Support your Lfs?

[HammerLover]

LFS in our country varies. Some literally gather csells from the wild. Every week there is always a never ending supply of goniopora, starfishes, random large fishes and never ending clowns. Almost every reef fish is available here. Some stalls are literally called aiptasia heaven because There lots of aptasias growing and some will even sell it in really cheap price as "glass anemones" and what's more weird is people buy them 0_0. However I've found 2 stores that farms and grows their corals. Their prices were much more expensive but still reasonable. They have excellent water quality and they really care about the welfare of their animals. They will help you plan on stocking things in certain tank sizes. I'm willing to support and most of my corals came from such LFS. They also sell NSW that they test before selling thus ensuring quality. Other stalls just jam 100 clownfishes in a 50 gallon tank. I've even found a coral store where they pile bubble corals, goniopras and euphyllias all together in a single tank. No wonder most corals were injured, stinged or dying. They even recommend keeping 10 small clownfishes on my 10 gal 0_0. They also sell lots of mandarin dragonets and different nudibranches saying that they'll feed on algae. I only support those 2 LFS that care about the welfare of their stocks. Other stalls were pretty bad dumping corals on tanks without even thinking what do they need

 

[nyknicks4412]

When I first got into the hobby I visited a lot of local fish stores. I remember being blown away by the fish/coral displays. After some research I realized a lot of what I was looking at was not in the best shape. Fish with white dots/coral full of algae. Maybe it was the stores I was visiting but I felt like the quality wasn't quite there for the price.

I prefer ordering from quality online vendors for fish and getting frags locally from other reefers. If I can't find the corals I am looking for I go straight to online. Corals at the LFS aren't even worth the look.

Just my experience. I am sure there are some great stores out there.

 

[moatdaddy]

Taxes. Man I hate taxes. Online I can dodge them when buying equipment. Fish I get from lfs. Needs to have been there a few weeks and eating though. Saves so much long run that way. Just what I do.

 

[Jade5051]

I buy virtually all my hardware online except pvc, wires, wood, screws, etc.

I get a lot of consumables at my LFS. Salt, test kits, medications, etc. Often times because shipping is too high or I have an emergency situation.

I buy all my livestock at a LFS. I always want to see the fish before I buy it and I want to know it's eating. Also, there is some color/marking variation in species. If there is a high quality specimen with all the proper coloring and markings I'll sometimes change my livestock list and pick it up on the spot.

 

[billbunton]

There's a small LFS here in town, I've bought small items from them occasionally. Never felt confident enough in them to buy livestock.

There's a LFS 80 miles away that I bought from. Once. I might go back one day (haven't been there in about a year and a half) and see if they've improved any.

We're heading up to Albuquerque tomorrow to stop by the next closest LFS, with the intent to buy some livestock. 215 miles each way...

Yeah, I buy mostly online

 

[hbrochs]

I'm ok with paying a little more to lfs. I just bought GHL doser from my lfs and paid almost 10% more than online. When I had trouble setting it up, and online support didn't help, I brought it back to lfs, and he spent half hour with me getting it working and teaching me how to use it. Also buying livestock local means they have already survived and recovered from the trauma of shipping. And I like talking with the guys, always pick up a little tidbit everytime I visit the store. I'm not gonna pay crazy more, though.

 

[BrokenSpoke]

In the past I would buy my hardware online and livestock locally. However, for my new tank, that might change. I have several pretty good stores but they are all about an hours drive each way. When I factor in the time driving to / from each store, maybe buying a fish that day and maybe not, driving back out again to see what they have, buying that fish locally gets to be pretty expensive. Couple that with zero guarantee vs. 14 days from an online vendor and it's almost impossible for me to justify the time and cost.

Granted, you don't get to see this fish eat, but I'm starting to think the 14 day guarantee, coupled with not having to drive, and the better selection online outweighs seeing the fish eat.

 

[Tweaked]

There are a few to choose from here in CT, but support one allot. Equipment, nothing beats things like Amazon Prime etc., besides at the prices I can get, the store doesn't make anything on it so it's useless.

 

[sde1500]

I'll buy livestock at my LFS. They are great, super helpful, very knowledgeable, and I've never seen issues with their fish. They are pricey though. Scouted stuff out for the tank I just put together and it was so much cheaper for equipment online. So bought online. Most anything living will come from them though, just so much nicer to see before I buy.

