Schwazreef Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 Cmas meeting on Sat. Even more incentive to attend: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...threadid=777571 RAFFLE! Frags and Gift Certificate! Link to comment
4251c Posted February 15, 2006 Share Posted February 15, 2006 RW, icenine gave me the heads up on Coral Paradise on NW Hwy, all I could say was wow. Coloring and health of the corals, I have yet to see so far in my newness to this hobby. I bought a single orange and blue Fl. ric for 17 bucks. I've been to all the immediate area lfs from me (harlem & higgins) that was the first time I saw a ric I could purchase. His prices are reasonable and was paitient with the two questions I had about the posistioning of the ric in the 12 gallon nc dx. Keep your eyes peeled or you'll pass the place up. Link to comment
icenine Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Cmas meeting on Sat. Even more incentive to attend: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...threadid=777571 RAFFLE! Frags and Gift Certificate! Nice! Ray, that is a great deal... if I had the room I would be all over it. ...I havea little space now since the aquapod project went bust... but not enough room for a 75. Looking forward to the meeting. Link to comment
dobe1333 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I was at Oceans Floor Yesterday he has lots of cool ric's sorry I didn't catch the price. Dave is excellent to work with and runs an awesome store! Link to comment
kyle102565 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 oceans floor is awesome, they get a portion of my pay weekly. Link to comment
firefishbrain Posted February 22, 2006 Author Share Posted February 22, 2006 my mom was amazed with that puffer in that shark pond, it swam right up to her and it stayed by only her, it was funny. Link to comment
RayWhisperer Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Well guys I just had to post it here...(I know it should be in the Vendor experience forum, but I don't think it will get enough viewing there) Mod's please leave it be, as I think it should be seen by local reefers here. I went to a LFS recently that had a good rep(so I had heard), It is Sea Schor in Buffalo Grove. The store was small, but clean and well maintained. They had a great variety of corals at a fair price. Another thing posetive I think I should note is the main display tank, it was beautiful, by far the best I have seen in any LFS. What's so bad, you may be wondering.... Well, immediately upon entering I was approched by a salesperson, he wasn't too bad, just kept asking me if I was interested in anything I looked at. Then the owner walked over and cut him off rather rudely(I was relieved until he began to interact with me). He was rude, obnoxious, and arrogant. Now I can understand someone having a bad day, but it seemed to me he was naturally this way. He knew it all, and nomatter what, it was his way or the highway. Many of the LPS's were bleached out, I'm guessing due to improper acclimation to halide lighting. The anemone's looked horrible, one 6" blue carpet was near death, and he insisted it was very healthy and worth the $275 he was asking for it. Another thing that peeved me was the fish... To be fair, they were staining the trim on the fish displays, so all of the fish were placed elswhere. However, most were in tiny flow through display cubes no more than 1/2 gallon each. They were marked for ID and sale, so I think they were always there though. Before I left, he insisted I use Tropic Marin salt for my tanks. I assured him I already did. He then asked if it was pro reef, I said I didn't due to low Cal/Alk. He told me I was wrong, and began to get into a "you are what you eat" tirade when it comes to coral health and salts used. This really finnished it for me. I told him Pro Reef was designed for reefs running with a calcium reactor, and showed him where it was printed right on the product packaging. Then I told him he should try testing the water immediately after mixing it if he didn't believe me. I was fed up at this point and went to walk out, assuring him he had lost a costomer in me.... He had the nerve to ask me if I wanted to get on the mailing list. I called a buddy who is a wholesaler to ask him if he had ever experianced this, he said everyone who works there(the wholesaler) thought he was rude and arrogant. That's my experience, take it how you will. End rant.......... Link to comment
perception Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I second what raywisperer said. They have some nice stuff and free water often but I really dont like how the owner acts. Link to comment
StevieT Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Check out these for sure: Old Orchard Aquarium (beyond explaination) 9235 Skokie Blvd Skokie, IL 60077 Ph: 847-675-3474 Capture The Sea (Un-paralelled LR) Gotta get there right when it's delivered. 8010 West 171st Street Tinley Park, IL Ph: 708-444-7614 Living Sea, Aquarium, INC. Corner or Cumberland Ave & Devon Park Ridge, IL 847-698-SALT I stopped by Capture the Sea this past weekend. Sort of a small store but great looking corals in what they call a zero gravity high def aquarium. This is where the water falls over the edge, it's pretty cool. Alright prices. I got a great looking zoo. Link to comment
jayjay1976 Posted June 16, 2007 Share Posted June 16, 2007 Hey fellow chicagoans! At long last, I have set up my first reef tank. I started buying equipment and building my canopy and stand last summer, and just last night I finally filled it up with water and this morning I added aragonite and 6 lbs of live rock. I live across the street from Downtown Pets so thats where I will be looking first when I buy livestock, but their live rock isn't kept under a light so I don't know how 'live' it is. I'm praying for a few interesting hitchhikers to turn up in the next few days. My setup is as follows: 15G tall 70w MH 14000K Ushio HQI retro custom maple canopy and base frame from scrounged materials 2x maxijet 600's AC110 modded to serve as a 'fuge Ebo 75W heater DIY white/UV LED lunar lamp j Link to comment
