LA Fishguy video's
- Thread starter badwrasse
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jason2459
Well-known member
I have to agree with jbird69. Do I agree with some of the things he does, no. Is it my business, no. He is just trying to make a living like the rest of us. If the customers are not happy with the results they'll dump him.
Badwrasse why the constant need to bash the guy and anyone that has anything to do with him. Some of the things in this thread were funny, now it's just getting sad.
Badwrasse why the constant need to bash the guy and anyone that has anything to do with him. Some of the things in this thread were funny, now it's just getting sad.
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ludnix
New member
I'm not a big fan of the of the filming method he uses (camera angled upwards at him) or the music, but I guess it provides an interesting insight into the aquarium maintenance business.
I would be more interested in him just going about his normal business and sharing his customers tanks and what he does to take care of them rather than have him explain to me how a wet dry filter works every other episode.
I would be more interested in him just going about his normal business and sharing his customers tanks and what he does to take care of them rather than have him explain to me how a wet dry filter works every other episode.
I'm not trying to put him out of business im just tying to uderstand why he is so stubbon to the new technology that is available that would make his life SO much easier, and why he shoots something down like refactometers before he even tries them it would be one thing if he tried something and didnt like it but he hasn't he talks about things whitout really knowing what he is talking about.
now I am repeating myself but i'll say it again anyway IMO the reason his customs dont dump him is because most dont know any better or dont't care.
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The catalina water company delivers water some of the largest marine aquariums on the west coast. With that kind of reputation behind it that's good enough for me. I don't really care about mixing my own RO/DI water. And that is my decision not because everyone says RO/DI is better.
you guys are just as gulity as I am for keeping this thead alive. I'm not bashing his character, just how he makes exuses for going things the way he does that don't add up,it simply does make sence from a logical stand point. But I can see though, he is making exuses because he doesn't want to try new things and am not doing it behind his back, I'm sure he knows about this thread by now and is more than welcome to chime in an answer some of the question I have and of coase I would keep it civil, I am not looking to be banned just a debate.<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15637999#post15637999 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jbird69
YAY!!!! finally someone to defend this guy.
Ive said it before and Ill say it again, its BS to crap all over someones character behind his/her back. Whether this guy is right or wrong is irrelevent at this point. Its crazy how long this thread has stayed at the top. Its crazier that I clicked on it again...shame on me
and thats fine, all I'm saying is I would never use it if I was having all the algae problems that Jim says he has.
And the reason I use RO/DI is because I can eliminate the water as a possible source of an algae problem, and because I was the person resposible for the quality I would only have myself to blame if it in fact was the water causing an algae outbreak.
I think that everyone has their own way of aquarium upkeep,even some of us are guilty of waiting a lil to long on changing that di cartridge,or cleaning the return pump.
If all of his customers tanks are in good health and they are still cutting the checks for his services,regardless how old his style of aquarium maintenance.He is doing something to keep them.At the end of the day I enjoy watching his videos on youtube. Im one of his subscribers and if you dont like him your not forced to watch him.
If all of his customers tanks are in good health and they are still cutting the checks for his services,regardless how old his style of aquarium maintenance.He is doing something to keep them.At the end of the day I enjoy watching his videos on youtube. Im one of his subscribers and if you dont like him your not forced to watch him.
BuddhaKiss
Active member
+1
As I've mentioned in a previous post, I have alot of respect for him for having a "reef" show on youtube, its a great idea! But it appears he is resistant to change. And IMHO, you need to be at least open to the possibility of change especially in this hobby that is constantly changing. Or at least educate your customers in the options rather than saying, this is what you need to do. For example, in an episode where he feels LR do not belong in a FO tank, he states that because if the customer needs to medicate the tank, the medication will kill the bacteria in the rock. Uh..won't the medication kill the nitrifying bacteria in the wet dry anyway? He should at least educate his customers of setting up a hospital tank. And in that one episode where he resists the need to use a refractometer because it was too complicated and too expensive for his needs. Really?
I have said I once but I will say it again it's not that I dont like him, I dont even know the guy, its his stubbornness of not doing something just for the simple fact that everyone is doing it, and how claims that he is an expert or "on another level" (his words) but services his customers tanks at a less than novice level. mabe he is an expert but I havn't seen any proof.
sedor
New member
Wow...everyone needs to calm down here. First of all read the thread we are not talking behind his back. Should we hop on a plane and sit in his driveway typing on our laptops? He is more than welcome to visit the thread, i'm sure this isn't the first.
Can't we find a bunch of HILARIOUS reefing videos on youtube.com and laugh about it without having to worry about someones feelings? Look at John and Kate + 8, everyone has an opinion of them, but no one seems to care. I watch TMZ knock on John almost every single day. If you are going to put yourself out there like that be prepared to take a little criticism. Have you never watched an old 80's movie on tv and chuckled? Better not. Mr. T and MC Hammer might get offended.
