Who is around Central NY
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Went there sat. Guy at counter denies it. Says nothing is final till the fat lady sings.
Looked around and most of the tanks are empty and there is very little coral. And half of what was there is nfs. Might have had 20 fraggs.. and they all wonder why we go online to shop. Called abc in Solvay and asked if they had several things in stock and got the same old no but we can order it. I told the girl who answered the phone I too have a computer and can order things and for some reason I can have them in 2 days while your telling me it will be 7 to 10 days till what I want comes in ... come on. Don’t blame the online vendors when you refuse to carry any stock and will only order stuff every other wed.
I was looking to spend a few hundred bucks on some items and some corals. Instead I bought a 4 dollar seaweed clip because my son asked for it...
To all the failing small business out there it’s on you not us. 95 percent of the people I know resort to online shopping after looking for the item in store. If you won’t keep anything in stock then how can I buy it.
Rant over... and breathe
Looked around and most of the tanks are empty and there is very little coral. And half of what was there is nfs. Might have had 20 fraggs.. and they all wonder why we go online to shop. Called abc in Solvay and asked if they had several things in stock and got the same old no but we can order it. I told the girl who answered the phone I too have a computer and can order things and for some reason I can have them in 2 days while your telling me it will be 7 to 10 days till what I want comes in ... come on. Don’t blame the online vendors when you refuse to carry any stock and will only order stuff every other wed.
I was looking to spend a few hundred bucks on some items and some corals. Instead I bought a 4 dollar seaweed clip because my son asked for it...
To all the failing small business out there it’s on you not us. 95 percent of the people I know resort to online shopping after looking for the item in store. If you won’t keep anything in stock then how can I buy it.
Rant over... and breathe
I believe that day I was looking for a dc return pump a few 4 inch filter socks an ato system would have made the cart if they had one in stock, a tub of reef roids... and any coral that snagged my attention.
Amazing aquariums didn’t even have frozen foods .. I think I had a few hundred bucks to spend on hobby items while I was out and about with my son.
Oh and a power head for mixing sw
Amazing aquariums didn’t even have frozen foods .. I think I had a few hundred bucks to spend on hobby items while I was out and about with my son.
Oh and a power head for mixing sw
lumpadelic
Community Member
I’m in Ithaca. As previously stated the shops in Syracuse are pretty beat, I also travel to Elmira to sondra’s city zoo, but recently stumbled upon the salty dog in Canandaigua. Anyone have experience with them? I’ve only been there once but I was pleasantly surprised by their inventory, knowledge, and helpfulness. I’d definitely recommend a stop in if you live in the finger lakes area.
Amazing Aquariums is now under new ownership by Carl Ackerbauer who owns Ack’s Exotics in Cicero NY. He pulled all fish out of his exotics shop and is letting Ack’s Aquatics be completely fresh and salt fish/corals. He’s spent a good amount of money on dry goods the last few months and will be ramping up on livestock this fall. He also does special orders if you need anything or new fish tanks, just message him via the Ack’s Aquatics Facebook page or call the shop (note they have a new phone number). They are making progress so far.
I've been all over the state looking for LFS's. I got a beautiful 2 headed dragon soul torch for 20$ at an LFS that was closing and it was the only thing left in the SW tanks(addmittingldly they had no idea what it was besides some colorful torch)! Some amazing deals are there to be found, if you know what your looking for and at.
ABC and ABC2(now amazing aquariums) used to be great stores, but lately they are lacking. Worst part for me is these are my LFS and they are a 2 hour drive away! IMO ABC has really gone down hill with nothing in stock, and if you ask him to order you anything, good luck! I'm still waiting for that black leopard wrasses for 2 years now. And every time I'm in there I ask again if he'll order it for me(this is probably the 8th or 9th time I've asked him to order me something and it never materializes). Amazing Aquariums(formally ABC2) was decent, but recently with the transition, there supply of quality livestock and dry goods has been lacking. I have not been in there since mid july, so maybe that has changed now with everything being fully transitioned over?
FishFinatics in Fayettville used to be a decent store till they lost Chris(who is now at petco on Erie Blvd I beleive), and who I bought 99% of my livestock from, and even took a fragging class from! Very knowledgeable guy. Very sad to see this store close. Many people in the hobby panned this place, but chris knows his isht! It wasn't that boutique store that catered to the high end of the hobby(ABC's), and I think thats why it was panned?
Now for an LFS I travel to Buffalo to ABC, to Rochester and Caribbean Forest, or Salt water paradise in Tonawanda.
If anyone has some better little known places, please post them up. I'm not opposed to a road trip, heck I've traveled to CT and VT to visit LFS's. Only place I won't drive is into NYC, but I know there are several decent LFS's down there.
