North Alabama: What would you want in an LFS?

beaslbob · Mar 6, 2019

Brew12 said:
I know I wish I had found out about NARC a year earlier. I would have loved some help and advice from someone local when I was setting up my first system.

I needed that also 10-15 years ago when starting a larger reef type tank.

BestMomEver · Mar 7, 2019

Brew12 said:
I heard that after one or two of the hurricanes that came through the gulf coast that many reefers gave up on the hobby. I wonder if that had a big impact on the store closing.

That did happen, unfortunately. Here lately it seems, some have jumped back in. I hope more join us soon!

dantimdad · Mar 7, 2019

beaslbob said:
I needed that also 10-15 years ago when starting a larger reef type tank.

Hey Bob! Man, I was hoping you would chime in on this thread.

beaslbob · Mar 7, 2019

dantimdad said:
Hey Bob! Man, I was hoping you would chime in on this thread.

Shhhhhhhhh
Don't let anyone hear you say that expecially if you're thinking of starting a store.

ccombs · Mar 7, 2019

dantimdad said:
Gang,

We are trying to put together some information for a future venture.

I thought it would be nice to ask you guys since you are the target audience:

What would you want in an LFS?

There are things that we have decided on already so I will state those:

1...No reptiles or other animals
2...We will specialize in livestock and a small assortment of necessary dry goods and plumbing parts
3...It will be clean and organized and there will NOT be constant projects going on.
4...All aquariums for sale will not be in view they will be in a separate room. (see organized above)
5...All animals will be pre quarantined in a stable, healthy environment and from a pathogen free facility only hours away so no shipping to the store. We will pick up stock
6...No wild corals ever!
7...90% captive raised fish eventually becoming 100% captive bred/raised
8... We will offer classes from basic setup and cycling to coral propagation
9... We will be freshwater planted and marine only. You won't see gold fish or glo fish

We would be hosting meetings as much as you want. We will have a separate room for this purpose.

I miss the days of the LFS where you and your children are welcome and known by name. I don't miss the mess, attitude and disorganization.

Now, fire away and let me know what you want. We want this to be your store too!

I think it would be nice if a store had higher end test equipment for rent, like a nice PAR meter, etc.

ccombs · Mar 7, 2019

dantimdad said:
Gang,

We are trying to put together some information for a future venture.

I thought it would be nice to ask you guys since you are the target audience:

What would you want in an LFS?

There are things that we have decided on already so I will state those:

1...No reptiles or other animals
2...We will specialize in livestock and a small assortment of necessary dry goods and plumbing parts
3...It will be clean and organized and there will NOT be constant projects going on.
4...All aquariums for sale will not be in view they will be in a separate room. (see organized above)
5...All animals will be pre quarantined in a stable, healthy environment and from a pathogen free facility only hours away so no shipping to the store. We will pick up stock
6...No wild corals ever!
7...90% captive raised fish eventually becoming 100% captive bred/raised
8... We will offer classes from basic setup and cycling to coral propagation
9... We will be freshwater planted and marine only. You won't see gold fish or glo fish

We would be hosting meetings as much as you want. We will have a separate room for this purpose.

I miss the days of the LFS where you and your children are welcome and known by name. I don't miss the mess, attitude and disorganization.

Now, fire away and let me know what you want. We want this to be your store too!

Also, as a newer reefer, it is frustrating to get conflicting information about the same question depending on who you talk to in store. Having every employee on the same front would be very beneficial.

dantimdad · Mar 7, 2019

ccombs said:
I think it would be nice if a store had higher end test equipment for rent, like a nice PAR meter, etc.

Actually already on the list.

And we are going to have several other types of test kits and checkers available. Only the PAR meter will be for rent though the rest will be available for us to test your water.

ccombs · Mar 7, 2019

dantimdad said:
Actually already on the list.

And we are going to have several other types of test kits and checkers available. Only the PAR meter will be for rent though the rest will be available for us to test your water.

Oh! Sorry if I missed it in your original post!

dantimdad · Mar 7, 2019

ccombs said:
Also, as a newer reefer, it is frustrating to get conflicting information about the same question depending on who you talk to in store. Having every employee on the same front would be very beneficial.

