REEF ROAD TRIP: How far are you willing to DRIVE for a good reefing deal?

[1ocean]

We drove from Arizona to World Wide Corals in Florida, in March, just cause we could and we wanted to see the place in person. Super cool trip.
Staff was great, spent 3 hours there and bought some corals. Corals will be moved from our 140 to our 300 build in progress.
Total round trip drive was 4,300.00 miles.
One way was 33 hours and 2,149.00 miles

 

[ThRoewer]

Longest fish buying trips I made were about 300 km (600 km round trip) to DeJong Marinelife, usually buying a car load of fish.
Once I did that trip twice in one day because I had forgotten something...

 

[Grill]

Where do I start, I'm always looking for deals. I would say 75% of my tank has been used equipment on clearance or a tank break down. A few deals that I have made the trip for...

Drove about 45min. for this 7ft. 210g. Paid $200. They guy had about 50 aquariums in his garage & basement, he use to breed freshwater. The tank was in rough shape, broke it down added a front low iron pane and resealed.

Cant remember how far I drove, I know it was over an hour. Paid $270 for this 300-Int Reef Octopus. To large for my system, currently sitting in a corner. Still don't regret the drive. Might trade for some corals/fish down the road.

Recently drove almost 2hrs one way for some corals & fish. A girl was going off to college and had to downsize her tank. Paid her $300 and traded a par meter for numerous corals & fish. A beautiful RBTA which has split twice and a large black nose tang which I have never seen before. Absolutely love this guy. Pic below of the tang gang.

 

[reefsaver]

When COVID lockdown ended I put about 5k km's on my Motorbike just traveling my state interested to see what all the Marine fish stores had to offer. It was really fun to see what was available, what stores I would never visit and stores that are worth checking out. I saw stores with horrible pest problems and little stock with rather questionable conditions, others that were really well made businesses with qualified knowledgeable staff but obvious lazy maintenance and algal blooms and overpriced stock, some others with heaps of stock and great variety of products. By sheer luck, A Marine only local fish store near me has very dedicated staff with years of experience in the hobby, all their tanks are pristine and they regularly restock fish & coral weekly. I choose to go to their place for any livestock because I always see them maintaining their tanks, they are so helpful, super considerate and have exceptional service, they will constantly ask if you need a hand or have any questions while you're there and I have seen them on multiple occasions, explain to people the difference of salt water and fresh water and tell people it's more demanding in the way of maintenance and research to ultimately have customers walk out emptyhanded. I see their integrity first hand often and it's humbling to witness them not throwing their tanks, equipment and stock at people to make some quick cash.

 

[argiBK]

Back when I was hard up to find healthy a Gigantea anemone, I'd drive far and wide if an LFS had one in stock. Farthest drive was to Springfield, MA (from Brooklyn), a good 150 miles, one way.

If I happen to be traveling, I always try to make a point to visit LFS:
- I often travel(ed) for client work and was supremely lucky to have clients in Orlando, so found myself at WWC a ton.
- My family is in the Bay Area and there are a good number of stores I'd visit in SF/Sac.
- My best friend lives in Osaka, Japan (Blue Harbor is worth the visit, even if you can't afford anything in there)
- Another good friend lives in Houston, TX (next time I visit, definitely want to go to Galactic Coral)

 

[NoahLikesFish]

my grandma drove 1200 miles to indiana to take my stuff i collected to indiana. not super worth it but i got hardscape and some macros for free.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Imagine a reef tank with all the latest and best gear, healthy expensive fish, giant coral colonies and it's all FREE! Imagine that someone just up and decided to quit and they just wanted this beautiful system gone. All you have to do is DRIVE AND GET IT! Not likely but it should make for a good conversation! I personally was able to take advantage of a GREAT, not free, deal that included some of what I mentioned and I drove about 400 miles one way to tear it down, bring it home and set it up! What about you? Let's talk about it!

1. How far would you be willing to DRIVE to pick up the aquarium deal of a lifetime?

2. How far have you actually driven for a great reefing deal?

Yeah I drove over a hundred miles one time for hard to find deal, the owner of the reef store said it was in and I get there the following day and there's nothing and none of the workers even got up to help me look for it. I would mention the name here again but I think everyone knows who it is. Yeah I had a great deal one time drove a distance. Bummer

 

[littlebigreef]

Chicago to Detroit because the guy wouldn't ship zoas. And I needed a break from the kids for a day

 

[sp1187]

Imagine a reef tank with all the latest and best gear, healthy expensive fish, giant coral colonies and it's all FREE! Imagine that someone just up and decided to quit and they just wanted this beautiful system gone. All you have to do is DRIVE AND GET IT! Not likely but it should make for a good conversation! I personally was able to take advantage of a GREAT, not free, deal that included some of what I mentioned and I drove about 400 miles one way to tear it down, bring it home and set it up! What about you? Let's talk about it!

1. How far would you be willing to DRIVE to pick up the aquarium deal of a lifetime?

2. How far have you actually driven for a great reefing deal?

1. I'm not driving farther than local lfs for an aquarium. I won't buy used.

2. Reefing deal.... so far 192 miles... exactly. R2R @F i s h y picks up from fish dude. I meet fishy halfway between our homes.
Corals exchanged. lunch. cocktails.

 

[F i s h y]

1. I'm not driving farther than local lfs for an aquarium. I won't buy used.

2. Reefing deal.... so far 192 miles... exactly. R2R @F i s h y picks up from fish dude. I meet fishy halfway between our homes.
Corals exchanged. lunch. cocktails.

Good times...

I routinely drive 200 miles for good conversations and coral. Love the reef 2 reef express...

 

[Nick Steele]

1. How far would you be willing to DRIVE to pick up the aquarium deal of a lifetime? I would probably convince the wife to do a weekend trip if it was a deal of a lifetime. Like 100g tank for free exactly how I wanted it set up or better yet the 300+ gal I plan to be my dream tank. So 500 miles one way (1000 miles round trip) wouldn’t be unthinkable for me. Two days driving to save 5k or more is definitely worth it to me.
2. How far have you actually driven for a great reefing deal? I almost drove 3 hours to pick up two scolys for $50 but the person never responded to me and I was slightly sad.

 

[ZoWhat]

I drive 1.3 miles to a Dollar Tree to get Superglue Gel and a toilet brush to clean my skimmer

 

[Impala67]

we flew all the way to England to visit whites coral super store the best place I’ve ever been to

 

[Impala67]

we flew all the way to England to visit whites coral super store the best place I’ve ever been to

The reason we went is because my brother works there and they let us in there private factory where online orders get processed

 

[Malcontent]

24,900 miles.

 

[mfinn]

I've done a couple of 250 mile round trips to Portland in the past.
My average drive to a decent fish store is usually about 100 miles round trip.

 

[Viva'sReef]

Recently drove 300 miles round trip for a used Alkatronic.

Used to drive from Kalamazoo to Tropicorium and back in a day when I was in college

 

[Nigel35]

100ish miles to get a sweet deal on a tank.

 

[Bccarty151]

Just drove an hour one way for a 425xl with Neptune uv auto water change Hydra lights auto feed system. Needed a trailer, mini van and my truck bed full to get all the stuff but I'd do it all over again!

*stands up*
Hello, my names Dan and I'm an addict......

 

[Nevada Wiseguy]

I have one local reef store. I drive to Sacramento, which is 120 miles from me, to get better prices and more of a selection. Yes, gas and time costs money, but it is so worth it in the end.