Having Water tested at LFS

[kmc]

I usually test mine and when I go to the LFS I take a sample and let them test it for a couple of reasons. First of all I let them validate that my tests are correct. Second, and this may seem silly to some, but I feel like if I consistently go in there with good water samples then the LFS is going to have more confidence in my ability to maintain a tank so that if/when there is a problem they don't think I am some hack coming in there that doesn't know what he is doing. Also, they can do specific tests that I may not have a kit for and save me a little money from time to time.

 

[chipmaker]

If they do not want to warranty a fish be it salt or fresh then I would look elsewhere. The two lfs here warranty fish for 2 weeks time......and do not require water samples and folks are not conning new free fish from them either....I can have bad water and stilldoctor my water up to mask a problem if its a free fish I was after......however I have to think most folks are not that dishonest. Most places that have such stringent conditions toprove a fish death seem to have mediocre fish at best anyhow. Two docs website is cheap and has no problems with my word, and certainly do not require water samples or bodies........I guess it just stems that if your crooked you may deal in a crooked manner as well so no one can really be trusted. Most lfs hacev inept employees anyhow and can not tell yo uanyhtng one way or the other if your water is ok except to shrug their shoulders, or say water is wet! Thats all it amounts to.

 

[chipmaker]

Who is to say the kits a lfs uses are any better than the kits I use. MOst lfs I have seen do water tests do it at a reduced rate since they like to test customers water so often, they reduce amounts of drops to amount of water and the resolution those tests provide are not as accurate as a full resolution test unless the kits is made for partial or reduced resolution testing. Most however are not.....
If you listen to a lfs they almost say its a sin if you do not test all parameters once a week anyhow......wonder why.......would it be that they sell test kits perhaps? Unless a lfs writes down your water parameters and tank stats there is not any way they are gonna keep up with your paramaters and allthe others that bring in their problems to them. No way without written records....Hard as it may sound and seem, they are about as concerned as the guy next door in the hair style salon cutting his clients hair. They just go through the motions and no matter what the water quality is will jump at selling you another fish with little to no resistence on their part to remedy what was wrong, as most do not have a clue.

 

[xdave]

You can't condemn people for not having their own test kit and then condemn the store for telling them to use it.
Why do you hate lfs people so much? I think that you are completely wrong about the motives and practices of lfs workers. I spent 7 years talking to at least 20 lfs owners every day, and 2 years as an aquatics department manager at a lfs, and I can say from experience that the main objective of the lfs worker is to keep your tank healthy and happy. Unless the store sells funerals for fish, it's the only philosophy that makes good business sense.

 

[scsinet]

If you think about all the people who buy a tank and a bag full of fish in one shopping trip, then wonder why they all died... if you can imagine those people all coming in and cashing in on guarantees that the fish stores have because the fish store has no means to protect itself (I.E. requiring a water test) then you can also imagine what we'd all be paying for fish when these fish stores have to roll those losses into their operating overhead.
I even know one guy I work with who wanted to get his kid a tank for Christmas. I recommended that he go to the store I go to. He goes there, tries to buy everything at once, and they wouldn't sell him the fish (a good thing IMO). He goes home, sets up the tank, then sends his wife in later that day to buy the fish. A week later, half his fish are dead and he's back at my LFS trying to cash in on the guarantee. Luckily they tossed him because of his water test. All I can say is that I'm glad that I am not paying for his ignorance every time I go in there through higher prices. Granted it's somewhat my fault for sending him to my place, but he's the one who tried to scam the store.
I agree that having your LFS test your water regularly, particularly if it's a mom and pop operation where you know them and they know you, is a good thing. In the rare instance that I have to claim a guarantee from my LFS, I don't even have to bring a water test, they just know my water is always good.
While I do not disagree that some fish stores may use their guarantee as a way to circumvent making good on their guarantees, you can't condemn the industry for the sins of a few.

 

[xdave]

I'd go a little farther and say that it's irresponsible to give someone a fish as a replacement for the death of one that I know was healthy, without even testing the water. You'd be sending fish to their death.
Now to re-answer the original posters question: Nothing wrong with having lfs do water tests, but you really need to have your own kit. Be advised that some chain stores have better trained people than others. As SCSInet mentioned, those less busy Ma and Pa stores generally employ hard core hobbyist who can correctly test water in their sleep, and they will have a lot more time to explain the results.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by xDave
I'd go a little farther and say that it's irresponsible to give someone a fish as a replacement for the death of one that I know was healthy, without even testing the water. You'd be sending fish to their death.
Now to re-answer the original posters question: Nothing wrong with having lfs do water tests, but you really need to have your own kit. Be advised that some chain stores have better trained people than others. As SCSInet mentioned, those less busy Ma and Pa stores generally employ hard core hobbyist who can correctly test water in their sleep, and they will have a lot more time to explain the results.
I could not agree more

Some chain stores may have a tendency to employ people that are not that knowledgeable, but most privately owned stores care about their business and their customers and hire qualified employees. And as SCSInet stated, if LFS's didn't ask for water samples to determine the death, who would pay for the loses? The consumer.

 

[fbm]

I have 3 different test my water just to double check my results, why not it is free and they get my money on the products they sell. Just a no brainer to want to verify your results against someone elses.

 

[xdave]

I have the lfs guys test my water to keep them out of my hair when I'm looking at the fish.

 

[mandarin w]

Originally Posted by xDave
I have the lfs guys test my water to keep them out of my hair when I'm looking at the fish.

Now if we could only find a way to keep those car salesmen busy so we could just look around the lots

 

[xdave]

Originally Posted by mandarin w
Now if we could only find a way to keep those car salesmen busy so we could just look around the lots

That's an easy one. Two beautiful women. Have them split up and then keep asking the salesmen for coffee and stuff. Then when it's time to work out the deal stick a little kid in the drivers seat of the most expensive car in the showroom.