Jump to content
Pod Your Reef

GB members


Tritone

Recommended Posts

33 minutes ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

Charterhouse are really expensive in my experience too. 

I’ve not bought from there but I have heard that before. People will spend that kind of money though so it justifies their prices 👎🏻

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
5 hours ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

At the risk of being rude....you're a tit, hair of the dog doesn't work 😂😂 tomorrow morning is going to be really painful 🤣

News just in -- hair of the dog has worked so well . I am investing in a couple more tins of lager for tonight 👍🏼

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
On 9/12/2021 at 2:18 PM, Murphych said:

Nice one cheers 

Here's cellar:

 https://www.cellarmarinestore.co.uk/

 

 

I've used these the most when ordering coral, even ordered a few fish from them (before the delivery price went mad, coral/inverts delivery still same though).
Great shop, only had 1 problem and that was a missing coral in the order but they refunded me after an email instantly.

Not many salt water shops up my end in carlisle really, maidenheads is decent though.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
4 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

found this little place while looking for my Mantis, a nice selection of inverts available, fish are collection only and in Wales 

https://www.rockncritters.co.uk/

 

Yes this is where my mantis came from 

Damn it, was trying to hold the urge of coral buying until i moved my tank..... but that's a pretty good collection of coral, some stuff have decent prices too.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • 11 months later...
  • 1 month later...
TheCoffeeReef

May be a bit redundant now, but gonna post a hello from damp and coastal bin of the northwest, Lancashire. 

 

Recently restarted keeping a tank after a long break, amazed at how many LFS are still going around my area from over a decade ago, with some new popping up. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
TheCoffeeReef

Indeed, be nice to get other reefers views on how they find the supplies, costs and general hobby in the UK. 

 

I've surprised myself that I regularly use a Maidenhead store, partly because of distance and ease of route, partly due to stock. How do you all find the stock and supplier choices near you? What makes you choose to use them?

  • Like 1
Link to comment

I use cellar marine, it's only a couple minutes down the road and it's quality, though we have a few in our local area. 

 

I have used kraken corals alot in the past as well. 

 

Cost wise they are all much of the same, bit with cellar if you go into store, the guys are open to a bit of negotiation. 

 

Link to comment
TheCoffeeReef

That's a rarity these days for sure, I've been to Kraken Corals a couple of times, only purchased a small piece of coral and dry goods, certainly an impressive store, but it's not really local for me (90 mins plus drive). 

 

I've a good guys not so great store local who've been great for dry good and RO water (often free) but their livestock always seems still kept in 1980's conditions.

 

Maidenhead are that middle ground 'just okay'. 

Link to comment
InAtTheDeepEnd

I use The Goldfish Bowl for my RODI. Dry goods online. Livestock it depends, I don't buy often though. Corals are usually online (just had 7 frags delivered from JBS marines; I've also used Kraken & Cellar marine in the past for those.).

 

Please don't support Maidenhead Aquatics. They're an awful company who treat their livestock and their employees like shit and give awful advice to keepers. It's profit before principles always for them.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
TheCoffeeReef
18 hours ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

I use The Goldfish Bowl for my RODI. Dry goods online. Livestock it depends, I don't buy often though. Corals are usually online (just had 7 frags delivered from JBS marines; I've also used Kraken & Cellar marine in the past for those.).

 

Please don't support Maidenhead Aquatics. They're an awful company who treat their livestock and their employees like shit and give awful advice to keepers. It's profit before principles always for them.

Honestly, I agree with you that they're, as with all large corporate entities, profits above all. But I wouldn't be naive thinking Kraken or similar are less so, nor is the industry as a whole. The local Maidenhead is the only one that does reef supplies in the chain to my knowledge, and the staff are young enthusiasts that yes, likely get paid miserably, but they are pleasant to deal with as a transaction.

 

Of the LFS independents around here, I've experienced what you always get from anyone interested and involved in a hobby; opinions as facts. I got so much backlash on my initial set up questions around size of tank, decisions to want cured live rock (as the currently accepted best sales practice here seems to be sell argonite rock + product) and necessity of equipment. And, as it became apparent how little I was going to be spending, willingness to talk and spend time discussing the hobby evaporated.

 

Just my opinion, but often an LFS will live and die by how much the customer base 'likes' the perceived personality they show, as well at their prices and stock quality, but I feel it's very much a myth to believe any of them are anything other primarily than a business. Cold, soulless, cash.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
InAtTheDeepEnd

LOL! Until the end of November I WAS one of the 'young enthusiasts' that worked at a Maidenhead Aquatics. And yeah, they pay you the legal minimum wage for your age and like hiring younger people because they can pay them less. 

 

I got sacked precisely BECAUSE I put my principles (ie animal welfare) before profits. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
InAtTheDeepEnd

I wouldn't disagree with you at all though that at the end of the day, a shop is a shop and needs to make profit to stick around, but with chain stores rather than small independents you get orders from on high from people who are way out of touch with things on the shop floor, and oftentimes less passionate that the poor ####ers serving customers and cleaning tanks 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
TheCoffeeReef

Hah, dude I feel for you and commendable values to stick to your principles. It's such a bad practice to just pay someone minimal based on age, hope you moved onto something better and don't look back. I've yet to find a local retailer I'm totally happy with, and don't want to go down the mail order route.

 

Always felt the pet trade is one of the most soul destroying business you can go into, used to work at an independent reptile specialist, and with best welfare intentions, when the stock isn't moving and becoming a lot of store pets, morals quickly become eroded.

Link to comment
12 hours ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

LOL! Until the end of November I WAS one of the 'young enthusiasts' that worked at a Maidenhead Aquatics. And yeah, they pay you the legal minimum wage for your age and like hiring younger people because they can pay them less. 

 

I got sacked precisely BECAUSE I put my principles (ie animal welfare) before profits. 

Wow Hannah, didn't know you worked for them! Total dicks! 

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...
TheCoffeeReef
14 hours ago, Murphs_Reef said:

Selling 3 X HD prime 16s if any UK people are interested (if there are any UK people.lefr here other than me and @InAtTheDeepEnd that is).. 

 

Also have a Nero 3.. 

 

None of the items are boxed.... But great condition.. 

 

 

 

I'm UK based and floating around 😁 good luck on the sale, hopefully someone will come along and grab these. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...