What is the farthest you've driven for an LFS?

[azbigjohn]

One of my struggles with my tank has been getting to an LFS since I moved to Las Cruces, NM from Phoenix, AZ 2 years ago.

There are two LFS in El Paso Tx (1 hour away) and 2 in Albuquerque (2 1/2 hours away) but for some reason, all four are closed Mondays and Tuesdays. I work as a Night Shift Nurse 12 hours a night Wednesday through Saturday, and usually sleep through Sundays, so getting to any of them has been tough.

I have wanted to get a Sea Hare for my tank (I always loved my old one in a previous tank, and they are great for hair algae control, a major issue right now with only 2 fish in a 210 gallon aquarium.) I know my old Phoenix LFS of choice always has Sea Hares in stock, so, since I managed to actually get a Saturday night off due to a class I had to teach, I drove to Phoenix (5 hours) to get a Sea Hare (I have never had one ship alive)

I made the trip worth it as far as supplies, etc, but just wondering what is the farthest you have (or would) drive for a favorite LFS?

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

I drove just over two hours to pick up a coral my husband really wanted. We went the day before and picked out a nice flame red chalice but he was also looking at a nice Easter egg chalice. He had to work the next day so I took it upon myself to drive all the way back to get it. It was well worth the drive so he would be happy.

 

[DH78]

The most I've driven is about 3 hours. However, the only reason I did it was because the LFS I was going to had the eel I wanted in stock and the local LFS's at the time wouldn't order anything specific. This was about 20 years ago. Now, I would order online before traveling that long. However, at this time it was worth it. I don't remember the species of moray anymore, but it was an eel that was born in brackish water and then would transition to the ocean as an adult. So, I had a brackish tank with some scats, mono's, and this eel that over the course of a few years transitioned into a saltwater tank.

 

[eea60123]

I’ve gone 2 1/2 hours for LRS because my closest FS won’t carry it(phosphates?).

 

[andrewkw]

7-8 hours. I still shop at my old LFS's even though I've moved away. There is nothing here and the first decent place is halfway home so I might as well go back all the way and get what I want. I only make the trip a couple of times a year though, I do miss weekly trips to the reef shops dearly.

 

[pirate2876]

2.5 hrs into Compton for a LFS. It was worth it.

 

[azbigjohn]

I drove just over two hours to pick up a coral my husband really wanted. We went the day before and picked out a nice flame red chalice but he was also looking at a nice Easter egg chalice. He had to work the next day so I took it upon myself to drive all the way back to get it. It was well worth the drive so he would be happy.

That's awesome!

My wife supports my reefing hobby, but sounds like you went above and beyond!

 

[azbigjohn]

7-8 hours. I still shop at my old LFS's even though I've moved away. There is nothing here and the first decent place is halfway home so I might as well go back all the way and get what I want. I only make the trip a couple of times a year though, I do miss weekly trips to the reef shops dearly.

That is a heck of a drive!

I completely get missing the weekly visits/chats with the LFS!

 

[flagg37]

Some of you all are crazy. I don’t think if you’re driving 2+ hours qualifies as a “local” fish store.

 

[azbigjohn]

Some of you all are crazy. I don’t think if you’re driving 2+ hours qualifies as a “local” fish store.

Once you find one that you like, always helps with good advice, or ordering product for you, if you move away, it is hard to find a new one that "scratches that itch."

 

[homer1475]

6 hours one way is the longest.

But typically 2 1/2 hours to ANY LFS for me.

 

[Ento-Reefer]

About 2.5 hours, but I always make a day of it and usually combine other shopping at outlet stores nearby.

 

[Peach02]

I drove about 1 and a half hours each way to visit a LFS but likely wouldn't go that far regularly. It was about 40km (25 miles) with traffic

 

[Wolf89]

I thought I had it bad for an hour each way haha

 

[ZoWhat]

I don't know about distance.. but the longest drive home was when I first started reefing and came out of a LFS with a $100 LR with the WIFE in the car!

Boooooooooy was she urinated-off.

Everytime she saw a bowling ball sized rock out the window on the side of the road, she would punch my shoulder and say, "Look! Theres a $100 rock right over there for free, idiot". LOLOLOL,

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

10 hours from Birmingham to Orlando for RAP is that counts. But normal LFS would be 1-2 hours going to either Montgomery or Huntsville. I have a list of shops I’d like to stop by in Atlanta but it seems so daunting. The most frustrating part is that I’ve been working in downtown Atlanta, but all of the shops are so far away that I can’t get to them before they close.

 

[fish farmer]

5 hours one way for the best Fiji rock ever..

Petco is 20 minutes...

The other two LFS worth a visit are 1.5 hours one way.

Everything else that looks nice is 3 to 4 hours.

 

[Acrophobia]

2.5 hrs into Compton for a LFS. It was worth it.

Which store is this?

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

I think the farthest I’ve gone is an hour and a half to a nice little place near Salt Lake City. But man are they expensive! Good thing my more local lfs has good stuff

 

[Waters]

Farthest I have driven is only like an hour.......my LFS used to be 5 minutes down the road but they closed