Which Pet Shop do you perfer?

[midreefer]

Escapade to buy rock

Escapade to buy rock

Saturday I spent the day shopping for rock. I left at 10am to hit LFS in chicago burbs. Mind you I am driving in from the IL /WI border. Before I left I called to get prices avalibility and store hours. (Beyond the Reef, Advanced Aquatics, Coral Reef Pet Center, King Coral, Old Orchard, Living Seas) All but Old Orchard gave me deatils so I could plan on where i might decide to get rock. Old Orcahrd told me "we can't quote you prices over the phone. But We guarentee that you will like our prices and our selection." With that in mind I was going to make that one of my last stops since i might buy from there. WRONG!

Advanced aquatics, Coral Reef, King Coral - all wanted way to much for LR. $8-$12/lb! I didnt stop.

Stoped into Beyond the Reef - LR way to pricey! Good selection of fish and soft corals. Great looking store.

Old orcahard - what a joke. I went to look at the rock and asked prices. I made the comment that they should have told me their prices on the phone. I made an hour and a half drive in for nothing. Their reply was So, we have people drive in from St. Louis! That just ****ed me off. The staff was extremely rude! Their rock looked like S*%#! Prices sucked! I didnt even bother looking at anything else they had. I was extremely disapointed.:mad2:

Then my day turned around realy fast as soon as I went to Living Seas! What an great place! Their prices were fantastic! Their staff.........I cant say enough good things about them. They were extremely educated, friendly and helpful. Thanks Derick!! Their fish and corals looked awesome. I was the most impressed by how they have displays of filters, lights, systems explaining what they do and how they work! Hands on. Very cool store! I left with 50lbs of LR. I am excited about making many more trips in!

BTW the rock looks great in my tank!

 

[derrikd]

you havre to be carefull with Beyond the Reef they dose there fish system with copper.

 

[mhurley]

you havre to be carefull with Beyond the Reef they dose there fish system with copper.

The day I walked in there are saw the giant banner on the front door "We have Nemo!!", I turned and walked out and will never go back.

Mike

 

[Ti_Lavender]

guys shotank is pretty good, I just bought my first pair of clownfish for my downstiars tank we will see how they are.

 

[makoshark]

Re: Escapade to buy rock

Re: Escapade to buy rock

Old Orcahrd told me "we can't quote you prices over the phone. But We guarentee that you will like our prices and our selection."

What kind of crap is that?

 

[beester15]

Midreefer, You never mentioned the price on the live rock that you bought from living sea!! you complained about the prices everywhere else and didn't mention the price that you got the great live at. I'm curious. There is a small shop down the road from that place that would beat the price of living sea. although, they don't have the same selection and presentation of the store as living sea. I know that the place down the road from living sea will not sell live rock at $8 per pound. I recall that it was $6 per pound and it was bali rock. Which does run at a slightly higher price. But i am glad to see that you found a place that you like

 

[midreefer]

Copper!! umm... never mind that store then. I wasn't totally impressed with the store. Just thought they had nice looking fish and softies. I really didnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t stay long enough to find out the level of "reef smarts" from the staff. Now knowing about the banner they had saying "WE SELL NEMO". I understand they are a business and that is a total marketing slogan. But I agree. I wouldn't buy just because of that factor in itself. It is just wrong!

Old Orchard wanted $5.50lb for what looked like base rock. White no visible life. They claimed it was Tonga. AND I would have probably bought their sh#$%y rock if their attitudes would have been different. But that wasn't the case. People like that shouldn't be in the business to deal with the public IMO.

I bought 50lbs from Living seas. It was #3.99/lb Fiji $5.99lb Bali. Very colorful. Red, pink, orange, green and yellow coralline. Lots of life. Excellent shape to the rock. I will have pictures tomorrow I've had it in my tank since Saturday. I am very pleased with it.

My quest isn't over. I plan to visit some more stores in the Chicago area. But, my next mission is to go to Madison and see what they have to offer.


