Question about Big Al's Online - Aquarium Advice

DragonChild · 06-21-2004, 07:52 PM

Greetings.

I had a question about BigAls.com

It says that for a check they wait 2 weeks to clear. How long on average do you Big Al's customers wait for your order when paying by check? I emailed them about it and never recieved a response.

[acronym:865163d378="Thanks in Advance"]TIA[/acronym:865163d378].

Dragon

paige · 06-21-2004, 09:47 PM

I don't really like Big Al's online. If the item you want is under $10 and not in stock they don't let you know...so depending on what you ordered you might be waiting forever. Drs. Foster & Smith costs a couple more dollars but the customer service is WAY better...they actually give you a tracking number without you having to call and ask for it.

pkremer · 06-21-2004, 10:04 PM

On this general topic, what do people recommend for test kits?

I found this one that looks good. I am finally almost finished using my dip strips (newbie purchase) and am looking to replace with liquid kits. Do you think that these kits are good or is there another you would recommend? I plan on purchasing the separates as the master does not appear to come with nitrates. I don't think I need the low range and high range pH tests...

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...565&in_merch=1

Paul

DragonChild · 06-21-2004, 10:15 PM

See, the problem is, I have a tight budget, and Foster and Smith have what I need, but it's gonna cost me about 40 bucks for the order.

I dunno...I love Foster and Smith.

Pkremer, I asked about that kit too, but I was also uneasy about the lack of nitrate tests.

bunebop · 06-21-2004, 10:24 PM

Yeah, I ordered the kit from big als and it said it came w/ a nitrate test, and it didn't... so I called em up and got them to send me one for free. It is true however that they take a very long time to respond... I had to call em 3 times since someone was supposed to call me and the third time I called the lady said they had already sent out a nitrate test about 3 days before... I was just like "thanks for sharing and for the call back"

But other than that I've never had a problem w/ em. If you get that kit just make sure you order a nitrate as well. At least they finally updated their website

fishstixs05 · 06-21-2004, 10:33 PM

One thing at Big Als you cannot compare with is there food: 1/2 lb. of flake food for 2.99 and other deals. I used a credit card when ordering so I didnt have to wait. Paige, I saw some thing not in stock, but for the most part erverything I wanted was there.

Aquafriend · 06-22-2004, 02:04 AM

I think there are a lot of master kits that don't, for some reason, include nitrate kits. Several times I've heard of people having to order them separate. I bought all my test kits separately beacause that's all that I could get at my [acronym:38514fb2c5="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:38514fb2c5], and all of them are Hagen test kits. I like them and they're easy to use.

madasafish · 06-22-2004, 10:17 AM

That's right. Most kits do *not* include nitrate tests; I assume this is because they think nitrate levels are much less important to determining how healthy your fish are. (Of course, that's not entirely true.) I think it might also have to do with the fact that nitrate tests seem to be a little more complicated, with numerous reagants... I ended up buying one separately...

06-21-2004, 07:52 PM	#1
DragonChild Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: USA Posts: 94	Question about Big Al's Online Greetings. I had a question about BigAls.com It says that for a check they wait 2 weeks to clear. How long on average do you Big Al's customers wait for your order when paying by check? I emailed them about it and never recieved a response. [acronym:865163d378="Thanks in Advance"]TIA[/acronym:865163d378]. Dragon __________________ ~DragonChild "If you leap before you look, the game will be over before you have even begun to play" Shuten/Anubis ------------------------ 40 gallon, freshwater, currently housing pleco, red tailed shark, 1 adult silver mickey mouse platy, 3 platy fry (unsure of colors right now), and 6 ghost shrimp. Filter is an Aquaclear 200, azoo 6500 air pump, and Hagen heater.

