Getting taken advantage of

[ptboy6]

Wow $3k for a 60 cube. That's not including a tank. Lol. I agree with others that UV isn't going to worth it. Check out some of the members' tank threads and see what kind of equipment they're using. I wouldn't blow too much money on equipment to start off in this hobby. Use that money on corals because you'll be spending way more on that. Good luck and happy reefing.

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

Like many others have said,look around.You can find great deals in the for sale forums and craiglists.My 75 rimless including my 2 mp40's after everything was around half of what they are quoteing you.

 

[palvyre]

Just for a different perspective. I swear by UV, keeps my fish healthy even when they are new and stressed. That is too much for one though. I would run 25 watt for a 60G cube, the AquaUV brand is very good.

http://www.marinedepot.com/Aqua_UV_...ua_Ultraviolet-AV2111-FIUVUUTF-AV2191-vi.html

That's a lot cheaper than what you were looking at and likely better as well.

 

[Exterminatank]

I agree. Buy your tank... Fill with water... Sand... And a few pounds of rock and get the tank cycling... Then shoo around online Foote power heads and start making your sump. I'm sure petco us almost ready to have their dollar a gallon sale. That's when i got my 20 long and made my sump. I started with all dry rock, then added a 5 pound live rock to seed. I bought an sca cone skimmer which cost a little over a hundred dollars (rated for 150 gallons) and hooked it up to my 40 breeder. Shop around definately...


Mike

 

[Isoprene]

I dont know much but I do know whoever put this list together for you is def trying to rip you off. for a 60g there is ZERO reason for a UV steralizer for 500 bucks! You could build a really nice QT tank to treat/keep any diseases out of your tank and fish for less than 50 bucks. 8% a pound for LR? and the sump price is insane! Like everyone else said craigslist, shop around, shop online...this is ridiculous. I could build a freaking crazy setup with the overall price listed here. Im glad you posted here first!

 

[NanaReefer]

Sadly this is how it is at most local fish stores. Ours is the same way. What's worse is I love supporting our local stores but it is impossible to do so with these prices. I understand them though.
IMO you don't need half of what's on your list. I wont give an opinion on what that is due to so many opinions differ. The other half you can find for half that on-line.

 

[skinz78]

FWIW you could set up a tank that is twice that size for about the same cost and then in a year or two you will be less inclined to upgrade...

 

[Jlobes]

^^^+1 this!! Seems many, many people upgrade their first tanks within the first year or so. Ill stay out of the which equipment is right for you. But, I will say, that those prices seems a bit high and the UV is over rated for your tank(upselling you). you could DIY a sump and a few other parts to save some $$ (if thats your thing).

But, I would seriously think about what you want to keep and if the 60cube will be large enough for your overall needs. The tank setup is really the beginning. I have spent way moree money on corals and fish than my original set up. Well, I got a 120RR with stand and MH light off CL for $500. But, the point is that the tank is just the first and most basic cost. gets ugly from there!(sps/acan/chalice addict) lol

 

[huuta]

bout the only thing i would buy from that list is the tank and stand.get everything else online or in the for sales here .get a controller,this is your best friend in this hobby.Try CL too.

 

[tinkerman]

I would get the tank, cabnet, and a tank for a sump from the lfs, or build a stand yoursefl. I would shop online for the rest. i would only shop at stores on line that are well known. My lfs prices are the same way and he wonders why no one buys stuff. The rock I would think about buying local also if you want to pick your rock shapes and want lr otherwise buy online dry rock.

 

[fraggardner]

If your in s. cal go to fish collection jimmy **** near gives tanks away his quote "no tank no customer" people get such a great deal they all come back for dry goods and coral still well priced

 

[OurReef]

Our Lfs does a yearly deal, any tank she can order at cost. That's how we ended up with a 180.

 

[returnofsid]

I'm going to disagree with most people here and say No, you weren't taken advantage of. Afterall, you asked for a quote, were given a quote and then you have the opportunity to decide to buy or not, after doing research.

Keep in mind, when it comes to LFS, their cost, on equipment, isn't much if any lower than you can buy on your own, online. With the many internet vendors available, we customers can buy nearly as cheap as the LFS can buy. As an example...

I recently wanted to purchase a skimmer from one of my favorite LFS, the same one OurReef referred to above...

