If you don't shop BRS, START NOW!!!!

[Reef Box]

I know this is not new information to most people on Reef2Reef or in the reef hobby in general but for anyone else wondering, Bulk Reef Supply is AMAZING!!! If you're not already a BRS Fan you will be after your first order! I mean seriously they pretty much have EVERYTHING you could ever want and a few things you didn't even know you wanted. Now I know I will get some feedback on here that talks about BRS's shipping being one of their downfalls and to be fair shipping sometimes does take a little longer. But with all the money you save on their regular prices (not counting discounts and rewards) and all the headache you will save on their impeccable customer service should ever need it, if you still can't afford to pay the little extra for upgraded shipping then this may not be the best hobby for you. Don't get me wrong I know what it's like to be on a budget but this is not exactly a budget hobby. With all the time and attention we have tied up in our man made ecosystems, I believe everything I am keeping in there deserves the as much as I can offer. I've been Reefing for over 15 years and have my share of tanks large and small (at one point I was running 5 tanks simultaneously!) I have also had my share of wins and losses, most of which I can almost always attribute to cutting a corner somewhere along the line. Anyone in the hobby regardless of experience can get an unheard-of amount of information from the guys over at BRS whether through their regularly posted videos, email or live chat. I don't mean to drag this on too long but bottom line is the team over there ROCKS and I don't know if we can thank them enough for all they bring to the hobby. THANKS GUYS!!

 

[apt220]

I know this is not new information to most people on Reef2Reef or in the reef hobby in general but for anyone else wondering, Bulk Reef Supply is AMAZING!!! If you're not already a BRS Fan you will be after your first order! I mean seriously they pretty much have EVERYTHING you could ever want and a few things you didn't even know you wanted. Now I know I will get some feedback on here that talks about BRS's shipping being one of their downfalls and to be fair shipping sometimes does take a little longer. But with all the money you save on their regular prices (not counting discounts and rewards) and all the headache you will save on their impeccable customer service should ever need it, if you still can't afford to pay the little extra for upgraded shipping then this may not be the best hobby for you. Don't get me wrong I know what it's like to be on a budget but this is not exactly a budget hobby. With all the time and attention we have tied up in our man made ecosystems, I believe everything I am keeping in there deserves the as much as I can offer. I've been Reefing for over 15 years and have my share of tanks large and small (at one point I was running 5 tanks simultaneously!) I have also had my share of wins and losses, most of which I can almost always attribute to cutting a corner somewhere along the line. Anyone in the hobby regardless of experience can get an unheard-of amount of information from the guys over at BRS whether through their regularly posted videos, email or live chat. I don't mean to drag this on too long but bottom line is the team over there ROCKS and I don't know if we can thank them enough for all they bring to the hobby. THANKS GUYS!!

I buy from BRS a lot but I do avoid them if i could find a similar/better deal. I do at times get shipping issues with them but mainly it has to do with what looks like careless packaging. For example i bought rowaphos from them and the cover wasnt properly in the container. It seriously was one drop away from being spilled into the box. Another time they shipped DI resin with holes in it. One time i bought dry rock from them, and when i picked the box up from my porch, i just lifted the box and the rocks fell to the cement. My Apex controller packaging sucked too. A huge dent on the outside translated to the APEX box. Lucky nothing was damaged. IIRC it was just packaged with a few of those air bags. I think because they offer free shipping it reflects on their shipping quality. But with all that said, if i had any major issue i would let them know and im sure they would make it right.

Also I do value the studies they do on BRS TV.

Premium Aquatics never did me wrong, although they are not always the cheapest option due to shipping but they do have an ebay account they sell from so it pays to do a quick ebay search.

Overall I like BRS but you should still shop around.

 

[chefjpaul]

They get a majority of the money that my LFS doesn't.

 

[Reef Box]

I buy from BRS a lot but I do avoid them if i could find a similar/better deal. I do at times get shipping issues with them but mainly it has to do with what looks like careless packaging. For example i bought rowaphos from them and the cover wasnt properly in the container. It seriously was one drop away from being spilled into the box. Another time they shipped DI resin with holes in it. One time i bought dry rock from them, and when i picked the box up from my porch, i just lifted the box and the rocks fell to the cement. My Apex controller packaging sucked too. A huge dent on the outside translated to the APEX box. Lucky nothing was damaged. IIRC it was just packaged with a few of those air bags. I think because they offer free shipping it reflects on their shipping quality. But with all that said, if i had any major issue i would let them know and im sure they would make it right.

Also I do value the studies they do on BRS TV.

Premium Aquatics never did me wrong, although they are not always the cheapest option due to shipping but they do have an ebay account they sell from so it pays to do a quick ebay search.

Overall I like BRS but you should still shop around.

Man sounds like your postoffice might be a little rough on packages. I bet I've had 50+ orders over the years and every now and then may go bad. I agree though I always shop around for anything I'm looking for. Every now and then I do find something cheaper on Amazon or DrsFosterandSmith that I go with but for the most part BRS nails the price and availability on most of what I'm looking for (except Reef Crystals which they no longer carry ). From time to time I will have a banged up box or something wrong with the item I buy from BRS but typically a quick call or live chat with them and it's handled beyond my expectations (which led me to start this tread). Although a lot of places do have fair customer service as well, I just feel like the guys at BRS handle things well above average. Also knowledgeable people seal the deal for me! Try calling amazon and asking them the trace element make up of the salt you're about to order, or whether the pump you want has controllable flow;Wideyed. For my general purpose needs I'm a loyal customer.

 

[Reef Box]

They get a majority of the money that my LFS doesn't.

I unfortunately live in an area with only 1 LFS within a 30 min drive and only 2 others within an hour so mail order is big for me..with no tax and free shipping, unless it's something I need now I go online. I tried reaching out for some locals for coral swaps as well but I'm feeling like I'm the only one in the area with a Mini-Reef

 

[chefjpaul]

Man sounds like your postoffice might be a little rough on packages. I bet I've had 50+ orders over the years and every now and then may go bad. I agree though I always shop around for anything I'm looking for. Every now and then I do find something cheaper on Amazon or DrsFosterandSmith that I go with but for the most part BRS nails the price and availability on most of what I'm looking for (except Reef Crystals which they no longer carry ). From time to time I will have a banged up box or something wrong with the item I buy from BRS but typically a quick call or live chat with them and it's handled beyond my expectations (which led me to start this tread). Although a lot of places do have fair customer service as well, I just feel like the guys at BRS handle things well above average. Also knowledgeable people seal the deal for me! Try calling amazon and asking them the trace element make up of the salt you're about to order, or whether the pump you want has controllable flow;Wideyed. For my general purpose needs I'm a loyal customer.

Not only that, we as hobbyist should support companies such as this that spend time and money doing the extra stuff they do for all of us to learn.

I feel they truly go out of their way as of late on the educational platform. Is it to sell more product? Sure, its a business, but at least they put in the effort here on R2R.