Where do you buy?

Echo

Reefing newb
So I was googling up a storm yesterday and was wondering if any of you buy online? If so what is the best site you have found to buy from?

The only store in town that I have found to buy from where I live is petco, so I thought online might be the way to go.

What are some things to look out for when buying online?
 
I still buy from drsfostersmith.com for dry goods. The salt mix is really cheap to ship. For live stuff I use liveaquaria.com Theyguarantee all the fish and inverts. Be careful of Stores with weird underlying policies on guarantees.
I like Dr. Macs for Coral also. Very unique stuff
 
I use liveaquaria as well, just be sure you have a digital camera handy so you can take pictures and send them if something is dying so you can get store credit. I lost a brain coral and some zoas, but the quality was good and prices were fairly cheap. It's shipping that will kill you.
 
99% of my reefing purchases are done online. The ONLY thing I buy locally is corals -- occasionally.

There's a million places to buy pumps, heaters, salt, test kits, chemicals, the list of online retailers would be several pages.

I suggest google and just start clicking links. Let us know if you find anything cool or unusual.
 
I just bought 2 five gal buckets of reefcrystals shipped for $70 from drsfostersmith.com, they're having a big sale right now. Check them out! I've bought a cleaner crew from them before (shrims, snails, etc) and they all arrived alive except one pep. shrimp.
 
I support my not quite LFS about 45 minutes away when I can.

For live fish,I use the Diver's Den section of Live Aquaria exclusively.I like there treatments and quarantine precedure for there live stock.The 14 day guarantee(30 days for captive grown) is great too.For dry goods and especially frozen fish food I use Premium Aquatics and Dr. Foster and Smith.
 
Sara, did they make you take a pic when something died? Just curious because they don't hesitate to give me a credit when something has died?
 
Be very very careful of www.saltwaterfish.com. I've used them before because sometimes they have amazing prices on stuff. But, when several of the fish they sent me arrived dead, I had to PAY to send them back the bodies to prove that they were dead. And another fish they sent me died a day later in my tank, and they wouldn't give me credit without the body. Like I'm going to dig around in my tank for a fish body. And once I got the credit, they still require an additional minimum purchase (like $80 or something) in order to even use the credit, and the credit doesn't count towards that minimum!! For example, if you have a $30 credit, and their minimum purchase is $80, you have to spend $110, not $80 in order to get your credit.
 
I try to purchase as much as I can from my LFS. I like the idea that someone is right there if I need anything. However, I have heard some really good things about Liveaquaria and will likely purchase from them in the future. The LFS just doesn't have the coral selection you can get on-line.
 
Biff, I just went through the exact same thing last week. I purchased a clown trigger and as soon as I opened the box I knew it wasn't gonna make it. They give you 5 hours upon receipt to determine if it arrived dead. I e-mailed them in the first hour of acclimation him saying "This poor guy is not gonna make it." It didn't actually die until the next day and even though I told them within the first hour I still only got store credit. And like you said, now I have to spend $110.00 to use the $75.00 credit!
 
Looks like no more fish from them. I'll check them off my list. I must of been lucky because mine all arrived alive and still living.
 
That is good to know about saltwaterfish.com! I am always looking at their inventory considering buying something, anything!

I usually buy locally. I am lucky to live by a number of stores that carry a good selection of fish and coral.

I have considered purchasing some items online. I am a little afraid of the cost to ship, and not being able to stay home and catch the shipment when it comes in (I am devastated when we lose fish in the tank, I am not sure how I could handle getting a bad shipment).
 
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