applying for a job at my LFS

clown-keeper99

clown-keeper99

Member
shoot as many questions about saltwater fish tanks as you can think of at me
I wan't everything from new tank set-up and maintinese to the most advanced of the advanced
thanks for the help
 
travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by clown-keeper99 http:///t/388623/applying-for-a-job-at-my-lfs#post_3428278
shoot as many questions about saltwater fish tanks as you can think of at me
I wan't everything from new tank set-up and maintinese to the most advanced of the advanced
thanks for the help
Nice! Good luck!
SO, I will start shooting you questions and giving you situations, starting with easy ones and increasing in difficulty.
Level 1.1: Hi, I have this old 20 gal. Tank that I used to keep guppies in. Looking around the SW department, I think SW is prettier. I particularly like the dory and the nemo fish. Can I just throw 'em in and feed them?
Now, this is easy. I know. I will gradually increase the difficulty of this, giving situations, etc.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
How do you balance calcium, alkalinity and magnesium?
How much do I feed my fish?
Can I put a yellow tang in a 55g?
What fish do you suggest for a 10g nano?
Can I copper dose my display tank?
How do I dose kalkwasser?
Do calcium reactors add alkalinity as well?
Should I oversize my skimmer for my tank volume?
How long should I wait before adding fish?
How much flow should my tank have?
What's the best lighting for a 20g mixed reef?
How do sumps work?
Why do I need a protein skimmer?
Is a protein skimmer the only way I can remove contaminates from my tank?
Is there a cheap DIY way to produce my own skimmer?
Do you know how to build an algae scrubber, and what does it do?
What's this red stuff on my rocks and sand, and how do I get rid of it?
What are these little hard white spots on my glass?
What should my water parameters look like?
Could you recommend a fish that eats hair algae?
Are sea slugs reef safe? What do you know about them?
How do you do a simple water change?
Why won't all the salt dissolve in my newly made saltwater?
What salinity should I have for my fish tank? Mixed reef tank? SPS dominate tank?
How do I make coralline algae grow?
What should my water parameters look like to keep SPS corals?
How much am I looking at spending on a simple small setup?
What is a good sized beginner aquarium and what do I need to buy for it? (Like BTLD said, a 55 or 75g,... etc.)
Can you explain the Nitrogen Cycle?
How do you get rid of hair algae?
How do I raise calcium without effecting alkalinity?
How do I raise alkalinity without effecting calcium?
Are there any DIY supplements for calcium and alkalinity and magnesium?
Are all salts made equal?
Sometimes it's not as easy as knowing all of the answers, but customer service. If you say you are going to do something, do it with a smile.
 
clown-keeper99

clown-keeper99

Member
The answer for JP's question is:
A 20 gallon tank is to small for a blue tang, which is the Dory one. A clownfish is fine in a 20 gallon tank if you keep up with proper mantinese but I can see that you are inexperianced so go to this site http://saltwater-help.wikispaces.com/ for more information and come back to me when you are ready
(I am still building the site so bear with me, If anything is wrong tell me and I will fix it)
The answer for BTLDreef's question is:
A protien skimmer and a trickle filter is a good start for filtration. The Coralife 65gallon super skimmer and one of these trickle filters would do. You will also need power head. I suggest you have 500-700 gph of flow in a 55 gallon tank. Lighting can be basic of you just want fish. A singal strip flouresent strip would do. No fans or balast are need since the light doesn't give off that much heat. You will also need a heater. You can go with dry rock or live rock. Live rock has little live animals and plants living in it so it adds to filtration. Dry rock doesn't have a filtering value but it is about 1/3 the cost. You can add the dry rock first and seed it with a little live rock and over time it all becomes live rock. A good combination of fish are 1 occelaris clown, 1 firefish, 1 lawnmower blenny, 3 bluegreen chromis
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
What's the best macro algae to grow?
What are diatoms?
Can I use a canister filter?
I could probably think of a hundred more questions - but you get the idea. Some of those are basic, others are advanced. If you are going to work at a LFS, at least know the nitrogen cycle, water parameters, and how to balance calcium, alkalinity and magnesium. Fish and coral compatibility can always be looked up or asked about. Basics need to be known right off hand. You should know some information about protein skimmer, sumps and refugiums. Most of the time, customers will walk into a store and tell you what they need. New hobbyists won't know anything, and that's where knowing the basics will come in handy. Also, you'll need to know how to test water parameters when someone gives you a water sample.
Hope this helps.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Wrong. You look around the store and pick out the most sold equipment in the store. Different LFS don't deal with certain companies and don't sell certain equipment like coralife skimmers. Also, you just cut your lfs out of the look with a flourescent strip light - sell em' a 2xt5ho light and claim it's good for the live rock and will make all the pretty purple coralline algae to grow over time. Tell em' live rock is a must, and get them to buy as much as they can afford, but can have no less than 50% of the rock be live. (this will also help with algae problems, and it's a good thing to do in the first place.) The thing about a LFS is that they have to make money, and you need to push as much equipment as they have for sale. Convince customers that a new gadget is what they need. Make the owner happy by making sales. That's how you become a good employee, making sales.
Quote:
Originally Posted by clown-keeper99 http:///t/388623/applying-for-a-job-at-my-lfs#post_3428326
The answer for JP's question is:
A 20 gallon tank is to small for a blue tang, which is the Dory one. A clownfish is fine in a 20 gallon tank if you keep up with proper mantinese but I can see that you are inexperianced so go to this site http://saltwater-help.wikispaces.com/ for more information and come back to me when you are ready
(I am still building the site so bear with me, If anything is wrong tell me and I will fix it)
The answer for BTLDreef's question is:
A protien skimmer and a trickle filter is a good start for filtration. The Coralife 65gallon super skimmer and one of these trickle filters would do. You will also need power head. I suggest you have 500-700 gph of flow in a 55 gallon tank. Lighting can be basic of you just want fish. A singal strip flouresent strip would do. No fans or balast are need since the light doesn't give off that much heat. You will also need a heater. You can go with dry rock or live rock. Live rock has little live animals and plants living in it so it adds to filtration. Dry rock doesn't have a filtering value but it is about 1/3 the cost. You can add the dry rock first and seed it with a little live rock and over time it all becomes live rock. A good combination of fish are 1 occelaris clown, 1 firefish, 1 lawnmower blenny, 3 bluegreen chromis
 
