame angel to place in her 10 gal tank and it wont hurt anything.

[TokiHacker]

Originally Posted by bnumair

unrelated but i was in petco yesterday for some carbon i needed. was looking at the saltwater fish (i never buy from petco) employee there was advising an older lady that it was of for her to get a flame angel to place in her 10 gal tank and it wont hurt anything.

Doesn't surprise me....

[mikeatjac]

I have been in this hobby for over 40 years and I can tell you that one of the most important aspects of keeping a successful tank is having a good relationship with a LFS. There WILL come a time you will need their help.

You can usually tell a good LFS by looking at their store AND talking to staff. However if they are busy don't try and take up unnesseccary time with hobby talk. Keep in mind prices change. Maybe they had a great deal on a buy from a supplier one week and the next week the prices return to normal. So a fish is 14% higher. Not their fault but yours for not asking first.

The internet makes everyone an expert when in fact a lot of information is misleading or not the whole story.

In my area we have a great LFS, Bioreef. They mark their tanks with the date a fish came in and the price. I try and buy everything I can from a LFS, I know what I am getting.

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by mikeatjac

Keep in mind prices change. Maybe they had a great deal on a buy from a supplier one week and the next week the prices return to normal. So a fish is 14% higher.

In my old tank I had a Helfrichi Firefish. I got it for $30 from a LFS. I asked the owner why they were so cheap and he stated his supplier had some crazy sale going on. A week later they were $90 again. It happens.

[TYC]

Originally Posted by mikeatjac

Maybe they had a great deal on a buy from a supplier one week and the next week the prices return to normal. So a fish is 14% higher. Not their fault but yours for not asking first.

Your comment just added more confirmation why to avoid LFS...

Look I'm all for making profit and supporting LFS. However it's Business 101 knowledge that acquiring a new customer is much more expensive than retaining an existing/repeat customer. Anyone who wants to run a successful business knows they cannot alienate and lose the customers' trust with such "bait n switch" behavior and say caveat emptor while providing poor customer service. Any shady business owner who operates this way will fail.

LFS marks up fish 300%, so they have a huge profit margin and range. In this case, had the LFS said we'll split the diff since there was a miscommunication then I wouldn't have felt like they were dishonest and gladly return to spend my hard earned $ there. But after being treated rudely while being over charged, shame on me if I continue patronizing that LFS.

I would never lose a customer (future income) over a 14% current income when I'm still making a 286% profit.

[anthonys51]

Originally Posted by TYC

Your comment just added more confirmation why to avoid LFS...



Look I'm all for making profit and supporting LFS. However it's Business 101 knowledge that acquiring a new customer is much more expensive than retaining an existing/repeat customer. Anyone who wants to run a successful business knows they cannot alienate and lose the customers' trust with such "bait n switch" behavior and say caveat emptor while providing poor customer service. Any shady business owner who operates this way will fail.



LFS marks up fish 300%, so they have a huge profit margin and range. In this case, had the LFS said we'll split the diff since there was a miscommunication then I wouldn't have felt like they were dishonest and gladly return to spend my hard earned $ there. But after being treated rudely while being over charged, shame on me if I continue patronizing that LFS.



I would never lose a customer (future income) over a 14% current income when I'm still making a 286% profit.

You have no idea what your talking about. You have any idea the overhead of a fish store. I don't really see them driving role royces. They are just tryIng to feed there family. For you to bash them saying there crooks is a jerk move


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