Favorite LFS?

[EyeReef]

What are you guys favorite Lfs around here? I find myself going to living sea for fish due to their mailing list. Corals I usually get through other hobbyist.

 

[scotty]

I have 2.

Aquarium adventures on boughton rd and 355. They do the 50 off sales all the time and their inverts are always good prices, and frags are healthy and comperable.

Trop-quatics in downtown lombard for anything hardware, and they do commision sales on used gear. Amazing quality of livestock and prices don't get better, and if you pinch a little they will price match.

 

[EyeReef]

I need to check them out..thanks for the referral
What system are you running Scotty?

I have 2.

Aquarium adventures on boughton rd and 355. They do the 50 off sales all the time and their inverts are always good prices, and frags are healthy and comperable.

Trop-quatics in downtown lombard for anything hardware, and they do commision sales on used gear. Amazing quality of livestock and prices don't get better, and if you pinch a little they will price match.

 

[P.Olsen]

I have been going to trop-quatics in Lombard for years, great place and good people, def worth joining their club, saves me big on salt and livestock
Aquarium Adventures unless it has cleaned up since I was last there scares me a bit, the tanks and fish dont look so good a lot of the time and their prices are really high but right around the corner from them on Golf is Beyond The Reef, the prices are a bit high but they always have quality for equipment and livestock.

 

[P.Olsen]

Just realized I am thinking about the other aquarium adventures in Schaumburg, I have not been to the one off Boughton, dont want to say neg things about a place I have not been to, sorry about that.

 

[scotty]

Marineland 28 gallon cube. Running only chemipure and liverock, awe-natural approach with very regular water changes but my tank theory is for another time.

aquarium adventures tanks are 1000 times better than any chain I've gotten stuff from, although I haven't had much luck with their freshwater stuff, but everything I've gotten saltwater wise has lived for 5 months now.

 

[tenvibes]

Aquatica in Tinley Park has been one of my favorites so far...very clean place, fair prices, and really helpful staff. All of the livestock I've gotten from them so far did great in my tank.

 

[lunacris]

I've been to them all. I mean all of them and it depends on what your looking for. Aquatica is my favorite becausevnever had a problem with anything I bought there and they are straight up u ask and they will tell. Not too far is robs new place and he will cut deals to get buisness front rivals. Also there is a whole sale place in wooddale that has steel prices. Bought cleaner shrimp fire shrimp anemone clam snail crab. All good prices and no casualties. Only open to public on weekends tho.

 

[Smitty]

I have 3 locations I frequent...in order of preference,
1) Aquatica in Tinley Park, IL
2) Chicago Reptile House in Orland Park, IL
3) Rob's Aquatics in Tinley Park, IL

 

[mr_z]

1.aquatica is hands down one of my most favorites and i have to say best in the area. very clean shop you ask they tell no bulls***. they have that awesomely insane shark pond. i dont think ive ever seen a dead fish in any tank. mario has great prices and will beat any other lfs prices if you have proof he has an awesome variety of livestock both saltwater and fresh and they have 2 really nice frag display tanks and why have a cool display tank when they have a shark pond. 2.robs ive been a few times to look. but i hated it. i tried asking questions since im new and he would look at me like i was dumb or somthing thinking why the hell are you here. they have some nice frags tho prices are ok also and fish all look in healthy conditions. 3. chicago reptile house is cool they have 2 awesome and big display tanks one is a really nice reef tank and the other is only FOWLR they have ok prices but i just dont like the lighting on any of their tanks they look like the bulbs are so old and losing power. i also tried asking an older employee there for advice and he looked at me like if i was stupid or didnt know where i was or what i was doing there. some of their fish also look like theyre dying. they have some nice corals tho i went in today and they had redone their frag tanks and tanks and they looked nice.