Hence the reason for the classes.

There will only be Bobby and myself at first. And sometimes my son Tim who is a planted tank guy.

When we hire someone, they will be trained with the best proven methods we have. Between Bobby and I, we are at about 36 years experience. Throw in the fact that Tim will be 18 by then and has been doing planted tanks since he was 7. We should be able to handle things.

And no, we won't be doing it just to sell you something, before anyone gets a chance to say that.

dantimdad · Mar 7, 2019

dantimdad · Mar 7, 2019

Brew12 · Mar 7, 2019

ccombs said:
Also, as a newer reefer, it is frustrating to get conflicting information about the same question depending on who you talk to in store. Having every employee on the same front would be very beneficial.

This is a real problem and isn't as easy as you may expect. There are a lot of ways to be successful in this hobby so just because you get conflicting information or advice doesn't mean either is bad or wrong. The hard part is making sure the advice you get matches your equipment and goals. If you want a dream SPS system don't follow recommendations on what someone does with their LPS dominant system. Don't ask a Zeovite guy how to maintain nutrients if you run Triton.

dantimdad said:
Hence the reason for the classes.

Classes are a great start.

dantimdad said:
When we hire someone, they will be trained with the best proven methods we have. Between Bobby and I, we are at about 36 years experience.

This is a better thing.

If the person you are getting advice or information from at a store isn't willing to take the time to learn all about your system and your goals it will be difficult for them to give you good advice. Someone who has run a system one way will likely give you advice based on that limited experience. When you find people with decades of experience they have seen all the different trends and can tailor advice to you.

dantimdad · Mar 7, 2019

Brew12 said:
This is a real problem and isn't as easy as you may expect. There are a lot of ways to be successful in this hobby so just because you get conflicting information or advice doesn't mean either is bad or wrong. The hard part is making sure the advice you get matches your equipment and goals. If you want a dream SPS system don't follow recommendations on what someone does with their LPS dominant system. Don't ask a Zeovite guy how to maintain nutrients if you run Triton.

Classes are a great start.

This is a better thing.

If the person you are getting advice or information from at a store isn't willing to take the time to learn all about your system and your goals it will be difficult for them to give you good advice. Someone who has run a system one way will likely give you advice based on that limited experience. When you find people with decades of experience they have seen all the different trends and can tailor advice to you.

Thanks @Brew12 This is what I was trying to say but you put it much better.

ccombs · Mar 7, 2019

Brew12 said:
This is a real problem and isn't as easy as you may expect. There are a lot of ways to be successful in this hobby so just because you get conflicting information or advice doesn't mean either is bad or wrong. The hard part is making sure the advice you get matches your equipment and goals. If you want a dream SPS system don't follow recommendations on what someone does with their LPS dominant system. Don't ask a Zeovite guy how to maintain nutrients if you run Triton.

Classes are a great start.

This is a better thing.

If the person you are getting advice or information from at a store isn't willing to take the time to learn all about your system and your goals it will be difficult for them to give you good advice. Someone who has run a system one way will likely give you advice based on that limited experience. When you find people with decades of experience they have seen all the different trends and can tailor advice to you.

I totally understand there are multiple ways to approach something, that is totally fine. Just today actually I was at a LFS and I had an employee tell me that something that directly conflicted with other advice I had received, not like another way to do it, being told the original advice I received was just plain wrong.

This employee was also directly conflicting well documented information online about how to treat certain parasites in tanks. He told me I did not need to QT for Uronema, that I just needed to add copper to my DT. He didn't even ask if I had inverts, just said this as a blanket statement.

Brew12 · Mar 7, 2019

ccombs said:
I totally understand there are multiple ways to approach something, that is totally fine. Just today actually I was at a LFS and I had an employee tell me that something that directly conflicted with other advice I had received, not like another way to do it, being told the original advice I received was just plain wrong.

This employee was also directly conflicting well documented information online about how to treat certain parasites in tanks. He told me I did not need to QT for Uronema, that I just needed to add copper to my DT. He didn't even ask if I had inverts, just said this as a blanket statement.

Yup... that qualifies as some very bad advice no matter how you look at it!