Because she only had one supplier of this particular skimmer, her cost was more than if I were to buy it from one of our R2R Sponsors. There's no way she could purchase this skimmer, from her supplier, and make any profit, when customers could purchase it directly from another source, cheaper than the LFS could purchase it from her supplier.

Unfortunately, this is a very common scenario, putting a real hurt on LFS, who have much more of an overhead than most online vendors.

LFS must make a profit to stay in business. If I can purchase a skimmer, online, for less money than a LFS can purchase the skimmer, that LFS has to make tough decisions...

Do they NOT carry that product?
Do they carry the product and hope for the ocassional customer that needs it NOW, so purchases it from the LFS instead of online?

While my example was a skimmer, this is true of most equipment. It makes it very difficult on a LFS to compete, especially on entire tank packages.

While the tank is usually purchased from the LFS, keep in mind, they have very little markup on the tanks, so there's very little profit involved. The LFS has to build their profit into the other equipment and livestock.

 

[Jake1]

I work at a fish store here. We are running a deal on tank right now. We are selling them for what we get them for in hope that people buy everything else for the tank at the same time. There is mark up for the product in store then online. But if people only buy online and never go to the store to buy anything then the store can't stay open. Next time you need something like salt or carbon you won't have the store to get it at because you wanted to save 5$ on a skimmer or light by shopping online.

 

[capysolo]

I work at a fish store here. We are running a deal on tank right now. We are selling them for what we get them for in hope that people buy everything else for the tank at the same time. There is mark up for the product in store then online. But if people only buy online and never go to the store to buy anything then the store can't stay open. Next time you need something like salt or carbon you won't have the store to get it at because you wanted to save 5$ on a skimmer or light by shopping online.

It's not saving $5... Much of the items on his list he can save 25-50%. I understand stores have to make profit. So there's livestock... Everyone who has a tank puts something live in it. The majority of people buy their fish and inverts from lfs. Corals are a toss up. Some buy from lfs, some only buy from other reefers.

I myself, buy all my fish from lfs, and it's a split on coral between lfs and reefers. Inverts come from online.

My money is not as abundant as others, and i am trying to buy a house. I know i chose an expensive hobby... Several times I've thought about getting out to save money. But it's enjoyable to me, so i just try to get the most out of the money i spend on it.

If the only concern is keeping the lfs in business, then you could just buy the stuff online and take a portion of what you saved and donate it to the store. That way you are supporting 2 businesses...

 

[Ms. Mermaid]

I agree with the aboves go online. Dr. Foster and Smith do not charge extra for heavy items. I bought 3 or 4 bags of 40 lbs bags of sand. Pet Mountain has super great prices on the Hydors. Look locally for used tanks and make you sump from those. I made mine from a 75 gallon tank that was going to be thrown away.

 

[-Logzor]

I work at a fish store here. We are running a deal on tank right now. We are selling them for what we get them for in hope that people buy everything else for the tank at the same time. There is mark up for the product in store then online. But if people only buy online and never go to the store to buy anything then the store can't stay open. Next time you need something like salt or carbon you won't have the store to get it at because you wanted to save 5$ on a skimmer or light by shopping online.

Did you even look at the list? $59.99 for a cheap 200w heater. I would never step foot in that LFS again if they tried to rip me off like that. That's 3x the price!

 

[skinz78]

One thing to remember is that LFS's don't get the same purchase price from the suppliers as the big online vendors. If the LFS sells say 2 of skimmer X a year you have to remember that the big online vendor probably sells 2 of skimmer X a week. This gives them better buying power and bulk discounts that the LFS will never see.

 

[Jake1]

Did you even look at the list? $59.99 for a cheap 200w heater. I would never step foot in that LFS again if they tried to rip me off like that. That's 3x the price!

Jest because they put down 59.99 does not mean they sell it at that. You can find a better price in the store or that store jest is giving other stores a bad name. Are heaters are about 5$ more then online stores. We have some fish 15$ cheaper then online. We have a lot of eshopp and its the same price as online. Not all LFS try to rip people off.

 

[-Logzor]

One thing to remember is that LFS's don't get the same purchase price from the suppliers as the big online vendors. If the LFS sells say 2 of skimmer X a year you have to remember that the big online vendor probably sells 2 of skimmer X a week. This gives them better buying power and bulk discounts that the LFS will never see.

Your correct but that doesn't come in the ballpark of justifying the prices shown in that list. At my LFS they come within 10% of the big online vendors!