My LFS has lost a customer - but what do I do now?

[puffer32]

Originally Posted by Kilhullen
I don't know if I am allowed to say the name (due to board rules), but it is a major chain here locally and it isn't Petsmart but the name is similar. I am willing to even drive to Arlington. 121 isn't too bad I just stay on the service road! It's only 30-40 minutes without traffic.
True perc will be opening in a week or 2. I hear you about service roads, only lived here for a yr, and refuse to drive on the highways, if hubby can't take me, i stick to back roads.

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by puffer32
True perc will be opening in a week or 2. I hear you about service roads, only lived here for a yr, and refuse to drive on the highways, if hubby can't take me, i stick to back roads.
True Perc - here I come! I am willing to give anyone at least a chance!

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by porthosandjazz
Sounds like someone is trying to justify their desire for a saltwater tank!!! :wink: :wink: Just admit it... you just want a gorgeous tank that you can call your own. For that rewarding feeling you get after days and days of research and testing and lugging jugs of water around...

hehehe! :hug:
But seriously... if you really are serious... here is a site you may be interested in... I learned about it through scuba diving
http://www.projectaware.org/
HAHAHA! Well, I guess you are right to a degree, but I really do feel this way. I am an evironmentalist to the core. Have been since before I can remember. And yes, I am even a die hard John Denver fan.
The tank is really mine... Hubby just wants to be involved - he is upset I didn't go for fw. FW is just boring to me. I grew up with SW, then tried to do FW and didn't like it much.
I will check out that site. Thanks!

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by porthosandjazz
Sounds like someone is trying to justify their desire for a saltwater tank!!! :wink: :wink: Just admit it... you just want a gorgeous tank that you can call your own. For that rewarding feeling you get after days and days of research and testing and lugging jugs of water around...

hehehe! :hug:
But seriously... if you really are serious... here is a site you may be interested in... I learned about it through scuba diving
http://www.projectaware.org/
Thanks for the site! That was really great. I have signed up for it, and will use it with the kids and in this project. I have always wanted to be able to scuba dive, but never have the opportunity.

 

[porthosandjazz]

Originally Posted by Kilhullen
Thanks for the site! That was really great. I have signed up for it, and will use it with the kids and in this project. I have always wanted to be able to scuba dive, but never have the opportunity.
It's like swimming in a really huge saltwater fish tank. Totally recommend it. Actually, that's how I got into the sw fish tank hobby... it's like scuba diving in my living room!
Check out this baby trumpet fish that was swimming with me and trying to cuddle with my mask for about half an hour!

A gorgeous filefish that followed us around...

Hubby trying to blend in with the rest of the marine life hehehe

Spotted eagle ray soaring past..

Diving has not only gotten me into the fish tank hobby, but like you, it has made me more environmentally conscientious... (sp?) I hooked up with project aware and try to learn as much as I can about the environment and ways to help protect it.
Anyway... done with the soap box...
I feel your pain with the lfs thing. I hope the new store opening works out much better for you! In the meantime, try the online thing.

 

[nigerbang]

Good Luck with a new store...
To put you on speaker phone and patronize you infront of everyone was a terrible thing to do....I drive about 90 minutes to the not so local fish store...Just because they are great...and have been described as having the best live coral on the eastcoast..

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by porthosandjazz
It's like swimming in a really huge saltwater fish tank. Totally recommend it. Actually, that's how I got into the sw fish tank hobby... it's like scuba diving in my living room!
Check out this baby trumpet fish that was swimming with me and trying to cuddle with my mask for about half an hour!

A gorgeous filefish that followed us around...

Hubby trying to blend in with the rest of the marine life hehehe

Spotted eagle ray soaring past..

Diving has not only gotten me into the fish tank hobby, but like you, it has made me more environmentally conscientious... (sp?) I hooked up with project aware and try to learn as much as I can about the environment and ways to help protect it.
Anyway... done with the soap box...
I feel your pain with the lfs thing. I hope the new store opening works out much better for you! In the meantime, try the online thing.
God, those are gorgeous. Once I wiped the drool off my keyboard, I turned it around to my husband and showed him. He's loves them too. Where do you go to dive that you see such a wonderful array?
I would go out and search for classes if I thought they would let me do it.

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by puffer32
True perc will be opening in a week or 2. I hear you about service roads, only lived here for a yr, and refuse to drive on the highways, if hubby can't take me, i stick to back roads.
I thought they were already open. What did you think about tranquilscape? I do hope that true perc is really cool.

 

[kjohansen]

Not to hijack this thread.. But I grew up in Colorado Springs. I never had SW fish then though. The Springs was a pretty small place back in those days..
We have some pretty good LFS here. Of course we have the ones that you never want to go back to also.
I hope you can get things going with the new LFS and maybe some stuff from here too!

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by KJohansen
Not to hijack this thread.. But I grew up in Colorado Springs. I never had SW fish then though. The Springs was a pretty small place back in those days..
We have some pretty good LFS here. Of course we have the ones that you never want to go back to also.
I hope you can get things going with the new LFS and maybe some stuff from here too!
I am tempted to start off with the live rock, since we have a 100 gal DT, I will probably buy 30-40 lbs from here (not sure yet what weight breakdowns there are), and use some dead base rock for the other 60-70 lbs, but I may wait and see what True Perc has. I am still cycling my QT tank where I may cure my lr so I have time to make some decisions.
This place certainly has more variety than any LFS I have around - even the good ones!

