What to look for in a LFS

Great article!! Im sure this will help out alot of newbies Getting into ReefIng!!

 

my local pet supplies plus is actually awesome when it comes to SW. I have had them tell me not to get something because my tank is too new, or because it is too small or because the fish is too aggressive for what I have. This alone tells me that Heath.. (that's the SW guys name) truly cares about his fish. I don't just rely on him, but I feel good knowing he isn't going to sell me something just to get it out of the store.

 

Good write up. I'm so glad I found a lfs that meets all of those expectations and is actively engaged in my tank as much as they are in theirs!!!

 

Thanks

And it does help! LOTS

Thanks for caring,
Mike

 

Thanks for all the compliments guys!

 

Great article! My favorite LFS is a locally owned, all saltwater store. They staff is very knowledgeable and were really helping in getting my tank read and stocking it (along with this forum, of course!). I’ve bought all of my fish, some of my inverts, and some of my corals from them. It’s a pretty small store and they don’t stock much equipment, so I had to get most of that on-line. Every fish I’ve bought from them has been healthy and ate well from the start. They even jumpstarted my tank cycle with a 50 gallon “water change” from their system into a 50 gallon container that they let me borrow and loaded in my van. It even had the tubing and plumbing where all we had to do was turn the valve and run the water from my van right into the tank! They advised me on the fish to choose for my tank, and even which order to add the fish. Great guys at Fifth Day Creations!

I have two pet peeves (major ones) for fish stores: Dirty water and DEAD FISH! It drives me nuts to walk in a LFS and see a dead fish floating around! The last time we were in a different LFS, there was a large foxface tang wedged between the rocks dead that had obviously been there a while. We’ve also been in stores that obviously do nothing to clean their tanks and have nasty water. Our LFS has absolutely pristine water and we appreciate what effort they put into cleaning their tanks and maintaining the livestock. They even know me by name and tank size! ;D

 

Great article there was a great store near me and they closed down not sure why but I wish I knew if he opened up somewhere else. Now I have to go about 50 miles or so to go to the other two good ones In town.

 

for all the newbies(being one myself) i found that walkin in with some knowledge of your own helps. I've had freshwater for years and when i decided to go to sw i started checking the info i could find online, which brought me here. I read the posts for about 3 months before i felt i had the knowledge and $$$ to start...so i went to the best fw store i've ever been in and asked "what do i need to convert fw to sw" they held up a bucket of salt n said "this is it for a fish only tank." i haven't been back since. I did find a great lfs on my third try asking that question n a few more that i new the answer to. i drive over an hour to go to my lfs but its worth it...a lil knowledge goes a long way