Hyposalinity

Typical labor costs in a small LFS runs over 25 to 35 percent of total sales. Shipping at times is as expensive or even more expensive then the wholesale cost of store goods. It has been a very, very long time since market ups were just 20 percent. Maybe the 1960's, when gasoline was 20 cents per gallon (and they gave you glasses and plates and such things for buying gas at the different stores), and cigarettes were 25 cents a pack. I believe in buying something that lasts, that can be repaired as need, and that maintains some resale value, quality equipment fits all those criteria. Quality does not necessarily mean the most expensive product, usually it is around the average price. If I knew I could get a variety of bulbs of different K values and PAR ratings and replacement ballasts for a Odyssey lighting fixtures I would probably buy them as they are nice looking and sell for a good price. However the ballasts and bulbs are not readily available for them as of yet in this country and may never be so I do not buy them. Before Petco came to Fairbanks, Alaska I seldom bought anything on line for my tanks, even my bulk shipments for setting up customer tanks were telephonically arranged or arranged through a LFS. My own supplies for my own tanks were bought locally and even special ordered through local stores, as well as the maintenance items needed for customer tanks, as the materials were charged to accounts in local stores in their names. However, those stores went out of business after Petco came to town selling mostly shabby, cheap, low quality supplies and equipment and sick and diseased fish and reptiles. But their prices were so low that the other stores lost customers such as those that buy every thing cheapest on line. That is a shame, and it is happening all over the country. Between Petco and on line stores small LFS do not have much of a chance in staying open. I have never seen a LFS store that makes money selling aquariums. I can almost guarantee you there is no store LFS selling anything for less than a 150 percent mark up now. Not even Petco. Large on line stores could but they do not. They purchase stock for much less than a LFS can purchase stock for their stores. Large on line stores order items by pallet or truck loads or drop ship, or even have warehouses in several parts of the country. LFS stores buy singly or in boxes, maybe by the case lot, very seldom buy the pallet load. Large on line stores are selling for less and making higher profits period, not just because they sell in volume. They are making more profit per each sell than the LFS stores charging higher prices. By supporting nothing regularly but on line stores you doubly assure your LFS will go out of business. Maybe you should go to a few chamber of commerce meetings and dinners/lunches and get a truer perspective of the retail market as it is today. Small businesses are struggling every where, especially LFS's and pet stores.
 
Just a quick update ....

The fish have not shown any sign of ich since a couple days after starting hyposalinity. I will continue until the end of next month, although I am really chomping at the bit to get my first coral :grumble:. I have a small tank that I will probably use for quarantine for the first coral that my daughter picks out so that may help my patience (My wife tells me I need to ask God for patience ... I keep telling her that I'm afraid if I ask He will teach it to me :D). Anyhow, the hyposalinity seems to be working. I haven't used copper, but so far I would definitely recommend this treatment over copper as I prefer more natural methods of treatment.
 
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