Doug's 105 rimless build and diary

[PB_Smith]

Yep. And if you owned a LFS, you wouldn't have a fish guarantee either.


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back in the day we would guarantee fish for customers, provided they brought in a water sample and we were familiar with them as customers.
We did have limits but would often replace cheap fish for newbies to keep them from getting discouraged and we end up losing a customer.
Remember this was in the day when fish-in cycling was still the most practiced method of starting a new tank.
Went through a lot of damsels back then...

I've now been going to one store regularly for over a year and at first no guarantees, no trades.
Now it's pretty much no questions asked they replace stuff for me, but I'm also reasonable about it and don't ask for replacements beyond 3 days or if it died due to some mishap on my end.
They also usually give me full credit if I bring stuff in to trade, even when I told them all I expected was 50%.

I recently purchased some macro algae, pods and frags from an online retailer.
Two of the 6 frags were ok on arrival, the rest pretty beat up.
Definitely a lot worse in appearance and size than what I get at the lfs for $10 a pop!
The macro's I got were pretty ragged looking.
the only thing really thriving are the pods and some caulerpa I got by accident.
Those few strands are doing better than the macros I actually bought!

Won't be buying anymore livestock online.
But I will admit to being lucky living where I do as there are numerous decent stores within minutes to choose from.
Just found a little hole-in-the-wall place within walking distance of me that has only corals and they all look great, and they are willing to bargain.

 

[Gregcoyote]

We have no stores anymore except a pet store that has a half dozen salt tanks and a few clown fish. So the Internet is what I use. Just like a LFS, you have to pick somebody you can trust.

When I had my stores, we had no published policy about dead fish. But I also took care of my experienced customers as they didn't abuse me as many would.

Had a customer that wanted money back for fish he accidentally left in the car over night. Got really mad when I didn't pony up the dough.


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[mr_X]

I have a hard time paying retail for things in this hobby. I generally use my lfs for salt simply because the only way I can buy it wholesale, is by the pallet.

 

[PB_Smith]

I have a hard time paying retail for things in this hobby. I generally use my lfs for salt simply because the only way I can buy it wholesale, is by the pallet.

yeah but when you add in shipping, any livestock costs more than a lfs would sell it for. Saw a deal for a mandarin, $9, but then you have to figure in the $39.99 shipping, so not so good after all.
The only reason I got the frags I did was because they were only $5 a pop and free shipping. If I had to pay shipping it would have tripled the price.
I also have yet to see any online pricing that beats stores in my area, especially when you add shipping cost.

Liveaquaria's prices for example are across the board higher than pricing at any lfs near me.

 

[mr_X]

Oh...I'm not talking about buying fish retail, and I can buy fish for much less than the LFS sells them for....I just have to fill a box to make it worth while.

 

[TheTodd]

Oh...I'm not talking about buying fish retail, and I can buy fish for much less than the LFS sells them for....I just have to fill a box to make it worth while.

There is a guy in Los Angeles that does this. He used to own a distribution business, but retired. He sells at basically wholesale plus a few bucks, but you have to buy a box. If you go in a with a couple people, you can get fish at much less than any LFS. He sends out weekly lists from all the various overseas distributers and the prices are amazingly low.


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[mr_X]

The downside is that you have to add all the fish at once- this can certainly be a shock to the system unless it's massive.

 

[TheTodd]

The downside is that you have to add all the fish at once- this can certainly be a shock to the system unless it's massive.

That's why you go in with other people. Each having multiple tanks helps too.


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[mr_X]

So, while I'm waiting for this horrible disease or parasite to subside/starve out, I bought a few corals off of a friend that needed some help. I got a symphyllia, 2 cynarinas, an indo scoly, and a setosa. Pics coming in a few.

 

[Gregcoyote]

That's what our local group does. He manages the web site of a good supplier, so he treats us very well and we just wait and bundle our orders.


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[Sniperhank]

Can't wait to see the pics. I've always wanted a scoly.

 

[Dary421]

Nice bunch of corals ,... Aren't the scolies kind of tough to keep long term ?


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[mr_X]

No, they are pretty easy...especially the Indo ones.
Ok, pics didn't come out too good, but here goes-

...and here is the 5000k lamp making these dormant corals grow like weeds overnight. This is a plain old, 15 dollar, 5000k, LED lamp from home depot, as you cab see by the yellow hue-

 

[Dary421]

Beautiful ,.. Gotta love that purple monti


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[paul87]

Nice pieces! Where is the scoly? Wasn't aware coral would grow with one of those 5000k lights. I did see some blue led bulbs at WalMart the other day thought out would make an ok actinic supplement maybe, not sure on that though.

 

[mr_X]

Sea Dwelling Creatures was who I got the order of fish from. In that order I also got a maxima clam. It too, started declining rapidly a couple days ago. It was already attached to the rock so I couldn't do much for it. When I pulled the stinking carcass out of the tank I did notice on the bottom was a bunch of pyramid snails. Thanks Sea Dwelling! I'll be ordering from you again soon....NOT.
So, the entire order, except for a single sps nipping flame angel is gone.
In all the years I've been retailing, I've never seen anything like this.

As for the scoly, it looked much better under the sellers actinics than in reality. I distinctly asked him- this is orange, right, not brown??? His answer was, oh yeah..it's bright orange.

 

[Dary421]

Sea Dwelling Creatures was who I got the order of fish from. In that order I also got a maxima clam. It too, started declining rapidly a couple days ago. It was already attached to the rock so I couldn't do much for it. When I pulled the stinking carcass out of the tank I did notice on the bottom was a bunch of pyramid snails. Thanks Sea Dwelling! I'll be ordering from you again soon....NOT.
So, the entire order, except for a single sps nipping flame angel is gone.
In all the years I've been retailing, I've never seen anything like this.

As for the scoly, it looked much better under the sellers actinics than in reality. I distinctly asked him- this is orange, right, not brown??? His answer was, oh yeah..it's bright orange.

In the words of Jed clampet.... "pitiful,....just pitiful "


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[paul87]

Man that sucks about that order from them and the mess they gave you. And that scoly is not bright orange from the looks of it. But hey it could color up nicely.

 

[SeanMonster]

Man Doug, that's a crappy thing to do to people. I know I won't order anything from SDC and I will be sure to spread the word about them to anyone and everyone I know. Don't these companies realize bad news travels way faster than good?


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[mr_X]

maybe they think since I don't order from them like I used to, that I'm just a small fry and won't be missed, or perhaps they stiff everyone with infested livestock and it's up to the retailer to dip, quarantine, etc. Either way, there are other suppliers I can deal with. Sad for the critters though.
The scoly guy won't be getting any more of my money. I should have known better when I saw just the actinics on in the middle of the day, but I just assumed his sleep schedule was different than mine.