reeffreak1
New member
Sometimes, it sure does seem that way.
newb here
- Thread starter reeffreak1
- Start date
reeffreak1
New member
I decided at that point to NEVER again buy fish from Petco. EVER.
The guy who actually managed the fish department, was so mad at Petco and their standards, that he left them and started his own SW store. It was fantastic. He loved what he did, and his wife helped him out.
Several times, when I had a sick fish, I could bring it to him, and he would nurse it back to health free of charge. Whether I bought the fish from him or not.
But alas, he went out of business, and simply made his living off maintaining the HUGE tanks he had set up around town. But now he appears to be gone altogether.
I actually went to Adams the other day...and was NOT impressed at all. I was actually almost revolted by it. Dirty, crowded, TINY tanks for everything...and an incredibly limited selection.
reeffreak1
New member
Is it possible that they are able to simply sell in bulk? And that's why they sell cheap?
I'm curious then about sandbox sand?
I've made a list of what I wanted to start with, and plan on sticking very closely to that list for my first attempt. Lots of research and reading brought me to those choices, since they apparently (according to reports) live well in moderate to high lighting.
I realize of course that they won't reach their full potential until they receive the higher end of the lighting, but like I said...that's down the road a little ways.
This is what I had planned on getting for a clean up crew:
1 Tiger Tail Cucumber
15 Cerith Snails
15 Astrea Snails
2 Porcelain Anemone Crabs
1 Scarlet Skunk Shrimp
1 Peppermint Shrimp
Thought about some sea stars, but hear they are difficult to keep and can kill certain corals
Ya'll have been a BIG help thus far. Thank you and do keep it coming.
DSMpunk
Active member
Yeah, its unfortunate, but for the Des Moines area you are pretty much better off buying livestock online. Seascapes (Iowa pets) used to be decent but now they are sub par for fish and even worse for corals. Adams is very pricey and not the greatest either. Petco...well yeah you know Petco.
reeffreak1
New member
Another question.
I assume everyone has a salt brand preference.
I'm planning on Oceanic. Any thoughts?
I assume everyone has a salt brand preference.
I'm planning on Oceanic. Any thoughts?
Covey
New member
To make a long story short.
All salts have issues, no one agrees on them. Probably 60% of people use Instant Ocean or Reef Crystals. I think Coralfreak and Bullet are still running IO and they have some of the nicest tanks in the club.
In your case I would just run IO.
I ran Oceanic for 2 years and liked it but now I am running SeaChem Reef Salt.
All salts have issues, no one agrees on them. Probably 60% of people use Instant Ocean or Reef Crystals. I think Coralfreak and Bullet are still running IO and they have some of the nicest tanks in the club.
In your case I would just run IO.
I ran Oceanic for 2 years and liked it but now I am running SeaChem Reef Salt.
reeffreak1
New member
What's the difference? Or is there really any?
jtesdall
Premium Member
I agree with Covey. I have used IO and Red Sea and now I use Reef Crystals because the mix ends up being perfect for Calcium and Alkalinity content with no additives. Obviously you have to make additions to the tank over time.
There will always be arguments on which is better. Some have more of this and some have more of that, good and bad. The other reason I use Reef Crystals is because Fosters and Smith always has a good price and they don't have overweigt charges to ship it. Everytime I order something from them I get a pail of salt and then I look at it as the shipping didn't cost anything becasue I would have ordered anyway. Reef Crysals are $32 for a bucket now at F&S.
There will always be arguments on which is better. Some have more of this and some have more of that, good and bad. The other reason I use Reef Crystals is because Fosters and Smith always has a good price and they don't have overweigt charges to ship it. Everytime I order something from them I get a pail of salt and then I look at it as the shipping didn't cost anything becasue I would have ordered anyway. Reef Crysals are $32 for a bucket now at F&S.
Covey
New member
Long Story long.
Instant Ocean=High alk, low cal, low mag, low trace. Basic but has kept stuff alive for 30 years.
Reef Crystals=High alk, better cal, better mag, better trace, Good salt but I had batch with that weird red clay and ammonia spike in it. Not the only one either.