ABC and ABC2(now amazing aquariums) used to be great stores, but lately they are lacking. Worst part for me is these are my LFS and they are a 2 hour drive away! IMO ABC has really gone down hill with nothing in stock, and if you ask him to order you anything, good luck! I'm still waiting for that black leopard wrasses for 2 years now. And every time I'm in there I ask again if he'll order it for me(this is probably the 8th or 9th time I've asked him to order me something and it never materializes). Amazing Aquariums(formally ABC2) was decent, but recently with the transition, there supply of quality livestock and dry goods has been lacking. I have not been in there since mid july, so maybe that has changed now with everything being fully transitioned over?
FishFinatics in Fayettville used to be a decent store till they lost Chris(who is now at petco on Erie Blvd I beleive), and who I bought 99% of my livestock from, and even took a fragging class from! Very knowledgeable guy. Very sad to see this store close. Many people in the hobby panned this place, but chris knows his isht! It wasn't that boutique store that catered to the high end of the hobby(ABC's), and I think thats why it was panned?
Now for an LFS I travel to Buffalo to ABC, to Rochester and Caribbean Forest, or Salt water paradise in Tonawanda.
If anyone has some better little known places, please post them up. I'm not opposed to a road trip, heck I've traveled to CT and VT to visit LFS's. Only place I won't drive is into NYC, but I know there are several decent LFS's down there.
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lumpadelic
Community Member
Have you been to the salty dog in Canandaigua? It’s small but almost always have what I need. How’s the shop in Tonawanda?
CuseReefer
Active Member
Ack's Aquatics (formerly ABC2/Amazing Aquariums) is in much better shape now. Carl has recently heavily invested in stocking dry goods and now carries Reef Octopus skimmers, Ice cap products (Algae Scrubbers, fish traps, gyre pumps), Jebao pumps (return and wavemakers), mag drive pumps, fragging supplies and plugs, testing and dosing supplies, and more. Soon he is bringing in the new line of AI lights as well once available at his whole-seller. In addition he has 2 more fish setups now running near the frag tank, and QT tanks out back are almost ready. In addition, Karli and Sam also work at Ack's Aquatics now. Both worked at Fish Finatics for many years. Things are still not perfect but making improving progress weekly. Give them a shot again for sure. If you need any special order fish or dry goods, just drop their FB page a message.
I stopped about 3-4 weeks ago and they were still trying to get setup, I’ll have to stop again and check them out soon. I have a rose bubble tip that just split and should be ready in a week or two if anyone’s interested in a trade.
Yup been to salty dogs, wasn't that impressed. If it's the one I'm thinking of, it was manned by a 20 something that was more intrested in what was on youtube then helping a paying customer, tank were overun with aiptasia and just generally dirty looking, most LPS was very lack luster, and any sps was practically dead. Certainly not a shop I would travel all that way to visit again.
Only place I've gone to in tonawanda is salt water paradise. Not a bad store and the owner is very knowledgeable as he's been doing it for many many years(just have a talk with the guy, you know he knows his isht!). Stopped in many times and have never been super impressed, but he does carry a little bit of everything, store is clean, and owner is more then happy to help you out, or just shoot the isht!
I'm sheet rocking the room where the tank will go, so I'm a little far out from livestock. I may try to get a small tank setup in the meantime just cause I miss it.
gotmesalty77
Well-Known Member
When i lived in wny I used to Travel out to salty dog. Used to take trades for some stuff. I miss home
Dr. Bull
Community Member
I started up a small aquaculture business about 12 mins east of Utica near Frankfort about a year ago in the barn in my back yard. I have quite a variety of frags and rainbow BTAs available. By appointment only, PM me if your interested in dropping by to have a look at my livestock. I can also special order fish and dry goods.
I started up a small aquaculture business about 12 mins east of Utica near Frankfort about a year ago in the barn in my back yard. I have quite a variety of frags and rainbow BTAs available. By appointment only, PM me if your interested in dropping by to have a look at my livestock. I can also special order fish and dry goods.
Bidding my custom tank out now... hope to be started cycling in the next 12-14 weeks. I'll be there mid summer...lol
Awesome, I live in Rome, and I’m frequently in the Utica/Frankfort area. I’d love to stop by and take a look sometime. I’m working on a dino issue in my tank at the moment, need to get that cleaned up before I add anything else. Maybe I can stop by next weekend and take a look? I’ll be bringing my kids to my mothers in Frankfort Saturday I believe.I started up a small aquaculture business about 12 mins east of Utica near Frankfort about a year ago in the barn in my back yard. I have quite a variety of frags and rainbow BTAs available. By appointment only, PM me if your interested in dropping by to have a look at my livestock. I can also special order fish and dry goods.
Dr. Bull
Community Member
Sure send me a PM to setup an appointment. I am typically available in the afternoons.
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