Recommended LFS?

[Gatorbait]

Hi all, I'm kinda new to the area and hobby and was wondering if anybody could recommend some good lfs in the area? Roch, Owatonna, Mankato, Medford, etc... I'm starting my first reef tank and would like to have a couple good local connections as well as online. So far I've got a 75gal tank with stand and canopy, 220w of pc lighting, modified Excalibur skimmer, under canopy fuge/sump with chaeto, 3 in. sand bed and some base rock. All running for about a month with no problems. I think I'm ready to add live rock and cycle the tank?
Any thoughts or suggestions? Reviews? Best prices? Livestock? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks

[StellaMN]

Hi Gator--

I don't have a lot of time to post a rundown of the LFS's in the area that I know about, but this thread might help you for now...

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=40400

Jodi

[Gatorbait]

Thanks for the link Jodi,

I called the places listed and they gave me these prices for live rock:
Rochester
Fish & Pets 7.99 under 10lbs, 6.99 10 to 25lbs, 5.99 25lbs +
Petco 7.99 lb
Medford
Hobbies and Pets 6.99 lb

Has anyone ordered rock from Premium Aquatics? What's the quality like? The shipping sounds pretty reasonable for UPS ground, and it only takes two days from their location to southern MN. Their Fiji is around 3.50 - 4.00 lb and they quoted me 16.75 to ship 30lbs.

[Ben]

Gatorbait,

I was extremely happy with the Kaelini rock I ordered from Premium Aquatics. However, there is a $7 packaging fee to get it properly insulated for shipping. My rock came with two open brain corals still alive on it, but unfortunately both died in the curing cycle. Two button polyps are still alive from the live rock and I just recently had to pull out some caulerpa from it when I had a water quality problem. I also recommend a few lbs their curing tank crude if you are doing a sand bed. I have a large number of cerith snails, micro-brittle stars, bristle worms (the pure detrivore good kind), amphipods, tanaids, copepods, and other microfauna from the rock and sand I got from them. Put the curing tank stuff down either behind your rocks or put it down and slowly add prettier sand over top. I did order in mid June, so the shipping weather was perfect.

On the other hand, another member of our group ordered in late fall and for some reason (I don't know all the details) didn't get the insulation on his Fiji rock. It ended up coming much more dead than alive. That's the only outright negative experience with Premium Aquatics out of a dozen or so I've read on the web. They are one of my preferred suppliers for stuff ordered online, because I've generally gotten excellent service from them. They can take a while to answer emails if you want something on the livestock list but not in the normal online store, though.

[Chump]

Jerry, AKA JnS has rock in the three to four dollar per pound range. I have been really happy with his rock.

[jjwdiver]

I will ditto the remarks about Jerry's stuff. Fresh uncured stuff I got was 100 times better and a 1/3 the price of the same quantity I got from Fish & Pets.

John

[Gatorbait]

I did talk to Jerry about his rock and he does sound like the best option out there and I will definitly get some from him after I save up some more. (Stupid textbooks cost an arm and leg nowadays) I decided to buy a RO/DI system first off Ebay instead to try to combat some algae problems first. Incidently, anyone interested in a refillable DI canister? I'm having problems getting it sealed and the water tastes better without it and my TDS after the RO membrane is only 3-5 so I'm just gonna ditch it. I did make it to Pets & Fish in Owatonna on Tuesday. They had just received a new order and I picked up some snails and a lawnmower blenny. Their prices were around high average and they're still setting up, but not too bad overall. They're the ones who used to be in Medford. Anyone interested in the canister let me know. Thanks for the advice.

Tad