clown-keeper99

clown-keeper99

Member
well I was answerin all your questions and my computer went nuts and I lost it all and don't feel like typing it all over again but here's what I could save
Snake's question:
1) never used calcium, alkilinity, and magneseium (I just test for it and it has been at desireable levels so i don't mess with it) so its a good thing I asked
2) as much as they can eat in 3min. twice a day is my general rule of thumb but you will need to expand on the type of fish
3) no they require 100 gallons min.
4) one fish that stays under 3 inches like a Sixline wrasse or a Occelaris clown but if you are inexperienced I would suggest a larger tank
5) no it kill inverts and fish and stays with the tank for a long time
6) never use Kalk, need help with that one
7) never use calcium, need help
8) 20% more is a good rule of thumb
9) you should wait 2 weeks after doing a ghost feed
10) 10-12 times the tanks volume per hour
11) 120 watts of flouresent lights or marineland LED reef capable lights
12) sumps are a small tank were the filtration takes place like on this trickle filter here, you can add skimmers, phosban reactors, refugiums, ect. to make the filter better
13) they remove organic waste right out of the tank unlike chemical and biological filtration were they are just changed into less toxic chemicals, they also increase oxygenation
21) dolabella and lettuce sea hares are algae eaters but both very ugly, all the pretty ones eat coral or are poisonous
 
gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
I am going to offer some input as to the type of advice you should offer. You need to get to know the customer and really understand what they want in the long run for their tank. You need to earn their trust. Example: A yellow tang can't go in a 55 since it requires 100 gallon minimum. This would turn off the customer, since it does not explain why and does not offer an alternative to the yellow tang.
Here is how I would respond: The yellow tang is a long distance swimmer and is better suited for a tank that is at least 6 feet long with plenty of free swimming space. Also, in my experience these fish can be bullies and will limit the fish going in the tank. A great alternative is the lemon peel angel fish. These fish have tons of personality, have great coloration to add that yellow pop and will be quite active in your 55.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
My point wasn't to barrage you with questions but rather see if you can answer them for yourself honestly. Figure out what you don't know, then research. :flame:
 
travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///t/388623/applying-for-a-job-at-my-lfs#post_3428359
I am going to offer some input as to the type of advice you should offer. You need to get to know the customer and really understand what they want in the long run for their tank. You need to earn their trust. Example: A yellow tang can't go in a 55 since it requires 100 gallon minimum. This would turn off the customer, since it does not explain why and does not offer an alternative to the yellow tang.
Here is how I would respond: The yellow tang is a long distance swimmer and is better suited for a tank that is at least 6 feet long with plenty of free swimming space. Also, in my experience these fish can be bullies and will limit the fish going in the tank. A great alternative is the lemon peel angel fish. These fish have tons of personality, have great coloration to add that yellow pop and will be quite active in your 55.
I completely agree here; in fact I was just about to bring up the same point. I also see this happen when I give advice to a new hobbyist about setting up their tank. I usually notice that if I do not explain why the should not do the certain action they are about to do, they get offended and do it. On the other hand, explaining and giving examples to the new hobbyists will benefit both you and the new hobbyist.
 
travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
Well, here is an example situation.
Hi, my friend just moved and gave me this big tank. I think it's like 100 or 500 gallons. I went out and got some pretty fish... like 2 sharks, some kind of large active yellow fish with big red lips, 5 dories, 2 nemo fish, and an eel. I spent $600 on the fish. The next day; almost all the fish were dead. The only fish that were alive were 2 dories, 1 nemo, and the eel. Why did they die?!! I think I did everything right... I mean there isn't more to saltwater fish than fish, rocks, and a glass tank, right? What do I do now? I want fish with lots of color and movement.
 
rainbow grouper

rainbow grouper

Active Member
I am getting a tank that's about 10 gallons what would be a good choice of stocking(i would like the tank slightly overstocked) what is the maximum size and/or amount of fish i could put in if i were to keep on top of maintenance?
Is there in any trigger that is safe for corals and good for 75 gallon tank?
My nitrate readings are off the charts but i have been doing water changes daily so i am assuming my test kit is wrong chemical test kit had for 6 months but altogether it's been used for 1 and a half years by different people assuming the test kit is faulty is there any you would recommend and how long does it take for the average test kit to go ''bad''.
 
clown-keeper99

clown-keeper99

Member
JP's Question:
Ammonia spike
and I won't say it like that but I'm just KISSing things
I've personal asked myself the same thing about sea salt
but don't they bleach certain things out?
 
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