06-21-2004, 10:04 PM	#3
pkremer Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: May 2004 Location: Fargo, ND Posts: 478 Images: 3	On this general topic, what do people recommend for test kits? I found this one that looks good. I am finally almost finished using my dip strips (newbie purchase) and am looking to replace with liquid kits. Do you think that these kits are good or is there another you would recommend? I plan on purchasing the separates as the master does not appear to come with nitrates. I don't think I need the low range and high range pH tests... http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...565&in_merch=1 Paul __________________ 38 Gallon (Freshwater): 1 Green Swordtail, 3 Yo-Yo Loaches, 1 Clown Pleco, 1 Blue Gourami, 4 Otocinclus, 7 Cherry Barbs. 46 Gallon (Saltwater): 60 pounds Lalo Live Rock, 60 pounds aragonite sand, 1 Coral Beauty Angelfish, 1 Peppermint Shrimp, 1 Mushroom Coral, 1 Emerald Crab, various snails and hermit crabs. 10 Gallon (Saltwater quarantine):

06-21-2004, 10:15 PM	#4
DragonChild Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: USA Posts: 94	See, the problem is, I have a tight budget, and Foster and Smith have what I need, but it's gonna cost me about 40 bucks for the order. I dunno...I love Foster and Smith. Pkremer, I asked about that kit too, but I was also uneasy about the lack of nitrate tests. __________________ ~DragonChild "If you leap before you look, the game will be over before you have even begun to play" Shuten/Anubis ------------------------ 40 gallon, freshwater, currently housing pleco, red tailed shark, 1 adult silver mickey mouse platy, 3 platy fry (unsure of colors right now), and 6 ghost shrimp. Filter is an Aquaclear 200, azoo 6500 air pump, and Hagen heater.

06-21-2004, 10:24 PM	#5
bunebop Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: May 2004 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 250 Images: 12	Yeah, I ordered the kit from big als and it said it came w/ a nitrate test, and it didn't... so I called em up and got them to send me one for free. It is true however that they take a very long time to respond... I had to call em 3 times since someone was supposed to call me and the third time I called the lady said they had already sent out a nitrate test about 3 days before... I was just like "thanks for sharing and for the call back" But other than that I've never had a problem w/ em. If you get that kit just make sure you order a nitrate as well. At least they finally updated their website __________________ Ashley ~12-13 [acronym:3831520aa0="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:3831520aa0] [acronym:3831520aa0="Freshwater"]FW[/acronym:3831520aa0] hex w/ 4 female bettas and a recovering black skirt tetra ~55 [acronym:3831520aa0="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:3831520aa0][acronym:3831520aa0="Freshwater"]FW[/acronym:3831520aa0] ~6 zebra danios (I think, haven't seen some in a while), ~7 black skirt tetras, 1 clown pleco, 1 cory cat, 3 pit bull plecos, 1 baby guppy in a breeders net, and 1 red minor tetra I also have a couple other tanks w/o fish as right now I do not have the room/time and there is a chance of moving in the "near" future so I don't want to get more fish for them. I'm downsizing for the moment.

06-21-2004, 10:33 PM	#6
fishstixs05 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: May 2003 Location: El Dorado Hills, CA Posts: 458 Images: 14	One thing at Big Als you cannot compare with is there food: 1/2 lb. of flake food for 2.99 and other deals. I used a credit card when ordering so I didnt have to wait. Paige, I saw some thing not in stock, but for the most part erverything I wanted was there. __________________ In the Sacramento Area, join Marine Aquarium Rountable of Sacramento at www.marineaquarist.org or the Sacramento Aquarium Society at www.sacramentoaquariumsociety.org

06-21-2004, 09:47 PM	#2
paige Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Dallas TX Posts: 2	I don't really like Big Al's online. If the item you want is under $10 and not in stock they don't let you know...so depending on what you ordered you might be waiting forever. Drs. Foster & Smith costs a couple more dollars but the customer service is WAY better...they actually give you a tracking number without you having to call and ask for it.

06-22-2004, 02:04 AM	#7
Aquafriend Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: May 2004 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 97	I think there are a lot of master kits that don't, for some reason, include nitrate kits. Several times I've heard of people having to order them separate. I bought all my test kits separately beacause that's all that I could get at my [acronym:38514fb2c5="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:38514fb2c5], and all of them are Hagen test kits. I like them and they're easy to use.

06-22-2004, 10:17 AM	#8
madasafish Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: NY, NY Posts: 2,260 Images: 73	That's right. Most kits do not include nitrate tests; I assume this is because they think nitrate levels are much less important to determining how healthy your fish are. (Of course, that's not entirely true.) I think it might also have to do with the fact that nitrate tests seem to be a little more complicated, with numerous reagants... I ended up buying one separately... __________________ [acronym:3ff24413a5="Malaysian Trumpet Snails or Multiple Tank Syndrome, depending on context"]MTS[/acronym:3ff24413a5] is a blessing, not a disease.

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