Continued from page 2Choosing a Good Aquarium Shop:
There are literally hundreds of pet shops all within driving distances of where we live. But are they all suitable for our patronage when it comes to buying equipment and livestock for our new reef aquarium? The answer is NO!
Although there have been great strides taken in the aquarium field , not all pet shops have kept up with the latest information. There still exists some petshops which refuse to step into the new age of technology and information. But there are also some shops that not only carry great livestock but have the knowledge to show you how to handle them and are genuinely interested in your success. these are the shops which need our businsess the most.
The reef keeping section of the hobby is a niche market. This means that it is small, as this part of the aquarium hobby is expensive and can be difficult. IT is not always profitable to a shop owner to invest in all the livestock and associated equipment needed to maintain these animals in their shop. Furthermore, the problem is compounded by all the knowledge that needs to be absorb, not just by the shop owner but by his employees as well. Finding good reputable and knowledgable shops is not an easy proposition.
However, finding a good shop is a must for the reef keeper. Mail order companies are great for low prices and varied selection, but they are not great on advice and service after the sale. The local pet shop owner often will stop to talk with customers and offer them his years of experience at no charge! Many times the local shop owner will have in stock an item like wooden airstones for air drive protein skimmers when the mail order company cannot get them to you for at least week. Salt for water changes is something we often run out of on a Sunday night and we need it right away. Enter the local shop owner to the rescue!
What criteria do we use to determine whether a particular aquarium shop is worthy of our patronage? Here are few things to look for:
- Cleanliness--- A clean shop is important. It shows that the owner cares about providing a clean surrounding not just for the customers but for the sake of the animals in his care. It is like visitng a restaurant, if it is not clean I would not eat there.
- Selection-A varied selection of animals for sale as well as the latest equipment on the market. look for the shop to have on sale equipment you have seen discussed or advertised in the hobby magazines. The selection of animals should be varied, but they should only offer animals that are within the ability of most hobbyists to maintain. It makes no sense to offer animals that are difficult if not impossible to keep in the average home aquarium. This is both a waste of money and of animal lives.
- Knowledge- talk to the shop owner and get a sense of whether he or she knows how to use the equipment offered for sale. You would be surprised to learn that alot of shop owners and employees do not know too much about the equipment they are selling. They should be knowledgeable about the types of animals offered for sale and their compatibilty and feeding requirements. this is very important. The shop owner should be able to instruct you on how to best care for the animal in your charge.
- Impressive display tanks-
Look at the quality of the display tanks in the shop. These will often tell you about the level of expertise of the owner. Maintaining good looking show tanks in an aquarium shop is not easy to do because of the demands of keeping hundreds, if not often thousands of gallons of tanks in order day after day. However if the aquarium shop can maintain several display tanks in good shape consistently then it is a sure bet they know what they are doing. By consistently I mean that their display tanks look good from month to month, not just from day to day. Anyone can set up a tank that looks good for a few days. Longevity is a sure sign of success.
- Customer satisfaction- Do not be afraid to ask questions of both the shop owner as well as customers. Find out if there are problems with service or surviveability of animals that have been purchased through this store. Keep in mind that not all hobbyists have the same level of expertise and some will experience more losses than others which are not the store owners fault.
- Philosophy- Find out what the store owner believes is the most efficient method of keeping tanks and observe to see if the store owner follows that philosophy, or does he jump from one method to another everytime a bird flies over. Choose a method that you are comfortable with and adhere to it. It is easier to diagnose problems in reef tanks when you are consistent in your maintenance procedures.
Most of all look for an aquarium shop that is willing to talk and find out about your individual requirements rather than a willingness to just sell you what is on the shelf at the time. A shop owner who takes interest in his customers success will be rewarded with continual sales and happy customers.
In my next series of articles we begin the selection of the aquarium components, the tank, stand and canopy.We will also look at the source water, the salt, lighting and filtration components. Finally we will look at the live rock, live sand and the animals we will purchase to make our living reef complete.
This is a step by step journey, not an overnight project. My belief has always been that "The task of creation is infinitely greater than the task of destruction". We can build a great reef in a year's time but can ruin it in one moment if we are not careful and prudent with our choices. thank you for reading and see you next month! Any suggestions or questions will be welcomed.
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