What do you look for in a reef store

[reefyourself]

Hey everyone,

Would like to know what everyone expects from a local reef store?

What do you guys, when you walk into the store feel as attractive/unatractive...etc

 

[deaddat]

I expect it to be clean and everything to be in good health. I don't want to go to a place and see hair or bubble algae on the corals. I don't care if the staff is uneducated because I don't rely on them anyways because research should be done prior to purchase, not a spur of the moment type of thing. If things aren't clean and good health I'm better of buying from LA.

I also find it disturbing when I see a show tank with fish that shouldn't be in that size of a tank, but then again I don't rely on their knowledge.

 

[jacksonpt]

First, healthy livestock
Second, clean tanks
Third, knowledgeable staff
Fourth, good selection and decent pricing

 

[jacksonpt]

I don't care if the staff is uneducated because I don't rely on them anyways because research should be done prior to purchase, not a spur of the moment type of thing.

While I generally agree with this, I will say that there is a lot of good that can come from having a decent relationship with your LFS. When they know you, know your tank, know your general water params, husbandry practices, etc, they can help you make educated decisions when all the advice in the world from a faceless bbs doesn't work for you.

 

[Potsy]

I like a wide and extensive selection of coral frags that are healthy and pest free. This past weekend I was at Manhattan Aquariums (the walk-in store behind uniquecorals.com) and was stunned by the number of healthy frags selling for 15 - 30 dollars. It's my new favorite place to buy corals.

 

[nissannx]

clean tanks healthy fish. i will pay more knowing that the fish or coral came from top knotch tanks

 

[Emerald525]

I expect it to be clean and everything to be in good health. I don't want to go to a place and see hair or bubble algae on the corals. I don't care if the staff is uneducated because I don't rely on them anyways because research should be done prior to purchase, not a spur of the moment type of thing. If things aren't clean and good health I'm better of buying from LA.

I also find it disturbing when I see a show tank with fish that shouldn't be in that size of a tank, but then again I don't rely on their knowledge.

I agree a clean shop. I do expect the staff to be educated. Don't get me wrong, I don't expect them to know everything. This is a complicated hobby. However, when I was new to the hobby, the thing I most appreciated was a LFS steering me away from an impulse buy when they knew it may not be best for my tank.

There is one LFS in my area that I know has taken advantage of several newbies and I will never shop there.

I also will return with good customer service and guarantee policies. Which makes sense. Why would you continue to spend money at a place where the corals and fish did not do well and you were not given the time of day?

 

[aleonn]

Clean tanks, each not-overcrowded with livestock. Good customer service and knowledge. I asked some novice and more advanced questions to some of the staff to see their level of expertise. Of course, having competitive prices is a big plus, but I don't mind paying a little higher on livestock that I know are healthy.

 

[jeff@zina.com]

Most of the time I just feel lucky if they're in driving distance.

Basically for me, the ideal reef store, or any LFS or hobby store of any kind, is one run by, and staffed with, fellow enthusiasts. The rest kind of falls into place.

Jeff

 

[allsps40]

Great corals mostly sps.
ORA stuff.
Staff that knows more than me as I used to be the staff and have done this for over 5 years now.
Healthy live stock
Clean tanks
Good selection of dry goods in stock (foods, pumps, lights, bulbs, chems)
Always carries a good reef salt like Pro Reef, HW Reefer, DD H2Ocean, Tunze.
Always trying new tech so when you ask about it they have answers for you, as they should.

 

[mx838]

...

 

[Lynnmw1208]

I expect them to greet me when I walk in like they care I'm in there (one store I know doesn't..)
I want the place to be clean and organized so I can find things
I want to see healthy fish and corals without flatworms and bubble algae
I also would love to see competitive prices as why would I pay more if I can get the fish and coral from LA and know they are great specimens for WAY less?

 

[john90009]

i look for tank raised coral cause i wont spend money on wild australian junk : )

 

[Pallobi]

over all the health of their livestock is huge with me, and the cleanliness of their system etc... if they are good, i will not buy regardless, just my opinion

 

[Daniel Reef]

over all the health of their livestock is huge with me, and the cleanliness of their system etc... if they are good, i will not buy regardless, just my opinion

I don't understand the bolded part.

 

[Parrotfish100]

While I generally agree with this, I will say that there is a lot of good that can come from having a decent relationship with your LFS. When they know you, know your tank, know your general water params, husbandry practices, etc, they can help you make educated decisions when all the advice in the world from a faceless bbs doesn't work for you.

+1. Everyone at my LFS knows me and what I have in my tank. They know what I want from my reef and steer me clear of anything that would be hard to take care of since I am relatively new at reef tanks.

I agree with the other posters. Healthy livestock, clean tanks, knowledgeable staff. My LFS warns people before they buy a fish if it has not been eating and the guy I go to flat out refuses to sell it if it is just going to die or the customer does not know how to care for the fish or coral.

Low prices are nice, but I don't mind paying a little bit more for livestock that I know has been cared for.

 

[billdogg]

There are several stores in my area that deal in marine creatures.

The shiny clean (nationwide chain, not petco) one does nothing for me. The staff seems intent on selling, not so much on good advice. When I do stop in there, I have on many occasions waited till the staff member left and then given the customer the correct advice. (I did retail marine for over 10 years, have been reef keeping for over 20) Most have thanked me. Their fish are often ick infested and over stressed. Their coral selection usually stinks. Prices not so great either.

Another store (another chain, not petco) is usually clean, but the staff disinterested, at best. Ick and dead critters often a problem. Prices sometimes very good. (they sometimes mislabel fish/corals)

A third place (corals only, maybe a couple fish, but not a money maker for them) seemed clean enough, and had a huge selection of corals and frags at good prices. They also had a staff member tell me that how I have my system set up will lead to a huge crash within 6 months, 1 year tops. Funny thing is, this is one of the tanks that has been set up since ~1990, using a 120g refugium with DSB & Cheato, and good sized pile of LR Rubble both in the fuge and in the 50g sump. Carbon and GFO reactors. Hasn't crashed yet!!!

The 4th place is the smallest, but only because it is crammed with tanks. There is barely room for dry goods, but what they have is top notch. They have an excellent variety in soft and hard corals, a good invert/cuc selection, and a surprising number of very nice and often unusual fish. They have frags starting at $5. More importantly, they have a staff who really seems to get it. The owner(s) are there pretty much all the time, and the employees can actually talk reef correctly! It is always my first choice - in fact, I keep trying to get them to move from the east side of town down here to me on the south end!

 

[reefgeezer]

The LFS thing is tough. I like an LFS that has good livestock variety that at least looks healthy. Beyond that, I'm not too picky.

 

[lewk]

For me, first and foremost is a clean shop. I don't want to see tanks with dead/dying fish and frags covered in aptasia. I prefer one store locally where I know the owner really cares about making sure he sets up his customers with the right systems and livestock. I've personally seen him turn away business because people wanted to buy a tank from him and overstock it so they can watch the fish fight, or customers who repeatedly kill fish because they don't care about the health of their fish.

 

[goober35]

I ask questions that i know the answers, and see if they know the answer or if they will go find out or if the lie to me. I also get to know the owner and get on a first name basis. My LFS has started to ask me as a customer what i like and dislike about there store and what should be done to change it.


They also have to have clean tanks that are not over crowded with fish and corals. I do not expect them to have the best prices ether. If the fish are in good heath then they will cost more. I like to find out if they have a quarantine tank also.