Best online retailer? Who do you order your equipment from online?

[Beez]

Getting back into the hobby requires much research and of course a many purchases to do things right. I do not have many local shops so I need to do the majority of my purchasing online … who do you use? There are many retailers out there and the web can be a wormhole for sure so I’m hoping to see who reefers here have good experiences with online ordering. Thanks so much!

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

Bulk Reef Supply, hands down the best selection, information about their products, and free shipping!

all of my online purchases have been from them, and they have been amazing.

 

[MNFish]

I always look at saltwateraquarium.com first as they have free shipping on every purchase, freebies starting at a 20 dollar purchase, and often the lowest price. I also use bulkreefsupply but it is free shipping is over 49. Never had an issue with either of them.

 

[T-J]

I second Saltwateraquarium.com
Super fast shipping, lower free shipping level, freebies!! They have multiple warehouses across the US, so you usually end up with faster shipping than BRS.

 

[Woodyman]

I always look at saltwateraquarium.com first as they have free shipping on every purchase, freebies starting at a 20 dollar purchase, and often the lowest price. I also use bulkreefsupply but it is free shipping is over 49. Never had an issue with either of them.

I think saltwater stopped the free shipping on every purchase. I had to purchase 39$ on my last order for the free shipping. Not a huge deal cause I just doubled up on some Hanna reagents, but messed me up when I initially went to checkout.

 

[Woodyman]

I second Saltwateraquarium.com
Super fast shipping, lower free shipping level, freebies!! They have multiple warehouses across the US, so you usually end up with faster shipping than BRS.

My shipping/transit speed had been comparable with both BRS and Saltwater Aquarium. I use both, and haven't had issues with either one.

 

[rtparty]

BRS for everything except halides

 

[Coralsdaily]

I go the bulkreefsupply. i have had nothing but the best customer service and fastest delivery from them. I have met the crew from saltqateraquarium.com they are wonderful folks, but if saltwateraquarium peeps are reading this thread- they have one of the worst User experiences for their website. I worked for a global online retailer starting with an A for eight years and I just know who has good online user experience and who can use some improvements.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Premium Aquatics for me. I prefer to support the smaller guy. BRS is typically overpriced for similar items that I'm looking for. Otherwise, LFS gets my coin (lots to choose from where I am).

 

[FishyFishFish]

Premium Aquatics or Saltwater Aquarium.

I used to use BRS a lot but I don’t like their business practices so have, pretty much, stopped using them.

 

[Cell]

BRS is my primary go to.

 

[CNDReef]

Saltwateraquarium.com , premium aquatics , BRS , aqua cave sometimes and good old Amazon lol

 

[Townsaquaria]

Bulk Reef Supply. Best selection and customer service. They ship fast, even with the free shipping option. They've also done a lot for the hobby with their YouTube channel and I'm eternally grateful. Ryan got me first interested in salt with a video he did in their earliest days explaining how a calcium reactor works, and I was hooked. Fascinated at how corals worked but also how someone would take so much time to understand the science and then explain it to others in simple terms.

If BRS is out of something I go to saltwateraquarium.com, but their shipping is a lot slower. I used to go to marinedepot but they got bought out.

If there's something I think is just ridiculously expensive for no reason like dosing containers, I get them from Amazon.

I almost never go to my LFS for equipment which is unfortunate because I want to support local, but the prices are literally double on everything except lights.

 

[PeterC99]

I buy much of my aquarium equipment used from fellow reefers. There are some great deals and you can save lots of money.

 

[X-37B]

BRS is my go to online supplier.

 

[Jen1978]

I also use BRS for my go to. Saltwateraquarium.com for a back up.

 

[Jeffcb]

BRS and Saltwater Aquarium. I have several LFSs. One and my favorite offers to match BRS on any equipment I purchase so I usually always give local business the order if I can.

 

[Big Smelly fish]

Premium Aquatics, Aquacave, and Saltwater Aquarium,
BRS isn’t my go to, they remind me of Walmart of the aquarium trade, minus the lower prices.

 

[DopamineKata]

Premium Aquatics for me. I prefer to support the smaller guy. BRS is typically overpriced for similar items that I'm looking for. Otherwise, LFS gets my coin (lots to choose from where I am).

That's weird. I just checked their pricves on a handful of things and they were over 20% higher.

 

[DopamineKata]

Premium Aquatics or Saltwater Aquarium.

I used to use BRS a lot but I don’t like their business practices so have, pretty much, stopped using them.

What practices would those be?