Reef Discussion

All Coast Aquarium At Long Jetty Behaves Badly
Today I went to buy some rocks from the above, my LFS. First time buying rock -- I needed to build my scape a little higher (cannot keep tall macroalgae, they keep falling apart while other ones do fine in what used to be my temperate tank and is now becoming my micro reef). Found a shelf of various rocks, price sticker at the end that had small ones saying "$1/kg" and at the beginning of the next shelf along with larger rocks, "$10/kg." I picked out two small ones, took them to the counter, and went back with one assistant to buy two frags (also my first). I asked for easy-to-keep. He sold me a nice little frag of Cookies and Cream. Upon looking it up when I got home, I find it is expert level care and very delicate. Sod him.

Returning to the counter, I was told my two rocks, 1.5kg, were $15. I sad they were from the $1 section, took the guy back and pointed out where I got them. He told me the price applied to older rocks that were no longer there, not to the rocks sitting right above the price tag. I asked him to honour the price. He refused. I offered $10. He refused. I paid, left, and am not going back.

This was not the owner, who seems both nice and knowledgable, but his assistants. I was not impressed.
 

ReeferRob

Solidarité
Oct 22, 2014
2,661
931
Bel Air
It's sad that shop owners treat people that way. I open for retail sales 2 days a week and I will bend over backwards to make the hobby fun and rewarding. I want you to come back again and again. I might not make a lot on one sale, but what I make on 10 sales and word of mouth is worth its weight in gold. I don't know how far up the coast you are or how close to the coast you are, but you might consider taking a day and going up the coast a ways and collecting your own rock.
 
It's sad that shop owners treat people that way. I open for retail sales 2 days a week and I will bend over backwards to make the hobby fun and rewarding. I want you to come back again and again. I might not make a lot on one sale, but what I make on 10 sales and word of mouth is worth its weight in gold. I don't know how far up the coast you are or how close to the coast you are, but you might consider taking a day and going up the coast a ways and collecting your own rock.
I'm in Gorokan, pretty much on the junction between Lake Budgewoi and Tuggerah Lake. I do have rocks collected from The Rockpool at Norah head, but they're all kind of squatty and solid. I wanted something more tall and spindly. What I got is two pieces of dead coral, which will hopefully help with a little calcium as well.