Trust me, I love the guy. I think he is absolutely hilarious, I just don't take his advice as the proper way to run a tank. Then again, i'm not trying to cut corners and make a profit. I simply enjoy my fish
Can't we find a bunch of HILARIOUS reefing videos on youtube.com and laugh about it without having to worry about someones feelings? Look at John and Kate + 8, everyone has an opinion of them, but no one seems to care. I watch TMZ knock on John almost every single day. If you are going to put yourself out there like that be prepared to take a little criticism. Have you never watched an old 80's movie on tv and chuckled? Better not. Mr. T and MC Hammer might get offended.
Trust me, I love the guy. I think he is absolutely hilarious, I just don't take his advice as the proper way to run a tank. Then again, i'm not trying to cut corners and make a profit. I simply enjoy my fish
slief
RC Sponsor
I have been a long time lurker here in this forum. It so happens that I know Jim (LA Fish Guys) all too well.
First I will tell a bit about myself before I address some of the comments and concerns in this thread.
I am 40 years old. I started with salt water aquariums when I was 17. That was a 60 Gallon tank. Over the years things seem to grow. Back in the early 90's I found myself into sharks. I also managed to make some money on the side importing and reselling them. One of my customers happened to be the Mirage Hotel in Vegas.
My hobby was a bit of an obsession and I will admit in hind site that I was a bit obsessive and to date I have not outgrown that obsession.
I met Jim about 20 years ago when he was doing the aquarium service for a local tropical fish store that I frequented. Since I was a hobbiest and a bit lazy, he and I got to talking and eventually he began servicing my aquariums.
As a few of you have pointed out, Jim is a bit stubborn and dare I say "old school". I hope he isn't reading this. That said, Jim has more experience that many of you put together. When I met him, he was the president of the Marine Aquarium Society of Los Angeles. He also produced and hosted MACNA 10 back in 1998. While that doesn't lend for much credibility in itself, it was his peers that included many highly regarded authors and public aquarium curators.
One of the things that strikes me about some of the critics here is that you clearly don't seem to have much of a clue about Jim or his clients tanks. Yet you are very judgmental.
Example: I suppose its easy to come to the conclusion that he doesn't believe in protein skimmers since you don't see them in his videos, but that one is laughable. I have 3 tanks currently which Jim maintains and helped design and all of them have skimmers. I would be surprised if any of his customers didn't have skimmers.
When it comes to how he checks his salinity, PH, calcium or anything else, I can say with honesty that he is very meticulous and thorough.
Jim is by no means a videographer, director or cinematographer. He is a hobbiest and service guy that is about as devoted to the hobby as ANYBODY can get! While his LA Fishguys videos may leave something to be desired, they are meant to entertain and provide some level of education along with the day to day headaches of the aquarium service business. If you read anymore into it, you are fooling yourself.
Sure, he may leave some key points out but as many of you have pointed out, he does the job and as a customer of his, I can attest to the quality of his work and devotion.
That said, he are some of my past and present tanks.
Early 90's. This was my 240 Gallon tank. Gorby was a 5' long moray eel. I named him Gorby after Gorbachev because he had a big spot on his head. Gorby was a big baby and loved to be pet and have his chin rubbed. Notice the white tip reef sharks in the tank as well.
I am a bit excessive when it comes to aquaria.. This is what happens when alcohol and aquariums mix.. Ever want to swim in your tank?? I have!! 12/6/1992. It was my birthday party!
Now lets fast forward several years. Here is my reef tank at home. I bought the house around the tank as the tank was moved from my old home to the new one. Its 500 gallons plus a 200 gallon sump filled with your favorite.. Bio balls and live rock. This tank has over 800 pounds of live rock in it. I made the entire aqua scape from live rock. It started out as a reef tank 13 years ago but is now a community fish tank. Oh yea.. It has a protein skimmer too. A big one that Jim got me!
Me inside the tank putting the rocks together. The rocks were glued together using pond foam. Jim thought I was crazy but he quickly became a believer after seeing the results. Several years later and the aqua scape is still together.
The finished tank
Here is a tank at my office.. This is Jims patented design. The jellies got a bit boring so its now populated with a bunch of sea horses.
Enough of my diatribe. Those of you who don't know Jim and choose to formulate your opinions based on some youtube videos certainly are entitled to your opinions. I can only tell you from 20+ years of knowing Jim (and his idiosyncrasies) know that there are not too many people with his passion and knowledge for this hobby. Even with his stubbornness.
First I will tell a bit about myself before I address some of the comments and concerns in this thread.
I am 40 years old. I started with salt water aquariums when I was 17. That was a 60 Gallon tank. Over the years things seem to grow. Back in the early 90's I found myself into sharks. I also managed to make some money on the side importing and reselling them. One of my customers happened to be the Mirage Hotel in Vegas.
My hobby was a bit of an obsession and I will admit in hind site that I was a bit obsessive and to date I have not outgrown that obsession.
I met Jim about 20 years ago when he was doing the aquarium service for a local tropical fish store that I frequented. Since I was a hobbiest and a bit lazy, he and I got to talking and eventually he began servicing my aquariums.
As a few of you have pointed out, Jim is a bit stubborn and dare I say "old school". I hope he isn't reading this. That said, Jim has more experience that many of you put together. When I met him, he was the president of the Marine Aquarium Society of Los Angeles. He also produced and hosted MACNA 10 back in 1998. While that doesn't lend for much credibility in itself, it was his peers that included many highly regarded authors and public aquarium curators.
