Ugh. That is disappointing.
You bet it is. I see now why a lot of small stores have empty selves. But, we will not be deterred. There are avenues we can take to keep driving on.
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Ugh. That is disappointing.
My future plans are to setup a Lagoon25 AIO; however, a couple of weeks ago I just finally setup a 10gal with filter, rock, sand and it's in the cycle process.
I am really not in a hurry so, whatever time it takes it's fine with me (it might be fish only at the beginning).
Currently live in Athens and relatively new to salt water. Would love to see another store open up around here.
Yeah, it was a lot of fun.I also remember your really cool DIY 70 watt metal halide over the 29 gallon you had. I believe an electrician at your work wired it up if not mistaken.
Those were the days of everything being terribly expensive so we made a whole bunch of stuff.
It was a lot of fun for sure
Yeah, it was a lot of fun.
The 70 watt MH bulb was fitted into a halogen security light housing, which I found in a clearance bin. When I was rummaging through a pile of cables at work, looking for some wires to connect the lamp to an electronic ballast, my electrician friend decided to do it for me. The whole thing cost me just 10 dollars plus the cost of 70W Ushio MH bulb. I still have the light and use it for starting seeds for my vegetable garden.
There is a certain amount of satisfaction in making your own things inexpensively. I think that reefing equipment is getting fancier and the cost of equipment is getting higher.
I rely on LFS's for frozen foods, some livestock, certain test kits, and emergency supplies such as freshwater fish medications (oh, my new 180 gallon tank, too, when my old one leaked.) I have purchased equipment, such as Apex, LED lights, and a skimmer online since no LFS carried the ones I wanted at the time. I will buy local if an LFS offers reasonable prices. I don't mind paying a slightly higher price to support a good local shop. The majority of purchases I made in the past, both livestock and equipment, was from Coral Reef Aquatics.
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 think local clubs and forums are the places that a newbies can get more hands-on experience in addition to good LFS's.
I’m outside Mobile and would be willing to travel to Birmingham occasionally to shop at your store if you had a good selection. I would recommend a tank or two with nothing but CUC. It would be great if some one had a wide variety of crabs and snails.
Also, one of the problems we have is that no one here sells specialized, high end supplies. Example.... if I’m looking for reef lighting, I want to buy Radion, AI, or Kessill. Not Fluval. Btw, Fluval lights have their place but I can get them at PetSmart. Instead of run-of-the-mill pumps, I’d like mp10’s, Nero or Tunze.
The only problem with that stuff, is they’re expensive to purchase and stock, and they are a specialty item... not everyone will buy them. But it would be nice. I’m much more likely to buy something like that if it’s right in front of me whereas if I have to order it, I’ll debate over it for weeks.
There is a store in Mississippi that carries a good selection of high end equipment but they are usually slammed on Saturday when I’m able to go and their store is little. When it’s crowded you can hardly walk through and the salespeople are hard to get to. They are moving so fast to get to customers that I feel bad about taking their time to ask questions.
After you’ve opened and are successful, please consider another location anywhere south of Montgomery!
After you’ve opened and are successful, please consider another location anywhere south of Montgomery!
I hope I'm not derailing this thread, but I think you're going to have a hard time in that area (and I know OP has said he wasn't looking to go that south). The store in Montgomery just closed, and they had the best selection of coral I've seen in the state. I'd driven down from Birmingham quite a few times to stop by and see them.
Another thing..... decent hours.... the LFSs around here that specialize in saltwater are only open from 12 or 2, to 5 or 6 on Saturday. Only one of them is open on Sunday but only every other. The other isn’t open at all. If I drive on Saturday, I’d like to have more flexibility. The large all purpose pet store here has great , albeit average, (nothing high end) supplies but it’s hit or miss when it comes to livestock.
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.I hope I'm not derailing this thread, but I think you're going to have a hard time in that area (and I know OP has said he wasn't looking to go that south). The store in Montgomery just closed, and they had the best selection of coral I've seen in the state. I'd driven down from Birmingham quite a few times to stop by and see them.
Do you remember the small shop in Rainbow City we used to go to? NARC had two or three club meetings there. Philip Root run the store and the shop was really the best small reef shop that I have seen. Philip later moved to Birmingham and operated out of Aquarium Design for awhile. I thought Anthony Calfo visited the store and gave it a rave review.
Wow, time flies! I probably would not recognize them now.@Tomoko Schum you remember the boys?
They are both over 6 foot tall now. Daniel leaves for the Army June 11th. Tim leaves for the Marines June of next year.
Wow, time flies! I probably would not recognize them now.