Survey of "local" fish stores
- Thread starter markkazdad
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This is an ambitious idea...
As a beginner, what I would find useful, either at a good LFS or a club community site is a set up that emphasizes the need to be patient when setting up a tank and teaching the nitrogen cycle. I could imagine that there might be four (or so) tanks showing various phases of development (including signage which someone would have to keep up with -- things like DIATOM BLOOM - DON'T PANIC!; perhaps even post the most recent water test results). Please feel free to correct these phases:
Phase 1: mix saltwater, add substrate and live rock (including how to glue pieces together) and necessary equipment, begin cycle
Phase 2: test water and monitor cycle
Phase 3: add clean-up crew
Phase 4 - ? : add livestock (acclimation, gluing, etc.)
I could see a good LFS or club offering free workshops such that a cohort meets for class and "works" on their tank (work may equal the instructor doing a live demo) as it progresses (or I suppose you could just let people jump around and pick and choose which phase they want to learn about). By having multiple tanks in progress, they can see the future phases to come, and these other tanks may also motivate purchases at the store (or memberships in the club, basically growing the hobby). If the thanks are set up in a community area, the public may be inspired to take a workshop as well. If this was run by hobbyists, and you had a large enough group, you might be able to run group buys.
I suspect many people just buy all the stuff, put it together and jump into trouble.
I would say there are advantages to doing this as a club and advantages to doing it at a good LFS. I have not been there, but perhaps Sci-Quest would be interested in providing some space. ("Sci-Quest strives to ... be a community resource for informal, hands-on science education."). It would probably be better at some place that wouldn't want to charge admission though.
Just throwing the idea out there. I don't know enough to teach it, but I can help someone develop the curriculum, create handouts, etc. (I have an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction that I'm not using.)
(Full credit: idea partially inspired by the workshops run by the Apple store: Apple Retail Store - Workshops )
As a beginner, what I would find useful, either at a good LFS or a club community site is a set up that emphasizes the need to be patient when setting up a tank and teaching the nitrogen cycle. I could imagine that there might be four (or so) tanks showing various phases of development (including signage which someone would have to keep up with -- things like DIATOM BLOOM - DON'T PANIC!; perhaps even post the most recent water test results). Please feel free to correct these phases:
Phase 1: mix saltwater, add substrate and live rock (including how to glue pieces together) and necessary equipment, begin cycle
Phase 2: test water and monitor cycle
Phase 3: add clean-up crew
Phase 4 - ? : add livestock (acclimation, gluing, etc.)
I could see a good LFS or club offering free workshops such that a cohort meets for class and "works" on their tank (work may equal the instructor doing a live demo) as it progresses (or I suppose you could just let people jump around and pick and choose which phase they want to learn about). By having multiple tanks in progress, they can see the future phases to come, and these other tanks may also motivate purchases at the store (or memberships in the club, basically growing the hobby). If the thanks are set up in a community area, the public may be inspired to take a workshop as well. If this was run by hobbyists, and you had a large enough group, you might be able to run group buys.
I suspect many people just buy all the stuff, put it together and jump into trouble.
I would say there are advantages to doing this as a club and advantages to doing it at a good LFS. I have not been there, but perhaps Sci-Quest would be interested in providing some space. ("Sci-Quest strives to ... be a community resource for informal, hands-on science education."). It would probably be better at some place that wouldn't want to charge admission though.
Just throwing the idea out there. I don't know enough to teach it, but I can help someone develop the curriculum, create handouts, etc. (I have an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction that I'm not using.)
(Full credit: idea partially inspired by the workshops run by the Apple store: Apple Retail Store - Workshops )
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Update on local stores...
Walmart on South Parkway (near Redstone Road) has a freshwater fish display similar to Walmart on Hwy 20 in Madison. Up front, they have "Primo" bottled water in 5 gallon jugs (which you turn in for recycling) -- I don't think this is RO water as it lists chemical additives, but the jug has a nice handle on it.
They also have their Culligan machine up front (as opposed to in the back in Madison), but they only had the 2.5 gallon jugs. (which have a little spout on the front.) Since the system I can get water from at work has a 3 gallon reservoir, I might get one of these to keep top-off water handy.