One of the things that strikes me about some of the critics here is that you clearly don't seem to have much of a clue about Jim or his clients tanks. Yet you are very judgmental.
Example: I suppose its easy to come to the conclusion that he doesn't believe in protein skimmers since you don't see them in his videos, but that one is laughable. I have 3 tanks currently which Jim maintains and helped design and all of them have skimmers. I would be surprised if any of his customers didn't have skimmers.
When it comes to how he checks his salinity, PH, calcium or anything else, I can say with honesty that he is very meticulous and thorough.
Jim is by no means a videographer, director or cinematographer. He is a hobbiest and service guy that is about as devoted to the hobby as ANYBODY can get! While his LA Fishguys videos may leave something to be desired, they are meant to entertain and provide some level of education along with the day to day headaches of the aquarium service business. If you read anymore into it, you are fooling yourself.
Sure, he may leave some key points out but as many of you have pointed out, he does the job and as a customer of his, I can attest to the quality of his work and devotion.
That said, he are some of my past and present tanks.
Early 90's. This was my 240 Gallon tank. Gorby was a 5' long moray eel. I named him Gorby after Gorbachev because he had a big spot on his head. Gorby was a big baby and loved to be pet and have his chin rubbed. Notice the white tip reef sharks in the tank as well.
I am a bit excessive when it comes to aquaria.. This is what happens when alcohol and aquariums mix.. Ever want to swim in your tank?? I have!! 12/6/1992. It was my birthday party!
Now lets fast forward several years. Here is my reef tank at home. I bought the house around the tank as the tank was moved from my old home to the new one. Its 500 gallons plus a 200 gallon sump filled with your favorite.. Bio balls and live rock. This tank has over 800 pounds of live rock in it. I made the entire aqua scape from live rock. It started out as a reef tank 13 years ago but is now a community fish tank. Oh yea.. It has a protein skimmer too. A big one that Jim got me!
Me inside the tank putting the rocks together. The rocks were glued together using pond foam. Jim thought I was crazy but he quickly became a believer after seeing the results. Several years later and the aqua scape is still together.
The finished tank
Here is a tank at my office.. This is Jims patented design. The jellies got a bit boring so its now populated with a bunch of sea horses.
Enough of my diatribe. Those of you who don't know Jim and choose to formulate your opinions based on some youtube videos certainly are entitled to your opinions. I can only tell you from 20+ years of knowing Jim (and his idiosyncrasies) know that there are not too many people with his passion and knowledge for this hobby. Even with his stubbornness.
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Sisterlimonpot
Premium Member
Well, let me be the first to welcome you.
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>
I always had it in the back of my mind to hop in the tank with the fish, I guess some alcohol may some day bring that to fruition
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>
I always had it in the back of my mind to hop in the tank with the fish, I guess some alcohol may some day bring that to fruition
lucas73
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15645910#post15645910 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by slief
Thanks for the welcome! I have been lurking here for years and its a great site!
I have a bunch more pictures from that night. I think Gorby thought I was crazy but he didn't seem to mind too much.
I bet that was one hell of a party slief,I laughed my a$$ off of the one with you with a mask and snorkel in your tank.By the way welcome to Reef Central,awesome looking tank also.:beer:
if what your are saying is true then he says one thing in his video's and then believes and does another outside the public eye. Alot of the criticism he gets is from the things he says and the way he says it. Most of the tanks he shows on his website do not have a skimmer so be suprised because its true.I have seen him dump supplements without meassuring or testing, no maybe he didn't record that part where he tested but, he still dumped it without meassuring the video doesn't lie. He did buy a refractometer and hated the fact that he even used the thing he just seemed disgusted at the very sight of it, and thats the kind of stuff that offends me along with the little stabs he takes at us for using the "TOOLS" (not toys as jim calls them) that we do. Jim personally doesn't bother me, how could he I don't know him. But he offends me with him "I'm on another level" (yes those are his words) comments and then turn around and says "I'll float them fish for a half an hour and then dump them in" with some really ick prone fish. That is not expert, pro service guy things in my book. The fact that your tank has skimmers doesn't mean squat I'm sure you told him the you wanted them and as any service guy would he will go along, the issue is he don't inform the client that doesn't know anything about the hobby the benefits of a skimmer? IMO a skimmer will do far more for any tank than bioballs wheel, as there are other things for bacteria to grow on there is only one way to skim so if I had a choice the skimmer wins hand down. So anyway my point is that how I think about Jims services are more based on the things that he has actually said on video rather than what I have seen on video. and last but not least how much experience Jim has doesn't mean much to me because I know guys that have been doing their job for a long long long time that still don't know what they are doing. So just because somebody has been doing something for 30 plus years doesn't necessarily mean they are doing something the best way. As far as your pics, you really think that standing on that stool like that is a good idea? Those are big tanks....I like the eel the most.:rollface:
judgedread
New member
Re: LA Fishguy video's
i watch this on you tube too.
i watch this on you tube too.
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