 

[rabbit_72]

we travel 45min. oneway to our lfs what we use is white styrofoam cooler that we saved from buying liverock awhile back. and put the fish in there as long as they put enough air in the bags they will be fine. we asked our lfs and they told us at least 3hrs they will be ok. they also have a 14 day guarantee on saltwater and freshwater fish plants and inverts. they are very good at informing us on things and would never try to sell us anything we did'nt need or that we could'nt have because it was'nt right fore our tanks.

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by rabbit_72
we travel 45min. oneway to our lfs what we use is white styrofoam cooler that we saved from buying liverock awhile back. and put the fish in there as long as they put enough air in the bags they will be fine. we asked our lfs and they told us at least 3hrs they will be ok. they also have a 14 day guarantee on saltwater and freshwater fish plants and inverts. they are very good at informing us on things and would never try to sell us anything we did'nt need or that we could'nt have because it was'nt right fore our tanks.
That is the way the shop was my parents used when I was growing up. The people who worked there new what everyone had in their tanks, could tell them what was good and bad, and knew your name, your interestes, and were even suggesting things to help improve or whatever. THey went out of business somewhere in the 90's though. Too bad really.

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by Kilhullen
That is the way the shop was my parents used when I was growing up. The people who worked there new what everyone had in their tanks, could tell them what was good and bad, and knew your name, your interestes, and were even suggesting things to help improve or whatever. THey went out of business somewhere in the 90's though. Too bad really.

It really is too bad that good service means nothing any more. If only people really know how valuable information really is. either that or they were bad business men, or women. Dang shopping for the bottom line.

 

[1journeyman]

I live near Denton as well. You using the store on University Dr.?

 

[rabbit_72]

Originally Posted by Kilhullen
I don't know if I am allowed to say the name (due to board rules), but it is a major chain here locally and it isn't Petsmart but the name is similar. I am willing to even drive to Arlington. 121 isn't too bad I just stay on the service road! It's only 30-40 minutes without traffic.

That particular chain to mentioned is one of the worst places to get advice or fish from. We know. Now on the few occasions that we go in there, we know more than them! What's more, some of the fish are fead or on their way to dying. If we do get a fish there, we examine it carefully.
Totally check out ordering online. We haven't done so ourselves....yet. SWF.com has great prices...we were impressed. I thought they would be pricey. I know of another reputable online fishy place. As long as they have a good reputation, I wouldn't be afraid to try ordering online.

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
It really is too bad that good service means nothing any more. If only people really know how valuable information really is. either that or they were bad business men, or women. Dang shopping for the bottom line.
I completely agree! Now, I am all for looking for a good deal on the same product, but I am someone who if I have a choice between the same price and good or bad service I will go out of my way for good service. If the price is double, then I start having issues, but if I can I will always go to good service over price.

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
I live near Denton as well. You using the store on University Dr.?
I am left with the store on University Dr, because the other one on 288 and 35 is the one I have a problem with.
I just don't feel comfortable at the one on University - it always feels like I am intruding on some private party no matter what time I go there, and one person when I went to ask some questions and look over their tanks told me that I would not be able to keep a tank successfully because I had to many questions and I should just go with FW and do more research. I was so put off by that. I have heard employees talk bad about other employees to me, and about the management. Just very unprofessional all the way around. I have gone there on NUMEROUS occasions to give them a chance and basically gave up. I am probably going to be going to Carrollton, and also trying out True Perc when it opens.

 

[puffer32]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
I thought they were already open. What did you think about tranquilscape? I do hope that true perc is really cool.
I think they open july 5th, not sure. Tranquilscapes is ok, wasn't real impressed though.

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by Kilhullen
I am left with the store on University Dr, because the other one on 288 and 35 is the one I have a problem with.
I just don't feel comfortable at the one on University - it always feels like I am intruding on some private party no matter what time I go there, and one person when I went to ask some questions and look over their tanks told me that I would not be able to keep a tank successfully because I had to many questions and I should just go with FW and do more research. I was so put off by that. I have heard employees talk bad about other employees to me, and about the management. Just very unprofessional all the way around. I have gone there on NUMEROUS occasions to give them a chance and basically gave up. I am probably going to be going to Carrollton, and also trying out True Perc when it opens.
I agree with your assessment of the store. The owner was stunned when I told him the salinity I keep my reef tank at (1.026, the salinity of the ocean...).
Dallas North (the store in Carrolten) is not a particularly good store for beginners. They will see you every piece of hardware and additive they have in stock. There prices are also based on N. Dallas....
Your best bet is to learn for yourself and order online imho. Get a couple of good books (I highly recommend Fenner's "Conscientious Aquarist" found on this site), ask questions here, and learn to handle your own tank.

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
I agree with your assessment of the store. The owner was stunned when I told him the salinity I keep my reef tank at (1.026, the salinity of the ocean...).
Dallas North (the store in Carrolten) is not a particularly good store for beginners. They will see you every piece of hardware and additive they have in stock. There prices are also based on N. Dallas....
Your best bet is to learn for yourself and order online imho. Get a couple of good books (I highly recommend Fenner's "Conscientious Aquarist" found on this site), ask questions here, and learn to handle your own tank.
The prices I can certainly attest to. I went there to find out how much to get the ground basics for our 100 gal DT (sump, refugium, skimmer, powerheads, etc.) and it was going to be over 1200 before we ever put anything into the tank. Now, I know this is not a cheap hobby, and I want to do it right, but I went to the other place in Denton, and they quoted me 700 max. They would have to order it, but it was near 1/2 the price!
I have been doing further research and may be doing so DIY to help us out even more.
I have books, and get more weekly. I love books. I don't have that one though. I will look into it.
I wish the Fishman was still in business, I would have liked to see what he had available.