Walmart on South Parkway (near Redstone Road) has a freshwater fish display similar to Walmart on Hwy 20 in Madison. Up front, they have "Primo" bottled water in 5 gallon jugs (which you turn in for recycling) -- I don't think this is RO water as it lists chemical additives, but the jug has a nice handle on it.
They also have their Culligan machine up front (as opposed to in the back in Madison), but they only had the 2.5 gallon jugs. (which have a little spout on the front.) Since the system I can get water from at work has a 3 gallon reservoir, I might get one of these to keep top-off water handy.
Tomoko Schum
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In short of a good LFS or club meeting, you can still get a lot of great information from old reefkeeping online magazine issues. These old issues are quite a treasure chest of information. The contents are still good. Take a look at the index.
Another great free source of information is Advanced Aquarist Online Magazine.
You can post specific questions here in this forum, too, as you know. You can get good answers/opinions.
Another great free source of information is Advanced Aquarist Online Magazine.
You can post specific questions here in this forum, too, as you know. You can get good answers/opinions.
GrouperStupor
Active Member
I think Sci-Quest would prob be interested in hosting a community tank. They have an amphib/reptile section. No fish that I know of.
They are moving soon to a facility on madison blvd, next to old time pottery. So they will have room for it. They also host parties and meetings.
They are moving soon to a facility on madison blvd, next to old time pottery. So they will have room for it. They also host parties and meetings.
GrouperStupor
Active Member
After more reading...Sci-Quests new place will actually be a little smaller. But they may still be interested.
Or one of your folks could open an LFS next to it
. There's 3 or 4 open retail spots in that SC.
Or one of your folks could open an LFS next to it
. There's 3 or 4 open retail spots in that SC. 
Dave3112
2500 Club Member
Or one of your folks could open an LFS next to it
Those retail spots have been open for about 15 years.....There may be a reason for that......
H@rry
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Those retail spots have been open for about 15 years.....There may be a reason for that......
Then maybe they will go cheap Dave. Go for it. Location means nothing for a LFS, think about CRA. If you've got what they want the customers will beat a path to your door.
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I would visit that a store in that area. There are a lot of highly paid arsenal employees commuting past there to Decatur, Madison and points beyond, and many go to lunch over there too. I would guess the reason the building is vacant is the space is too large and rundown and the rents have been too high. I think there used to be a KMart. I would guess KMart would attract fewer fish store visitors than a hands-on science museum.
Have you seen the Coral Collection LFS build thread here: http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=272229
Have you seen the Coral Collection LFS build thread here: http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=272229
Dave3112
2500 Club Member
H@rry, believe me I would LOVE to put in a LFS there or anywhere. I just don't have the money or more importantly the time to devote to it at this point in my life. I do believe that location does SOMEWHAT play a factor in a LFS though. I mean Jason.Tammy have a great shop down in Cullman but it IS hard to find for first and second time customers so I have to believe that does play a small factor in a LFS. Maybe not as much as other kind of stores but I do agree that specialty stores have a following and people will come to you if they want something. That retail area is at an excellent location I mean it's right off of 565, Madison Blvd. (Hwy 20 to me
) and Wal-Triana! Kmart did used to be there and so did Win Dixie. But it has been mostly empty there until Olde Time Pottery came in a few years ago. There had to be a reason for that. I think the rent must have been too high. Maybe it still is. Who knows......Well the more I type this the more I think about it and I'm going to see who owns/leases the property and see what the rent would be.....
Tomoko Schum
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I tend to agree with Dave on this. John already had a customer base from the Pet Galleries time when he moved to the CRA location. However, new hobbyists and casual shoppers tend to be the bread and butter customers. You need to be very visible to them. LFS's cannot survive solely on the seasoned reefers who come and hang out there but spend little money.
GrouperStupor
Active Member
I was kidding about opening in that that place anyway. I don't know what the rent was before...but now that they have Sci-Quest moving in, I'm sure you won't like price. The only thing I would put in there now is a CiCis pizza. There's some warehouse type store fronts elsewhere on that road that would prob be a better fit for a reefer.
