Does anyone ever find this hobby elitest?

[Frag Factory]

Hey all,

 

Had a day off so thought I would check out the not so LFS's from the next city over.

 

Pulled up at a wonderful shop, bit hard to find but practically a warehouse. The front 3/4's were dry goods (lots of pond and empty/dry display aquariums) but they had a 35' long fish sections packed full, real good set up.

 

Got talking about telling him about my set up and experience. Explained I just got back into the hobby after 8 years out with a 25l nano and it was then that he instantly became uninterested... Thought ok, he must just be busy. No issues.

 

Spotted some Zoas I liked and went back to the front asking for a price as I didn't know what the silly name they decided to call them would be (I don't keep up with designer titles...). 

 

He comes over to the tank with me and I point them out, he says £10 a polyp. Next question... how many polyps as obviously I could only see half the coral from the front.

 

he picks it up, counts them and says 12. I think about it for a moment and say "yeah that's a bit much for me, sorry". Laying out £120 for a coral about 1" across is not going to happen at this stage in my tanks life. I'd rather fill it up with the basics before getting the high end stuff.

 

His response is what shocked me "oh yeah, not much money?"... I respond with "what do you mean?".

 

"people with nano tanks don't really do it because they have lots to spend, right?"

 

This annoyed me... I'm not a billionaire, but I got back into the hobby with a nano as I don't have the time to dedicate to a huge system just yet. My old 3x3x2 tank took about 6 hours every saturday to maintain. I'm a young professional (late 20's) who has things to do and people to see. I can't be doing that again...

 

Why are people in the industry like this? He really did ruin my day.

 

Anyway, cheered myself up spending £260 in the next shop, and buying £45 of supplies from another place.

 

#### you buddy.

[specore]

Should've gone back Pretty Woman Style 😀

 

[Jono]

Just now, specore said:

Should've gone back Pretty Woman Style 😀

 

Or Dwight Schrute Pretty Woman Style...

The LFS I go to sometimes scoffs at me for asking beginner questions. It's annoying, but I deal with it because they have good stuff. 

[Frag Factory]

1 minute ago, specore said:

Should've gone back Pretty Woman Style 😀

 

😂😂😂

 

Amazing, I should have.

[Frag Factory]

Just now, Jono said:

The LFS I go to sometimes scoffs at me for asking beginner questions. It's annoying, but I deal with it because they have good stuff

 

This I truly do not understand and have experienced myself.

 

Fish keeping is a tiny part of the pet market.

 

Marine fish keeping is a tiny part of a tiny part of the pet market.

 

Reef keeping, is a tiny part of a tiny part of a tiny part of the pet market...

 

So who do they expect to sell to in 3-5 years if all the noobs have a bad time and get out of the hobby because they were put off asking questions from people who know the answers... Amazing logic.

 

Also, I doubt anyone gets an aquarium store to be rich. There can't be much money in it... It's a love of the game kind of deal. So surely again helping people out has to something that interests them.

[specore]

4 minutes ago, Jono said:

Or Dwight Schrute Pretty Woman Style...

The LFS I go to sometimes scoffs at me for asking beginner questions. It's annoying, but I deal with it because they have good stuff. 

Lol...even better!

[specore]

28 minutes ago, Frag Factory said:

His response is what shocked me "oh yeah, not much money?"... I respond with "what do you mean?".

The more I think about this line the funnier it is.  

 

Apparently this is one the LFS employee who has struck it rich peddling $50 frags.  I mean no offense to our mostly awesome LFS people, but its not like anyone working in this industry is rolling in dough (including the owners, and as a CPA I've seen tax returns to support this)

[MuffinMonster]

Hmm, that's weird. I got into this hobby a little over one year ago and I have had nothing but amazing experience's with my LFS owners, employees and fellow reefers. Just about everyone I have talked to in person is, usually, really willing to stand there and talk a while and give advice with any questions. Hell, even people I have bought used stuff from on craigslist, every single one of them have always offered for me to contact them if I have any questions or concerns.

 

I think you just ran into a bad employee, or he was just having an off day.

[Frag Factory]

8 minutes ago, specore said:

The more I think about this line the funnier it is.  

 

Apparently this is one the LFS employee who has struck it rich peddling $50 frags.  I mean no offense to our mostly awesome LFS people, but its not like anyone working in this industry is rolling in dough (including the owners, and as a CPA I've seen tax returns to support this)

I just love the idea that to spend money on this hobby you need a big tank.

 

My 12" cube has probably set me back £1100 at this point but everything is oversized, if I bought a 2 foot cube tomorrow my flow and lighting would handle it. I have all the test kits, water system, salt I would need. I could do it for the price the tank and stand would cost me which is the cheap bit when you think about it.

 

Personally it's a time thing preventing me from going bigger, I can blast off the rocks, scrape the glass, do a water change, top off my ATO container, change filter floss and clean the outside of the tank in about 20 minutes. That's perfect!

 

I'm into nanos to save time, not money. More than happy to splash out on equipment and livestock, but not if you treat me like crap. That won't work...

