Need fish store

[ricky1066]

Hello I am new to the hobby had fresh water for years . I was shopping at Adventure Aquarium and to be honest I feel they ripped me off I paiod $12 a pd for live rock .
I found yesterday Fish town Usa and found them to be ok but not a lot of salt water selection.
I am looking for a good reliable store in the queens Ny area can anyone recomend one ?
I have been running for 2 weeks all readings are 0 And after going yesterday to fish town He recomended I buy a fish to help the cycle Which I did no big deal it is a damsel clown .
But I do no have a sump tank and I am being told I need one Not a drilled tank so I need oan over the bank hanger.
He offered me one At $350 I was told no way too much and he had bio balls was also told no way..
Any one have any advice

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by Ricky1066
Hello I am new to the hobby had fresh water for years . I was shopping at Adventure Aquarium and to be honest I feel they ripped me off I paiod $12 a pd for live rock .
I found yesterday Fish town Usa and found them to be ok but not a lot of salt water selection.
I am looking for a good reliable store in the queens Ny area can anyone recomend one ?
I have been running for 2 weeks all readings are 0 And after going yesterday to fish town He recomended I buy a fish to help the cycle Which I did no big deal it is a damsel clown .
But I do no have a sump tank and I am being told I need one Not a drilled tank so I need oan over the bank hanger.
He offered me one At $350 I was told no way too much and he had bio balls was also told no way..
Any one have any advice
welcome to salt water.

It really depends one what you are going to house ect to what kind of filtration you need.
What do you have now?

 

[gmann1139]

Ricky -
I'm a little farther out on LI, but I've been to both stores you've talked about.
Fishtown was raved about by several people, but I was disappointed by the size of the store, the staff, and the selection. Not to mention the awful parking situation. Didn't buy anything and don't ever plan on going back.
AA has a pretty decent selection, and its part of a chain, which I consider a plus. Their prices are high, and their staff hasn't impressed me, but for Western LI, that's the best I've seen.
I think I've hit every store in Nassau and Western Suffolk, so I can give you a rundown of my impressions if you'd like.
Just shoot me a PM with your email and I'll forward on the info.

 

[ricky1066]

well I also loved aa But thought way overpriced $12 A PD FOR ROCK IS ALOT I thought the staff were ok one guy was new and told me to buy a canister fluval 405 Now I am told it is the worst for salt water.So I took everything out and let it run carbon.
The fishtown was small but the one guy i spoke with new his stuff or so I thought Cause I don't know if he is full of it or not.
I just thought $350 for a sump tank was alot.
I bought a damsel clown to help me cycle I started 2 weeks agao I know it was quick but I started with lr 75 pds and 60 pounds of caribe ls .All my reading have been 0 except nitrates just staring going up to 20
I bought online bermuda hob skimmer has not arrived yet and two #3 koaralia poerheads Just not sure where to put them or face them. Right now o have one on each side of the tank one facing across rocks one facing up to move water.
If I missed anything please let me knwo
Next is the sump then the ro/di which I have to research I guess I will buy the water for now I am told NO TAP WATER so Believe it or not I used poland spring water to top off for the last week?

 

[nycbob]

i shop at fishtown in flushing, queens once per week. this week, they didnt hv that much saltwater selection. normally they hv a lot. i think they get their shipment on wednesday or thursday. their lr are 4.99 per lbs. they r not too good or too bad. they do good prices in fish, but the corals i wouldnt get from them. i get all of my corals online.

 

[drew2005]

I've been to both places also. Fishtown i bought some stuff from when i started up. The live rock was the best priced and honestly it still is. The staff is pretty knowledgable and the place is decent. Aquarium Adventure is way overpriced. They have excellent quality live stock but the prices are outraegous. I've been doing most of my shopping at Mutts N Butts in Merrick. It's a small place but they have a good selection of fish and equipment. I buy dry goods online and live stock in stores.

 

[reefmate75]

IMO i would have your tank drilled, I've never used a syphon to run a sump just something about the word syphon that scares me...if i was you i would reserch sumps and build your own mine was built and works great and they arnt that hard to build and alot cheaper! that sump for 350$ did it come with a return pump or was that just the tank??

 

[ricky1066]

I have to agree on both the fish town was ok just did not seem tohave alot.
It is too late now to drill the tank I don't want to emptyit out.SO too lated./
I was not going to go with a sump tank but I hear I should.
The sump he wanted to sell was including the return But as I was told on reff central it is alot. But no one offers any word on where else to get one .
They did say NO bioballs
Have any of you guys used our lovely ny tap water to refill tank ?

 

[drew2005]

Originally Posted by Ricky1066
I have to agree on both the fish town was ok just did not seem tohave alot.
It is too late now to drill the tank I don't want to emptyit out.SO too lated./
I was not going to go with a sump tank but I hear I should.
The sump he wanted to sell was including the return But as I was told on reff central it is alot. But no one offers any word on where else to get one .
They did say NO bioballs
Have any of you guys used our lovely ny tap water to refill tank ?
I have and i will never do it again. Algae up the ass during cycle. Do yourself a favor and buy a RO/DI unit or go to Walmart and buy the gallon jugs of drinking water(green label and cap 58 cents a gallon) to start.

 

[ricky1066]

Ok how about poland spring water? I get that for nothing in work But heardit has some metal.
I went to petland today and asked them if they had ro/di water The guy looked like A deer in headlights they asked 5 people in the store and not one of them knew what the heck it was./
As far as wallmart is there a name of the water?
I am still looking ot buy a sump without drills so if anyone knows where ot get one let me know I look at mels already
I would rather go get it so it canbe explaned on the hookup I was reading about hole to be drilled and all confusing

 

[sepulatian]

I haven't been to Brooklyn in quite some time. Get on I95 south into PA. Check out The Hidden Reef. They have awsome prices, and it is just over the Jersey boarder.

 

[drew2005]

Originally Posted by Ricky1066
Ok how about poland spring water? I get that for nothing in work But heardit has some metal.
I went to petland today and asked them if they had ro/di water The guy looked like A deer in headlights they asked 5 people in the store and not one of them knew what the heck it was./
As far as wallmart is there a name of the water?
I am still looking ot buy a sump without drills so if anyone knows where ot get one let me know I look at mels already
I would rather go get it so it canbe explaned on the hookup I was reading about hole to be drilled and all confusing
Poland Spring wont work. It still contains metals and other toxins. The water from Walmart is Great Value Drinking Water. I believe its put out by Walmart.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by drew2005
Poland Spring wont work. It still contains metals and other toxins. The water from Walmart is Great Value Drinking Water. I believe its put out by Walmart.
Yep, they sell RO for about $ .20-.25 a gallon. It is Culligan water.