Oceanic=Moderate alk, high cal, good mag, Desprite claims seem weak on trace. Some people not me had phos. issues.
Topic marin Reef Salt=Great trace decent numbers but alot of SPS keepers had hair algea issue on it.
SeaChem Reef Salt=Good main numbers IME better color than when I was on Oceanic. Some god awful QT issues in early batches that seem to give the salt a bad name but it is what I am running now.
Every salt has some issue it is just up to inform yourself and work around it.
Instant Ocean=High alk, low cal, low mag, low trace. Basic but has kept stuff alive for 30 years.
Reef Crystals=High alk, better cal, better mag, better trace, Good salt but I had batch with that weird red clay and ammonia spike in it. Not the only one either.
Oceanic=Moderate alk, high cal, good mag, Desprite claims seem weak on trace. Some people not me had phos. issues.
Topic marin Reef Salt=Great trace decent numbers but alot of SPS keepers had hair algea issue on it.
SeaChem Reef Salt=Good main numbers IME better color than when I was on Oceanic. Some god awful QT issues in early batches that seem to give the salt a bad name but it is what I am running now.
Every salt has some issue it is just up to inform yourself and work around it.
Oh, I have to chime in from a newbie standpoint. First they convinced me that I needed a fish to cycle the tank -- a $45 black clown no less. Sold me a lettuce rock which the snails promtly ate all the "lettuce" and left a chunk of rock. Oh, and then there was that beautiful hairy mushroom rock that they convinced me was unique because the shrooms were such a pretty cream color - once it was healthy and happy it took over half the tank bottom! When I asked to trade it in for a $10 credit (healthier than when I bought it) they laughed and told me to give it to a hospital or nursing home for the tax credit. You'd think I would learn, but no... yesterday my son begged for a red seastar. They pulled one from between the tank flow betweens. I got it home and it seemed dead. I called and complained and was told too bad I should have noticed it before I left the shop. When I pointed out that even though I only have a nano I've spent over $1000 in their store since December and I did not understand why they couldn't make it right they informed me they didn't care whether I ever came back again or not. So much for wanting local business. Guess their tank cleaning business must be booming.
I would find it extremly hard to beleive that this is the words of Adam him self ... he has kids to feed , and a buisness to run .... that said I would tell him what you ran in to ... I have talked to him many times with nothing but good words between us. If this was the words of ADAM It may make me change my mind on him. However this does not make the abismal Iowa Sea Scapes a good store. I can never get anyone to help me in there. usually 3 people at the counter and no one who can catch fish. a LOT of sick fish ... 1/2 the tanks look like they have the plauge etc...
Des Moines just doesnt have a good fish store. I get to travel for work and the only place in Iowa that I have seen that is worse is the Pet Eporium in Waterloo that one made me want to call the ASPCA so I guess it could be worse :-/
a differnet note. Have you ever read on the upkeep of star fish? they are extremly difficult to aclimate, IF they make it in the store tank, they are extremely streesed , then you must aclimate them extremely slowly as their bodies dont handle this well If I could search I would send you to an artical that I read that made me relize why the Stars I had purchased in the past die very quickly..
and why they are a bad addition to a tank..
I have always been a little curious about the hatred of Adam's on this board. His fish tanks are clean. His fish are generally disease free. If you actually catch Adam in the store, he very, very rarely gives you the wrong advice on fish stocking. If you are an advanced reef keeper, his store probably isn't generally for you because you are interested in halides, calcium reactors, high end corals, etc and he just doesn't stock that stuff although you might be surprised at what he can get (and sometimes even the price) if you ask. For instance, he got me my Picasso clowns in a week when everyone all over the internet was talking about a huge waiting list for them. I have never had any problems with his customer service and he has always given me some sort of credit for the livestock I have brought in.
