Lfs advice

[a.browning]

I was talking to an owner of an LFS and he asked me about what all I do to dose my aquarium. I told him I test and dose baking soda for alkalinity and use BRS CaCl for Calcium and occasionally supplement with magnesium sulfate/chloride mix. He then told me everything I'm doing is wrong and that I HAVE to dose a "ionically balanced" formula like ESV (which happened to be the only brand of supplements they had) for my cal/alk. He said that all tanks dosed with "dry" supplements that you mix up yourself (BRS powders, baking soda, dowflake) eventually crash as well as kalk. Now I've only been in the hobby for about a year but this just didn't seem right, I know many very experienced people that use these, and Randy recommends baking soda. He then went on about how all the "new equipment" (bio-denitrators, vodka dosing, phosphate reactors) are a bunch of crap. Should I take any truth from this or is this a exaggerated sales tactic?

 

[Inexplicable]

It is all an exaggerated sales tactic. There are hundreds of reefers on this forum and throughout the world that are very successful using "dry" supplements such as those you are using. There is unfortunately a large number of LFS owners who are only there to make a profit, and this hobby has a lot of subjectivity to it, so they profit off of inexperienced or otherwise unknowing newcomers by throwing out statements or suggesting that your tank is going to crash. There is solid science behind the "new equipment" you listed, so on the basis of him saying that these are crap, I would not trust any advice he gives due to his ignorance. I have found that a lot of advice is given on almost any topic imaginable here on RC, so any question you would ask your LFS, you could ask here or search for someone else's thread who has asked the same question. Good luck to you.

 

[MCCOOL]

I agree with all of that.

 

[thegrun]

All of the "wet" supplements are made from dry chemicals.

 

[kingfisher62]

I do not know what you have in your tank but I just have LPS's and softies and regular water changes seem to do the trick for me. I like to keep things simple!

 

[kingfisher62]

BTW, any pics of your tank?

 

[aquaman67]

Does he happen to sell any of the stuff he recommends?

He may honestly believe what he's saying. Using driveway ice melter does seem kinda weird, no?

 

[peppie]

He is out to make a buck. Few LFS will tell the truth weather they make the sale or not. That is the store I use.

 

[snorvich]

My source for information is the vast wealth of information found on this board. None of us have a vested interest in the advice we give.

 

[a.browning]

Thanks for your help guys! I'm glad I can always count on RC!!!

BTW, any pics of your tank?

Yep, here it is! This is a few months old, but it's the same stuff just grown in more. My xenia is about to overrun the tank, but it makes an awesome center piece in my opinion. I've debated removing it but for now it will stay. Post pics of your tank, I'd like to compare 55's! I've got softies and some LPS in there.

It is all an exaggerated sales tactic. There are hundreds of reefers on this forum and throughout the world that are very successful using "dry" supplements such as those you are using. There is unfortunately a large number of LFS owners who are only there to make a profit, and this hobby has a lot of subjectivity to it, so they profit off of inexperienced or otherwise unknowing newcomers by throwing out statements or suggesting that your tank is going to crash. There is solid science behind the "new equipment" you listed, so on the basis of him saying that these are crap, I would not trust any advice he gives due to his ignorance. I have found that a lot of advice is given on almost any topic imaginable here on RC, so any question you would ask your LFS, you could ask here or search for someone else's thread who has asked the same question. Good luck to you.

Thanks for the support! It was just disapointing since I drove a good ways to go to what should have been a reputable coral propagation farm. It seemed like he was a 90's reefer unwilling to accept new techniques/practices.

Does he happen to sell any of the stuff he recommends?

He may honestly believe what he's saying. Using driveway ice melter does seem kinda weird, no?

Yeah, happens to be the only brand he sells. Imagine that, huh? He mentioned de icer as one of the "bad ways" to dose.

 

[ludiNano]

I agree with everyone here. On the vodka(carbon) doseing tho, im pretty sure randy isnt opposed to this, i may be wrong but i think he doses vinigar as a carbon source.

F the LFS and do whats been working for you. Great looking tank tool!!! : )