:rollface:

 

[makoshark]

My quest isn't over. I plan to visit some more stores in the Chicago area. But, my next mission is to go to Madison and see what they have to offer.
:rollface:

I don't know if you have ever been to a Splash of Life but since Bret is not too far from you, I would certainly recommend visiting him. Phone first because he sometimes closes shop to work on his pond part of the business, but it is a great place to pick up corals. I have also heard that Bret is carrying Walt Smith live rock but have not been there to verify. Harbor Aquatic also has Walt Smith live rock but that is a pretty long road trip. Enjoy!

 

[midreefer]

Thanks Mako! I am going to visit SOL. I've heard all good things about his selections. I was considering a trip to Indiana! And i may still. I'm just not very good at planing trips. I am very spontainious. I will be sure to report back about any of the places I vist! Its just the pits that there isnt a LFS in my area that is worth talking about. If you saw what we had to deal with you would understand. Very embarrasing! I am considering taking pictres of one LFS. I think they should be shut down personally and i would like to know how others would feel about it. Have a great day all!

 

[criccio]

Ditto for Living Sea on the "Nemo" advertisements mhurley. I was there on Sunday, and the tanks that had clowns (bottom tanks at eye level for little kids to see) had nice Nemo stickers on them. And of course they know exactly what they're doing because there's tons of little rug rats in there to see the stingray/shark feedings.
Chris

 

[Douglas LEHMAN]

Hello
I think I herd enough.Both Jeff and Dan at Beyound the Reef, Mike and staff at the Living Sea are confident & knowlegable aquarist,they will not send Nemo & Dory home with those "rug rats " and a 10 gallon tank.If one wants to start out with a salt water aquarium,you could not find better fish to start with than a pair of tank raised "Nemo's". Having started this wonderful hobby at the tender age of 9 years old,how young is to young to start. With today's equipment and information, helping those "rug rats" to set up an aquarium is a slam dunk.You need to remember these people did not open an aquarium shop so they can work 80 hours a week with no return.I think you are smart enough to relise their lively hood is in selling aquariums and fish.If you do decide not to patronize them some how I don't think they will miss you.You free to find a vendor that dosen't sell 'Nemo".

ps I am sure they do not need me to defend their business decisions.

 

[midreefer]

AMEN! LOL

 

[Troy182]

My Favs are

for dry goods

Advanced Aquatics (Glen) -- 879 S. Roselle, Schaumburg 60193
847-882-5747

for SPS FRAGS

Reef Dweller (Menard) -- 6023 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago 60659
773-743-5574

 

[derrikd]

wow far way for drygoods and frags....

 

[slc]

Can anyone recommend good places to stop not too far of exits of 94 and 90. We are planning a road trip to Harbor Aquatics and will be traveling south through Chicago from Wisconsin with a stop at the Shedd Aquarium.

 

[midreefer]

Can anyone recommend good places to stop not too far of exits of 94 and 90. We are planning a road trip to Harbor Aquatics and will be traveling south through Chicago from Wisconsin with a stop at the Shedd Aquarium.

I am from you neck of the woods so to speak. I ddnt make it all the way to IN but would of liked to. All the places I visited last month were right off 90/94. Living Seas in Partk Ridge is well woth the stop. Beyond the reef is right off 90 also, it is just up the street from Woodfeild mall on Gulf rd. :rollface:

 

[midreefer]

Janesville WI

Janesville WI

If anyone is in ther area I found a LFS worth stoppign at

Perfered Pets in Janesville WI They carry alot of Marine supplies, Reasonalble prices on dry goods , Live stock is high, great selection of fish, corals, rock, inverts. Money was low so I just picked up 2 "sand sifting snails"(Nassarius)@$7.99/snail!! I know im a sucker. A sand sifting star/$12.99 and some supplies for my tank. They have around 10 tanks of corals. They didnt have the corals labled which wasn't helpful at all. They just had prices on the tank (ex $49.99 corals in tank)

 

[ostrow]

Wow, that's a fortune for nassarius! I picked up 30+ from a RC member for like $.50 a snail including shipping. If you need more, you should look here or ebay as they are quite commonly for sale in both places. They travel well, too.

 

[makoshark]

I was waiting for someone to pounce on that. I just recently picked up a dozen for $10 from reeftopia.com.

 

[midreefer]

Thanks for the info. I know I got took Was not a wise purchase. I do want more tho. They are cool snails