Getting taken advantage of

[planereefer]

So I went to my LFS a few days ago to get a quote for my 60g cube. I got the quote and was a little shocked by the sticker price. I went and did a little further research and it seems like I'm getting a little bit over-charged. Maybe it's me, but I feel a little break on the initial setup would bring alot more money in future sales than trying to bend me over.

Take a look at this quote and let me know if I'm being charged more than I should. I figure I could do this at about 2/3 of the price..possible 1/2 if I was real thrifty.

Any opinions would be helpful.

lane:

 

[kwamhoff]

I just bought the same sand combo 2 weeks ago and paid $39.99 for the 40 pounds and $24.99 for the live, The rock I paid $3.99 I got a price break for buying over 50 pounds was $4.99 and it was described as Premium Fiji rock too with lots of purple coraline algae already on it! I would shop on Craigslist. My set-up was less than $1000. It includes water, rock, plumbing, T5 new lights everything like I said from tank to fish ready.

 

[skinz78]

Um yeah, that's too spendy IMHO.

You can build your own sump for less than $100. You don't need a UV light. Are you able to do much DIY woodworking?

 

[skinz78]

You don't need live rock or sand, just get dry. Add a raw shrimp and you'll be set.

 

[capysolo]

$75 for a koralia 750?! Aren't they half that online? In fact most of that stuff is probably half price online... That's went i only buy dry goods from the lfs in an emergency. Crazy!

 

[Squishie89]

Do not bother with the aqueon sump.
When I bought my entire set up from my LFS, I used a 25% off the entire order coupon, otherwise I wouldn't have bought their overpriced goods.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Some of those prices are insane.

 

[SPSjunky]

The smartwave is selling everywhere for 70 so they are high on that but they are a lfs.Now the skimmer is a different story.I used to have a marineland 100 in sump, and you can get a much better skimmer for the money.I would not buy that skimmer.Look into bubble magnus and if you have a few extra bucks check out reef octopus.It seems to me like you are paying high end retail for everything there.IMO, i would look for a lfs to cut you a deal for purchasing everything at one shot or buy the stuff online and you will save a lot of money.Again, just my .02

 

[dcfluegel]

my experience has been that our LFS's are a bit high (a GOOD bit high in some cases) on dry goods and equipment (pumps, powerheads, etc) - I have found much better prices online for the most part - on the upside, you do have a great shopping list all ready to go...

 

[Paul C.]

Does seem kind high, but all within a "normal" market price range i would say. Looking at that list, there are a few things i would question before u pulled the trigger. Speaking from my own learning curve, as im a total newbie at just a year.
Cant do anything about tank, stand, and light. Those are the foundation. You may find it cheaper online, but if its within a few dollars, i always like to kkep the peace so to speak with the LFS.
1- The sump. I run a Aqueon 2 on my 75. Good sump, but room is limited. I changed skimmers twice, before i found one that i liked. Ended up having to drill the sump and run the return pump externally. Price is fair, but if u ask here, u will get a number of ideas, and can probably build one for around 100-150.
2-UV.. Pricey. thats all i gotta say. I dont run one. I understand the theory, just can not justify the cost. My tank is LPS - chalices. Lots of money. At no point have i come across something that UV would have prevented.
3-The Hydors. Not sure u'd need 2 in a 60. U'll have the return, which depending on ur pump size, will cycle the 2X2 pretty well. I'd run 1 and see if a second is wanted, with the smart wave controller.
4-The pump. I run a ehiem in my 30 frag tank. Its 2X2 but only 12 inched deep. U can get a great pump, at half that cost.
5-The live rock. Again just my thoughts, and im sure some will debate it. My next tank will be fresh base rock. Takes longer to get the cycle, but its pest free.. Enough said.

Hope u get some more feedback. I wish ya well.. Paul

 

[RalphsReef]

I think that is actually more than "spendy." It is teetering on being a rip-off in my opinion. You do not need the UV sterilizer, or to pay $8/lb for live rock for starters. If I were to pay that much to get started, only later to find out I was taken advantage of, I would not return to that store. There is a store or two in Central Florida that try to pull stunts like that. You just need to know where to look.