He charges higher prices than the internet, but so does Iowa Pet Foods (if their fish are still alive) and Hung. At Iowa Pet Foods, there is only one person that I would trust to buy anything from (Tim, maybe?) and I don't know if he still even works there since I haven't seen him lately. It is a crap shoot every time you walk into Sea of Marvels to 1) see if he is even open and 2) to find out what he is going to try to charge you that day for a certain coral. Admittedly, Adam's help lately has been a little iffy and I know firsthand that they have given newbies a lot of bad advice.
I could go on and on about all of the fish stores in Iowa. I guess my point is that all of the stores have their issues and faults. They all have higher prices than what you can get online. If you don't like the prices, don't support your local fish store and order off the internet. You should always do your homework whoever you are buying from because sometimes, whether purposely or out of their own lack of knowledge, they are going to give you bad advice.
I must just be one of the few lucky ones who has had generally good experiences in dealing with Adam's...
He charges higher prices than the internet, but so does Iowa Pet Foods (if their fish are still alive) and Hung. At Iowa Pet Foods, there is only one person that I would trust to buy anything from (Tim, maybe?) and I don't know if he still even works there since I haven't seen him lately. It is a crap shoot every time you walk into Sea of Marvels to 1) see if he is even open and 2) to find out what he is going to try to charge you that day for a certain coral. Admittedly, Adam's help lately has been a little iffy and I know firsthand that they have given newbies a lot of bad advice.
I could go on and on about all of the fish stores in Iowa. I guess my point is that all of the stores have their issues and faults. They all have higher prices than what you can get online. If you don't like the prices, don't support your local fish store and order off the internet. You should always do your homework whoever you are buying from because sometimes, whether purposely or out of their own lack of knowledge, they are going to give you bad advice.
I must just be one of the few lucky ones who has had generally good experiences in dealing with Adam's...
reeffreak1
New member
After LOTS of reading and research, I decided not to use the flourescent assemby that I currently have, and plan on going with either T5's or VHO due to the size of the tank, and the fact that I don't much care for the light distribution of the MH's.
I've also decided to have a mostly softie tank, with 1 or 2 LPS and SPS thrown in to mix up the look a bit. I'm going to be building my own skimmer (thank God for the DIY thread) to save a little money, and will be 2-stage dosing the tank as needed.
I came accross a sale on ebay that I'm curious about. They are selling IceCap 430 Electronic Ballast with Endcaps, two sets of them. Each ballast powers 2 48"bulbs at 320 watts. They are quite cheap at this point.
Would this be a viable option for my tank?
I'd show ya's the link, but I don't want someone buying it out from under me.
I've also decided to have a mostly softie tank, with 1 or 2 LPS and SPS thrown in to mix up the look a bit. I'm going to be building my own skimmer (thank God for the DIY thread) to save a little money, and will be 2-stage dosing the tank as needed.
I came accross a sale on ebay that I'm curious about. They are selling IceCap 430 Electronic Ballast with Endcaps, two sets of them. Each ballast powers 2 48"bulbs at 320 watts. They are quite cheap at this point.
Would this be a viable option for my tank?
I'd show ya's the link, but I don't want someone buying it out from under me.
jtesdall
Premium Member
I am sure you will get comments on not liking the MH's. They are the best. One thing, 2-48" VHO's would be 220 watts, not 320. They are 110 each. I think you can get those or similar ballasts at hellolights for about $60 each and a 4 bulb for about $100 BUT I didn't double check.
Don't remeber the size of your tank, but I have 4 VHO's on a 55 and things are doing very well including SPS.
Don't remeber the size of your tank, but I have 4 VHO's on a 55 and things are doing very well including SPS.
reeffreak1
New member
It's a 55L.
I've got to keep my cost down so that the wife doesn't pull the plug early.
I've got to keep my cost down so that the wife doesn't pull the plug early.
reeffreak1
New member
I suppose it would help to provide information about pricing eh?
Currently, the two auctions are below 25, plus 14 for shipping (each). It includes
the ballast, heat sink, wiring harness, and 2 pair of endcaps with stand offs on each auction.
Currently, the two auctions are below 25, plus 14 for shipping (each). It includes
the ballast, heat sink, wiring harness, and 2 pair of endcaps with stand offs on each auction.