 

When I was deciding about the Zoas I asked about I was even thinking if the next two shops don't have anything I like I will come back for them. Luckily they did, they had much nicer staff but smaller stores. One of them even offered me a tea as I walked in, great shop. Coincidentally this is the place I dropped a bit of coin, but he wouldn't have known that was going to happen when I was wearing shorts and an old tshirt. 

[specore]

8 minutes ago, Frag Factory said:

I just love the idea that to spend money on this hobby you need a big tank.

 

My 12" cube has probably set me back £1100 at this point but everything is oversized, if I bought a 2 foot cube tomorrow my flow and lighting would handle it. I have all the test kits, water system, salt I would need. I could do it for the price the tank and stand would cost me which is the cheap bit when you think about it.

 

Personally it's a time thing preventing me from going bigger, I can blast off the rocks, scrape the glass, do a water change, top off my ATO container, change filter floss and clean the outside of the tank in about 20 minutes. That's perfect!

 

I'm into nanos to save time, not money. More than happy to splash out on equipment and livestock, but not if you treat me like crap. That won't work...

 

When I was deciding about the Zoas I asked about I was even thinking if the next two shops don't have anything I like I will come back for them. Luckily they did, they had much nicer staff but smaller stores. One of them even offered me a tea as I walked in, great shop. Coincidentally this is the place I dropped a bit of coin, but he wouldn't have known that was going to happen when I was wearing shorts and an old tshirt. 

Yep.  Every time I've gone bigger I've enjoyed the hobby less and eventually lost ineterest.  

[WV Reefer]

50 minutes ago, Frag Factory said:

Hey all,

 

Had a day off so thought I would check out the not so LFS's from the next city over.

 

Pulled up at a wonderful shop, bit hard to find but practically a warehouse. The front 3/4's were dry goods (lots of pond and empty/dry display aquariums) but they had a 35' long fish sections packed full, real good set up.

 

Got talking about telling him about my set up and experience. Explained I just got back into the hobby after 8 years out with a 25l nano and it was then that he instantly became uninterested... Thought ok, he must just be busy. No issues.

 

Spotted some Zoas I liked and went back to the front asking for a price as I didn't know what the silly name they decided to call them would be (I don't keep up with designer titles...). 

 

He comes over to the tank with me and I point them out, he says £10 a polyp. Next question... how many polyps as obviously I could only see half the coral from the front.

 

he picks it up, counts them and says 12. I think about it for a moment and say "yeah that's a bit much for me, sorry". Laying out £120 for a coral about 1" across is not going to happen at this stage in my tanks life. I'd rather fill it up with the basics before getting the high end stuff.

 

His response is what shocked me "oh yeah, not much money?"... I respond with "what do you mean?".

 

"people with nano tanks don't really do it because they have lots to spend, right?"

 

This annoyed me... I'm not a billionaire, but I got back into the hobby with a nano as I don't have the time to dedicate to a huge system just yet. My old 3x3x2 tank took about 6 hours every saturday to maintain. I'm a young professional (late 20's) who has things to do and people to see. I can't be doing that again...

 

Why are people in the industry like this? He really did ruin my day.

 

Anyway, cheered myself up spending £260 in the next shop, and buying £45 of supplies from another place.

 

#### you buddy.

Sounds like that guy is a dick, not an elitist. 

 

My LFS doesn’t “believe” in Nano tanks or just about anything I do. He always has some bullsh*t to say like, “marine tanks can’t survive without skimmers”. 🙄

[specore]

1 minute ago, WV Reefer said:

Sounds like that guy is a dick, not an elitist. 

 

My LFS doesn’t “believe” in Nano tanks or just about anything I do. He always has some bullsh*t to say like, “marine tanks can’t survive without skimmers”. 🙄

hmmm...I wonder how long LFS's would survive if the only people in the hobby had 300g systems.  Because those totally grow on trees. 

[Euphylin me]

Just now, WV Reefer said:

Sounds like that guy is a dick, not an elitist. 

 

My LFS doesn’t “believe” in Nano tanks or just about anything I do. He always has some bullsh*t to say like, “marine tanks can’t survive without skimmers”. 🙄

"marine tanks can't survive without skimmers".....😄 best lfs advice....hopefully he's not the owner

[MuffinMonster]

Just now, WV Reefer said:

Sounds like that guy is a dick, not an elitist. 

 

My LFS doesn’t “believe” in Nano tanks or just about anything I do. He always has some bullsh*t to say like, “marine tanks can’t survive without skimmers”. 🙄

Lol, my LFS owner I buy everything from is the one who recommended I start on a nano. She has advised me on not running a skimmer and just keeping it basic with minimal components and sticking with weekly water changes etc... The reef junkie building up in me had to buy additional equipment though and run all the fancy stuff and now my equipment and collection keeps growing... :)

[WV Reefer]

3 minutes ago, Euphylin me said:

"marine tanks can't survive without skimmers".....😄 best lfs advice....hopefully he's not the owner

He is the owner. 🤦🏻‍♀️

 

 

 

 

[seabass]

Anymore, if I can buy something without talking to someone, I will.  Sure, there are some good people in the business; but it's also full of people that provide obsolete and/or inaccurate information.  I can't remember the last time that I actually learned anything from a LFS.  And I've learned not to ask questions besides "how much is that?"  Actually, I think it's been a couple of years since I've even stepped into a LFS.

