How are you buying stuff for your tank?

[Gumbies R Us]

With the number of ways you can obtain stuff for your tank, it can be overwhelming to some. Are you buying stuff through the buy and sell section on R2R? LFS? Websites like BRS or WWC? etc... let's talk about how you are buying new things for your tank!

 

[Baldyreef]

I mostly buy things through my lfs and shows/local meets, occasionally from tsa and wwc

 

[allof fish]

80% I’ll get from BRS if they have it. All used items I’ve gotten on here and FBM. Recently been getting a lot of corals on reefnbid since you can win them for so cheap.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Oh, I barter for most of it using my services.

 

[flashsmith]

Sperm banks, Plasma banks, Medical studies, selling jarred farts etc… Oops misread the title. I buy new and spread it around. Always online. If I bought local the shop rarely has inventory.

 

[BryanM]

I've been burned by some, and some other online retailers are glorious. Worst was spending $500 on something special, having it not really open, and basically almost being ghosted by the vendor.

So I have trusted folks now that I buy from. One online, one local.

I also trust reviews here from other online retailers when they are positive, and would be comfortable buying from any of them, but between the two people I trust I don't think I have a "void" for things that I want.

 

[exnisstech]

New I try to buy from my LFS. The owner always gives a substantial discount and no tax. Cash is king baby, no discounts for CC purchases I have two stores that participate in cash discounts.

 

[X-37B]

I use both online and lfs.
Online for large purchases, but I try to buy as much as I can from one lfs.
The owner and people working there treat you like family as opposed to a customer. This is a large lfs with salt, fresh, and reptiles.
For regular frags,fish, ect, lfs works. Online to get the pieces I want to growout. Local reefers for decent frags also.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I use Chewy, Amazon, and Saltwateraquarium for most things requiring regular replacement (foods, chemicals, etc.).

 

[X-37B]

New I try to buy from my LFS. The owner always gives a substantial discount and no tax. Cash is king baby, no discounts for CC purchases I have two stores that participate in cash discounts.

Nice! I get discounts when I bring in salsa I make. I was in yesterday just to buy food and was given a nice discount for no reason
They also have alot of brs stuff at the same price as brs so I get as much as I can from them.
Cash was king before I moved but the stores were smaller than where I live now.

 

[exnisstech]

Nice! I get discounts when I bring in salsa I make. I was in yesterday just to buy food and was given a nice discount for no reason
They also have alot of brs stuff at the same price as brs so I get as much as I can from them.
Cash was king before I moved but the stores were smaller than where I live now.

Brings back a memory. There used to be a customer at the shop where I worked that brought in donuts every time she came, even if it was just an oil change. She always came to tell me she was here because she knew I loved glazed croissants and there was usually only a couple. She always got special treatment and often little things were fixed and not even billed.
Mrs. B was what we called her. She was one of the people that made you forget about all the self centered jerk customers for a little while. People like her are few and far between these days.

 

[Paul B]

I don't know. I can't remember the last time I bought anything for my tank.

 

[jonnywink]

I get most hard stuff (not live) from my LFS, but also buy from Amazon, Chewy, & BSR.

 

[Bear22]

Mainly Amazon, BRS, Premium Aquatics, and Saltwateraquarium. Sometimes Petco - they often times have some pretty good deals on TM products.

 

[X-37B]

Brings back a memory. There used to be a customer at the shop where I worked that brought in donuts every time she came, even if it was just an oil change. She always came to tell me she was here because she knew I loved glazed croissants and there was usually only a couple. She always got special treatment and often little things were fixed and not even billed.
Mrs. B was what we called her. She was one of the people that made you forget about all the self centered jerk customers for a little while. People like her are few and far between these days.

Yea the world could use more nice people.
When I drove city p&d I would have to measure pallets at this company which took some time when you have a trailer full of them to load.
I got the person to measure and write the dims in the pallets by giving them salsa I made. Never had to measure another pallet at that company.
Jerk customers are everywhere.
I was in sales and management at several dealerships for 13 years so I know the type, lol.

 

[Freenow54]

With the number of ways you can obtain stuff for your tank, it can be overwhelming to some. Are you buying stuff through the buy and sell section on R2R? LFS? Websites like BRS or WWC? etc... let's talk about how you are buying new things for your tank!

Since I am here in Canada the buy and sell is not an option. I buy from my LFS if they have my brand , or search out LFS online that will ship to me reasonably. I have to confess I bought two power heads on Amazon since Sicce now has their stuff built in China . Goes against my grain but the old story third of the price

 

[zenom73]

For me it's a mixture. Some things BRS, Amazon and LFS.

 

[RobynR]

With the number of ways you can obtain stuff for your tank, it can be overwhelming to some. Are you buying stuff through the buy and sell section on R2R? LFS? Websites like BRS or WWC? etc... let's talk about how you are buying new things for your tank!

Since I am here in Canada the buy and sell is not an option. I buy from my LFS if they have my brand , or search out LFS online that will ship to me reasonably. I have to confess I bought two power heads on Amazon since Sicce now has their stuff built in China . Goes against my grain but the old story third of the price

This

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

BRS, SaltwaterAquarium, marketplace (coral), and.... here sometimes. Oh, amazon too.

 

[Jimbo327]

Online from people with good reputation or reefer. No fees. No tax. Either shipped or low shipping.

Obviously, don't go for deals that are too good to be true unless it is in person w/ cash.