 

[Pappy]

Tell them they're out of their mind for what they're charging! Buy in pieces do your research and know your stuff because that setup shouldn't cost near that! The return pump alone being $230 is stupid when you can get a mag 7 for like $70 new. And a uv for $600!??? what the heck if you're bent on having one get a turbo twist for like $160...they're obviously idiots.

 

[ritter6788]

Glad you posted here before buying. The help received should save you a ton.

 

[kschweer]

Good idea posting this here first. Prices are pretty high. $7.99 for live rock is a lot. $75 for a korila 750 is high. $199 for a 24" 4 bulb deep blue is high when I first started I got a 36" 4 bulb deep blue for $189. Just those three will save you money. Also I am shocked at the price they want to charge for that uv. Look around you should be able to cut that price pretty significantly.

 

[OurReef]

And buy two heaters not one, prevents the one from getting over worked.

Some places $8 for live rock is the going price. The farther it travels the more it cost. Around here that is the going rate, has been for years.

Like every one is saying, do research, buy in parts. I don't know if uv is really needed, like guy said all the pests I've had would not have been stopped by uv. Use that money to get a 20g qt tank going instead. Ideas for sumps, buy a water trough for farm animals, no chemical to prevent algae growth, no harm to tank, 30g sump for $30 at big R. Plenty of room to grow cheato and fit a skimmer and return pump in. Just build a small section to keep the cheato in check so it doesn't end up in the display.

Only pic I have of mine, with my home made temporary skimmer. You can get a feel for the actual size though.

Good luck in your endeavor and welcome to our super cool club.

 

[planereefer]

I am sooo glad I posted this here first. I noticed with I was browsing some of the other online retailers and saw a huge price difference in some of the items. I wasn't sure if these were going rates since I'm pretty new to the saltwater game.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts and opinions. I think I'll pass them over and just buy everyone online.

As a side note, one of the guys there (I forget his name) was kind of a d**k to me. He told me that a lot of people don't buy 60G cube like I was doing something out of the ordinary or couldn't be done. They also weren't sure the ML 100 skimmer would fit in the sump.

Once again, I'm thankful for everyone's thoughts!!

lane:

 

[pgr11]

Crazy what some stores try to sell people. I have one like that close to me and they tried to do the same to me. Thankfully I did more research and found a shop with an honest owner and got the straight talk from him. Try to find a local club you can join. There you can get good advice and even find good deals on peoples used equipment and put together a real nice system.

 

[Singlefin]

When you see an ad in Craigslist for people selling their system and they said they spent $5000, which would actually cost $1000, and you wonder how they spent that much.... They didn't do their research.

 

[chort55]

I don't buy alot of stuff, but when I do I don't mind paying a little extra at the LFS then I would online...... Simply because I don't know any online stores that will let me sit and b.s. for hours drooling and asking questions (and giving me good advice/answers) like my LFS does. His time, knowledge and simply being there is worth a little extra to me and I would rather spend a little more to keep that around!


As far as the items you "don't need".... did you go in and give them a list of things you wanted or did you go in and ask them "I want this tank, what do I need for it?" If it is the latter, your bad for not doing some homework and knowing what YOU want for YOUR system. Everyone is different, and they may use UV and prefer to buy a premade sump then taking the time (added cost IMO, as my time is worth something to me) to build one, or unsure of your building abilities and would rather hit you with a higher cost and be able to lower it with dropping those or changing it to a DIY sump then give you the lower cost and have you want those things or not be able to build your own sump.....

IMO on the items I know rough cost around here for they aren't that far off, and FWIW, good premo LR goes for 9.99-14.99lb around here at the LFS and have seen as high as $7 from local reefers or $1-2lb for bricks that size wise would cost about the same as the better stuff and not look nearly as nice Bricks in all the lfs are $4-7, dry sand is the same, live is $5 higher here, tanks about the same, stand is about right, sure you could build your own for less, but not alot less especially if you factor in cost of time to build it, get materials etc.

 

[MBG75]

No need for the uv at that price. Even if you did. A 25w uv is overkill on a 60.
That money would be better spent on a mp10. Then u won't need the koralias either.
Also, you would be better off with a 6 bulb t5 light. Better bulb combinations.
Gravel vac isn't needed. As is 60lb of live rock.
26-30 lbs of dry pukani rock would be more than enough. It's about $3.50 a lb