 

[snorklr]

joshbrookkate thanks for the tip...i'm halfway between charlotte and greensboro and have mainly been looking in the charlotte area....but either city is 50 miles away...so lfs aint so local

 

[Sk8r]

Asking your LFS to order a specific tank or fish or invert or product has some advantages: they have a loading door, they handle truck arrivals, they unbag the fish properly, they safeguard the shipment til you can get there, and their shipments arrive during their business hours. If you've dealt with tariff limitations on freight, eg a truck having to leave an 800 lb pallet in the street because they aren't allowed to go to the door, or a truck that can't make it through the back gate, paying full air freight on a box with one little fish, or a live delivery that happens in -10 degree weather while you're at work... letting your LFS do that for their cut is a good deal.

 

[deleau]

I try to support two local stores. One is about 15 min away; the other a bit over 30. There are 3-4 other LFS in my area, including one much closer, but the owner has poor customer service, so I chose not to reward that.

I bought custom tank from Planet through one LFS; bought my 105 through the other. I tend to get certain things from one over the other, and I try to order equipment from them, but if they cannot get it, I'll buy from Amazon or BRS. Even though one LFS stocks a lot of BRS stuff, I tend to also support BRS where I can as well with direct purchases.

For livestock, I order both online and from the LFS. Both my LFS will order multiples of any fish I special order, so I get my pick of which one is eating best, looks best, etc. then will sell the rest to the public. I try to engage people at both LFS in regards to the hobby, their business, etc. I strongly feel that between that engagement (and the money I spend to support them) leads to some of the "special" treatment that I feel I get.

 

[deleau]

Also, I forgot to add that I support a local woman who does tank cleaning/services as her business. I have her come do some tank cleaning/water changes maybe once every couple months (I do most of my own maintenance), but I feel that it is good to have someone else with some kind of knowledge of my tanks in case I'm ever in a situation where I need someone else to step in for me for a while.

 

[roy tharp]

If you have a "reliable" & "knowledgable" LFS use them. However, I've learned that these are far & few between around my area, most are "pet shops" that just want to make a sale. I have 1 LFS in my area that I can trust so I mat spend a "small" amount more for livestock but I can count on quality. To me that is important because "livestock" is not disposable.


_________________________
Donnie

 

[Cancun]

Hi everyone! I used to support my LFS....I bought my tank..live rock..live sand....fish etc....but there quality of livestock started going down in the last 6 months or so....I got tired of loosing money on fish...so now I buy only from Live Aquaria....you can't beat their 14 day gauruntee....and the great customer service. I do buy my saltwater every week from my LFS....and all my coral and inverts...so I still support them in that way.

 

[rjjr1963]

I've gotten pretty disgusted with my LFS. Most of their livestock is sick and when they get new fish they dump them in with the sick fish. It's really heartbreaking and I can't stand going into the place anymore.

 

[ReefPharmer]

I have one store that does a good job w their livestock , otherwise I try to buy it and ask them to not dump the fish into their tanks so I can pick up the fish still in the bag

 

[yacn]

I bought my initial setup 10 years ago from LFS....tank, sump, pump, lights, skimmer, live rock, etc.

I always buy my live stock from LFS....I like to see what I'm buying. Plus I have at least 5 or 6 LFS within a 20 minute drive from where I work & live.

Thinking I would save money I began buying stuff online: replacement bulbs, salt, additives, test kits, equipment, etc.

Most LFS charge more for the same products....but I understand why. Rent, overhead, employees, taxes, etc that some online companies don't have to pay for.

I stopped buying stuff online about 6 years ago and began supporting my LFS 100%.

The variable to consider.... In an emergency situation when you need immediate help...the LFS might be the only place to go for that help. It is better to already have a paying customer relationship with them when asking for that help. I've seen a couple of LFS put customers fish, corals, etc. in their tanks temporarily to help that customer out during an emergency situation. Taking up valuable retail tank space that could be housing stuff for sale. Other LFS have offered used equipment they had laying idle to customers on loan until they could get theirs fixed...like return pump seal, etc. They might not do that for someone that isn't a regular paying customer.

Recently I noticed one of my LFS sells the same stuff I used to buy online at the same price or almost the same price....I did a little comparison shopping. Not everything but enough products like salt, test kits, additives, surprisingly LED lights. So I buy from him!

 

[Rybren]

I purchase as much as possible from local LFS. Our Reefing Community is relatively small and over the past few years, 3 LFS have gone under.

I don't mind paying a bit more for something local just to support the stores.

 

[sixpackgarage]

My LFS (saltwater junkies) Yes, I'll plug them.. is great. I buy almost all of my hardware and livestock from them. They match internet prices, although I've not asked them to do so. I think you can build a good relationship with any LFS and they will usually be happy to price things well for you especially if you buy a lot of stuff.