 

The Internet allows you to compare prices, find a wider variety of hardware and livestock, while providing more (and more accurate) information.  I for one don't like paying more for dry goods and commonly available livestock.  I would actually prefer to support a local store, but not to my own detriment.  However, if you would miss your LFS (if they went out of business), then by all means, support them.

 

I'd go to a local aquaculture business, if there was one close by.  I actually contemplated starting one myself, but the overhead of a separate location was just too high.  You almost have to start in your own home and continue to ramp it up from there.

[pgrVII]

1 hour ago, Jono said:

Or Dwight Schrute Pretty Woman Style...

The LFS I go to sometimes scoffs at me for asking beginner questions. It's annoying, but I deal with it because they have good stuff. 

I'll take the Wizard!

[WV Reefer]

24 minutes ago, seabass said:

Anymore, if I can buy something without talking to someone, I will.  Sure, there are some good people in the business; but it's also full of people that provide obsolete and/or inaccurate information.  I can't remember the last time that I actually learned anything from a LFS.  And I've learned not to ask questions besides "how much is that?"  Actually, I think it's been a couple of years since I've even stepped into a LFS.

 

The Internet allows you to compare prices, find a wider variety of hardware and livestock, while providing more (and more accurate) information.  I for one don't like paying more for dry goods and commonly available livestock.  I would actually prefer to support a local store, but not to my own detriment.  However, if you would miss your LFS (if they went out of business), then by all means, support them.

 

I'd go to a local aquaculture business, if there was one close by.  I actually contemplated starting one myself, but the overhead of a separate location was just too high.  You almost have to start in your own home and continue to ramp it up from there.

 

Also LFS’s cannot compete with the guarantee online vendors offer........If I buy a fish locally and it dies in the parking lot it’s over. 

[Euphylin me]

Just now, WV Reefer said:

 

Also LFS’s cannot compete with the guarantee online vendors offer........If I buy a fish locally and it dies in the parking lot it’s over. 

well the store im in the process of co-owning...we quarantine for a minimum of two weeks....its not a guarantee but it is sure better than the stores that acclimate and sell in the same day 

[specore]

1 minute ago, Euphylin me said:

well the store im in the process of co-owning...we quarantine for a minimum of two weeks....its not a guarantee but it is sure better than the stores that acclimate and sell in the same day 

Where is your store?

[WV Reefer]

1 minute ago, Euphylin me said:

well the store im in the process of co-owning...we quarantine for a minimum of two weeks....its not a guarantee but it is sure better than the stores that acclimate and sell in the same day 

Agree. The local joint here will unload them and then resell them “right out of the bag”.  

 

[Euphylin me]

5 minutes ago, WV Reefer said:

Agree. The local joint here will unload them and then resell them “right out of the bag”.  

 

yikes!! it's sad to say but most of them do...unfortunately with us placing the minimum quarantine time, the prices have to be a little higher. but most reefers who are in the hobby know that peace of mind is worth a few extra bucks

[HarryPotter]

Most stores just name their corals and sell it for $70+ per Frag. You need to find sources that don’t do that “designer” markup. Or, find Frag swaps local to you and shop there. Local to me is PerfectCorals, which has fantastic prices. It’s a garage-based store, and he seems to sell based on import price+ expenses+ X% profit. Acro colonies (colonies, as in 4”x4” or larger) starting at $70. Frags mostly range $5-20, with the occasional $40 piece. 

[Jono]

1 hour ago, Dakoda said:

Hmm, that's weird. I got into this hobby a little over one year ago and I have had nothing but amazing experience's with my LFS owners, employees and fellow reefers. Just about everyone I have talked to in person is, usually, really willing to stand there and talk a while and give advice with any questions. Hell, even people I have bought used stuff from on craigslist, every single one of them have always offered for me to contact them if I have any questions or concerns.

 

I think you just ran into a bad employee, or he was just having an off day.

I will say I have also experienced this. The guy I bought my entire set up from off Facebook still answers questions if I have them. A lot of people are nice, and a lot of people are teenagers working in a LFS making no money and don't really care. 

[AquaVaj]

Never been scoffed at by any of the local LFS I've been to. They've been more than helpful to try and get a sale, even if the information isn't entirely correct.

 

Sadly some of them are quite poor in maintaining their own holding tanks or have no sympathy for their livestock by keeping them in horrible conditions. Then there are some that don't really specialize in corals but are willing to take them in as trade-ins. Not problem with that but they jack the prices up to ridiculous levels. I mean a fist size live rock covered with just GPS for $60?