RayWhisperer Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Sounds like a nice setup. I wouldn't worry about lighting uncured Live Rock. I never cycle a tank with the lights on. Whatever corals that may be on there, will most likely die during the cycle. The bacteria is what makes it "live", and that doesn't need any light. Cryptic inverts and other hitchhikers are just a bonus. Link to comment
Sea Slug Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Well, since were posting shops over again....Oceans Floor 1510 Industrial Dr. Unit A Lake in the Hills, IL. 60156 (847)854-1200 Upscale Aquatics 15412 S. Rt.59 Unit S Plainfield, IL 60544 (815)439-3342 This one's for you ffb Aquatic Reef 737 S. 8th. St.(Rt. 31) West Dundee, IL. 60118 (847)426-5003 Advanced Aquatics 879 S. Roselle Rd. Schaumburg, IL. 60193 (847)584-0250 Coral Paradise 24 E. NW HWY. Arlington Heights, IL. (847)632-1779 NOTE: This is the store I mentioned above Well seeing how Deep Reef is now gone and I just got done cycling my brothers new tank , I'm on the hunt for local " Quality Fish " I believe I've been to every Chicago land store ever listed , but Upscale Aquatics is a new one on me , any info on this shop would be helpful . John Link to comment
RayWhisperer Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 I thought Upscale was near Plainfield????? Hold on, I'll try and find their card. Yup, here's the info. 15412 S. Rt. 59 Unit 8 Plainfield, IL. 60544 PH# (815) 439-3342 I've never been there, but a friend of mine knows the owner. Supposedly he specializes in high end, hard to find rare fish and such. Not exactly local though. Duh!!!!!! Now I see I already posted the info. Well, atleast I posted it correct this time. It's unit 8, not unit s. Link to comment
Sea Slug Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 I thought Upscale was near Plainfield????? Hold on, I'll try and find their card.Yup, here's the info. 15412 S. Rt. 59 Unit 8 Plainfield, IL. 60544 PH# (815) 439-3342 I've never been there, but a friend of mine knows the owner. Supposedly he specializes in high end, hard to find rare fish and such. Not exactly local though. Duh!!!!!! Now I see I already posted the info. Well, atleast I posted it correct this time. It's unit 8, not unit s. Ray , Thanks for the info.....it's kind of local for me , I'm in the SW Suburbs . Anyone else been there , that can give a review . Link to comment
MDeth Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 I'm sorry...but Capture The Sea is one of the worst LFS i've ever been too. Expect to pay 2x-3x for everyday things. FWIW I also would NEVER recommend GoFish Aquariums in Orland Park. The only places I've been that I'd recommend are Aquatic Environments, Mokena Dark Lord Coral, Brookfield Sharkys Reef, Grayslake I have to check out these other places Link to comment
yankeereefer Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 I've been there John- Was on the way to the racetrack in Joliet a year or 2 ago. As I remember (and I have read elsewhere), service is not so hot and stuff is a bit pricey. I'd be interested in an update if you go Ryan Link to comment
Sea Slug Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 I've been there John- Was on the way to the racetrack in Joliet a year or 2 ago. As I remember (and I have read elsewhere), service is not so hot and stuff is a bit pricey. I'd be interested in an update if you go Ryan Thanks for the info Ryan , right now for us out here in the burbs , I'm thinking of going to Steve at Reef Plus in North Aurora for fish . He seems to run a good clean system and I talked to him for awile when I went to check out his store . I don't mind paying a little more cash for quality healthy fish . If you have any suggestions to other LFS 's I'm all ears . Also one of these days you and I will have to do a road trip , to some LFS 's around here . That is if your wife will let us go together , I know how much of a bad influence I am on you . Link to comment
theimpulsive1 Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Anyone from the north side? Link to comment
121a Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Advanced aquatics is a very nice store. They have a 3XXg display in the back, and a cool display in the front. They have a naso tang in one of the front coral tanks (they have open tops) and you can pet it. Prices are ok. I would suggest them. I was going to go to Dark Lord Coral but it was a house and my mom did not want to go in. I also contacted Aquatica 1-708-633-7333 16649 S. Oak Park Ave. Tinley Park, IL 60477 and they said they had a 1000g of coral. BTW they are not open mondays Link to comment
yankeereefer Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Tell mom not be scared - Just introduce her to Mike (disregard the tats, piercings, et cetera) and Elizabeth's a sweetheart Link to comment
MDeth Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Aquatica is pretty cool, but they don't move a whole lot of coral. Don't expect any 'rare' aussie stuff like at DLC. They have a few nice hammers and frogspawns...but other than that it's usually dull colored $$$ blastos and zoos Link to comment
fishgeek9 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 See I disagree with Mdeth. I stopped by GoFish Aquariums the other day and never saw a better selection anywhere else and they're reasonably priced. Link to comment
StevieT Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 See I disagree with Mdeth. I stopped by GoFish Aquariums the other day and never saw a better selection anywhere else and they're reasonably priced. GoFish set up one of my customers with a 300 gallon glass reef for his new house. They have made some mistakes along the way, large ones, but this was the result of sending out a maintenance person that didn't know what he was doing. No water changes, nitrates almost reached 100 and thousands of dollars of corals dead. They have since corrected and with my help the tank is looking better than ever. I purchased two fish from them a while back, good selection, clean tanks, pretty nice store. Link to comment
Jakesaw Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Steve's Pet shop - in Oakbrook area - Nice lookign fish - good selection - I didnt' see any great deals pricewise though. Reef Plus in N. Aurora 933 Oak St. North Aurora, IL 605422 630-906-7333 Sea Escapes 1950 Silver Glen Rd S. Elgin, IL 60177 847-695-9441 Link to comment
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