 

[Smitty]

Yeah, I've been to reptile house yesterday(sunday) and their frag tanks look a lil better...but I'll never buy fish from there, they dont look happy. Plus, Aquatica quarantine all their fish in copper, so i dont worry about introducing parasites, which is huge plus since i don't have a quarantine tank myself.

 

[mr_z]

Yeah, I've been to reptile house yesterday(sunday) and their frag tanks look a lil better...but I'll never buy fish from there, they dont look happy. Plus, Aquatica quarantine all their fish in copper, so i dont worry about introducing parasites, which is huge plus since i don't have a quarantine tank myself.

yes did forget to mention they quarantine in copper. and theyre fish dont look happy they have two black and white butterfly fish and they looked like they were dirty or somthing. they really have to uprgrade theyre lights to somthing a bit brighter looks so dark.

 

[MikeO]

Do you know the name of the place in wooddale?

 

[1boatnut]

1. 2.robs ive been a few times to look. but i hated it. i tried asking questions since im new and he would look at me like i was dumb or somthing thinking why the hell are you here. they have some nice frags tho prices are ok also and fish all look in healthy conditions.

WoW ! That doesn't sound typical of Rob.
Rob was the guy that ran Aquatica and always was/is willing to answer any of my questions,and I can be a real PITA.
When I 1st started with corals,he wouldn't even sell me anything until I brought him in a water sample to test. After testing he wanted me to correct a few things,and come back with another sample,then he helped me pick my
1st coral to match my system.

Maybe you spoke with Justin ??
He also is very knowledgable,but not extremly chatty.
After dealing with the 2 of them over the past couple of years,I find the both of them very customer friendly and always willing to share their knowledge.

Sorry to hear of your bad experiences.
They are one of my favorite LFS's

 

[mr_z]

WoW ! That doesn't sound typical of Rob.
Rob was the guy that ran Aquatica and always was/is willing to answer any of my questions,and I can be a real PITA.
When I 1st started with corals,he wouldn't even sell me anything until I brought him in a water sample to test. After testing he wanted me to correct a few things,and come back with another sample,then he helped me pick my
1st coral to match my system.

Maybe you spoke with Justin ??
He also is very knowledgable,but not extremly chatty.
After dealing with the 2 of them over the past couple of years,I find the both of them very customer friendly and always willing to share their knowledge.

Sorry to hear of your bad experiences.
They are one of my favorite LFS's

im not trying to speak bad of them and i like their shop its clean and well kept, nice fish n prices. the person i spoke to was a taller guy hes the only one ive seen there when i go. but yeah i went and that guy wasnt much help i think i saw another older guy but i didnt speak to him.

 

[1boatnut]

im not trying to speak bad of them and i like their shop its clean and well kept, nice fish n prices. the person i spoke to was a taller guy hes the only one ive seen there when i go. but yeah i went and that guy wasnt much help i think i saw another older guy but i didnt speak to him.

Sounds like Justin.
Like I said,he's not real chatty,but usually I'm talkative enough for 2 people. He really is a informative and good guy,at least in my experience.


I really don't believe his intentions were to "make you out as dumb",but we all come away from places with different experiences.

 

[mr_z]

yeah true this is how i do it though i go to ask questions in aquatica then i go look for the best price lol. if not mario at aquatica will beat the price if you have proof of it. rob does have good prices on dry goods tho.

 

[Smitty]

+1 Boatnut...you spoke with Justin, he's cool, just kinda quiet. The owner(Rob) is cool also, and very helpful. The only reason I don't go there more often is because it's further away than the other lfs from me.

 

[One_Ping_Only]

Yeah, whats up with the place in Wooddale? I was at Aquatica for the first time this weekend. I was very impressed and Mario was extremely helpful. I have also been fairly impressed with Midwest Coral Farms in Highland Park. Everyhing seems pretty healthy and fairly reasonable prices.

 

[scotty]

I just came from boughton road aquarium adventures and wow the place took a dive in 1 month. I wantes nothing every frag was full of worms or bubble algae very sad. Amend my post to trop-quatics.