Blog Comments

Sorry to hear that. I'm very fortunate, I tried to tell my wife that I wanted to cut back and proposed selling the freshwater planted tank in our living room. She told me she liked it too much, but really likes how bright the reef tank at my office is. I'm thinking the planted tank may get salted next winter.

Wow what can you state after that statement I think I would try to hold out for a 30 g nano or some thing. I won't get into the other alternatives. I was lucky to find a bride that is a master diver and loves the tank, hates the money it consumes but loves the tank.

You just said a mouthful indeed. And I completely agree.

If you can support your local economy, that's great. I've done both, shopped locally and online. I don't know if it is 50/50 or not, but it feels like it to me. I also purchase a lot from DFWMAS members if they happen to have what I want when I want it and I have the money. That's a lot of 'if's, right?

For clean up crews, I tend to order online. For corals and fish, usually local. For drygoods, online. I've ordered fish from LiveAquaria twice. The first order was perfect. The second one went badly, and I got store credit from them which I have yet to use.

In my town we have two main reef LFSs.One will buy and sell the high-end/risky stuff and the other will not.The second store also quarantines all new arrivals.That being said I still find myself at the first store much more often.
I think the LFS owner who doesnt want to take risks will lose business.If the first store wasnt around I would be buying online all the time.I appreciate the first store owner's willingness to try to get me a unique product (he also hes better pricing).
I love this hobby because its like an experiment,fairly unpredictable.Buying leathers, shrooms and softies only just bores the hell outa me.

Thanks for the comments. The reason why I asked is that a lot of the times the LFS dont have what I want and most of the time they tell you they dont really like getting some of the stuff you ask for.

If I had a good LFS I'd be very loyal to them, but for those of us that don't, it's on-line or give up. For many people Petco is all there is. For example, my LFS has a pathetic selection, and refuses to carry any SPS, or much of anything besides mushrooms and Zoa's, so I don't hesitate to buy on line for things he doesn't carry. And all his holding tanks are completely infested with either hair or cyano, making anything bought there a risk. So yeah, I shop on-line a lot now.

i understand that buying online saves money, but at what expense? I buy from my lfs any chance i get, if i bring up online he freaks out which i dont blame him. the online business is going to kill all of our lfs and then you will have to shop online and when in a pinch were are you going to turn petco or pets mart. I have had my lfs bring in certain things i use and its worked out well he comes pretty close to online price.

I have 1 coral I bought from Blue Zoo, a monti Digitata. I've very happy with it. It was a much larger colony than I expected and in great shape. A friend of mine here swears by them.

Thanks and plz keep me posted on the Max conference and whats going on with the Led 's

M you made me nervous in "Staggered Lighting Why" when I mentioned LED moonlights .Am I doing damage ? Is there the chance of overcooking corals with those?
Thanks!

Yes, check out the DIY article here, as it provides some detail about PAR intensity. http://www.reefaddicts.com/content.p...-pendent-build

There are a lot of LED fixtures hitting the market this year, so it is definitely something viable for the future. We'll be at the MAX conference next week, and will surely see some LED lighting. Ecoxotic is going to be there, and we plan to do an interview with them.

At other 2 site I go to, the LED systems available out the box are not adequate from what I read. But DIY systems will definately work. There is even a a post about diy here also. I wish I had time, I want to make one myself.