question about lfs

[fl_izzy]

i will be going from Gainesville to Orlando today to pick up someone at the airport. i do have some free time down there before and was wondering what lfs to visit while i am down there? large stores? small with great prices? anything. thanks for any info

[jsl6v8]

I would go with SITC, depending on the airport thats the closest even. Which airport? also there is a sticky page with the local fish store in the area.

[fl_izzy]

OIA and yes i was looking at the list and using maps for proximity. i know seainthecity is close. next one is not. still looking

[fl_izzy]

how is that aquaria studio? it says 14 miles from airport.

[Lutefisk]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11207750#post11207750 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fl_izzy
OIA and yes i was looking at the list and using maps for proximity. i know seainthecity is close. next one is not. still looking

Here's a map to the local stores: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=108327292692464194367.0004395064c7ec4f75bf2&z=10&om=1

As you'll see there are a bunch of stores in the area. Down towards the airport I'd probably visit Sea in the City (you can take 436 north from near the airport) and Wide World Corals.

There are a number of very good stores but Sea in the City gets the buzz for quality/healthy livestock and Wide World Corals is a new player in town that only carries coral - and a big selection.


Paul

[jersey jo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11207949#post11207949 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lutefisk
Here's a map to the local stores: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=108327292692464194367.0004395064c7ec4f75bf2&z=10&om=1

As you'll see there are a bunch of stores in the area. Down towards the airport I'd probably visit Sea in the City (you can take 436 north from near the airport) and Wide World Corals.

There are a number of very good stores but Sea in the City gets the buzz for quality/healthy livestock and Wide World Corals is a new player in town that only carries coral - and a big selection.


Paul

Yes I totally agree. World Wide Corals is only 10 minutes from the airport, and have the largest selection of corals I have ever seen.

[fl_izzy]

nice map of the stores. by the time i got down there today was only able to visit sea in the city. i dont like it, very expensive and almost all the good stuff that i was looking for was reserved stuff.

[jsl6v8]

Thats a shock, first time I've ever heard a complaint about SITC. Good stuff has a tendency to get bought up, and they do a lot of special orders for people which might be what you were seeing.

[redneck3298]

Aqua-holics is the best

[redneck3298]

Aqua-holics is the best

[reefnfish]

You scream credibility. Good post!

[JUICEY]

You should have gone to WWC also! I also have problems finding stuff at SITC. Everything I want is always on the sold rack...or not for sale. Not to say it's a bad store.....I like the folks there....well, except for the jerk that was mouthing off to me last time I was there. And they DO have nice stuff. It just seems like you have to stop in on a regular basis to scoop up stuff as they put it out in the tanks. Also....I don't think the prices are too crazy......just retail.

[Cheekmonkey]

Yea SITC are generallyl great people I would greatly reccomend fish from there as well. WWC doesnt carry any fish, and SITC has some of the healthier looking fish at the local shops...

[JUICEY]

I think maybe some folks could take my post the wrong way. Let me clear things up. I didn't mean to bash SITC. I think they have a great store. All their stuff is super healthy. they take care of their stock like children. And they have more than just coral. I also think their staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. They won't try to talk you into buying something that you don't need. You can trust their advise. I did happen to have a guy in there that was being rude to me when I was with my kids....but this isn't the norm. Like I said....no one important....just some jerk.

All i was trying to do, was say that if fl_izzy didn't like that most of the cool stuff was on the on hold rack, and he thought the prices were high...he should have checked out WWC, which is pretty easy to get to from the airport via 528. They do have a large stock of high end corals.

I'm sorry if I offended anyone. That was not my intention.

~Donovan

[Cheekmonkey]

We knew what you meant Donovan, you never talk down on the shops...

[JUICEY]

Thanks buddy! I appreciate that. I got a couple PMs about the post and just wanted to clarify, so no one else took offense.

~D

[Cheekmonkey]

Absolutely man, anyone that knows the speaker tends to know no harm is meant...

[Me No Nemo]

Thanks Cheeky:)

Donovan, I'm sorry about your experience. I hope you follow up on the PM I sent you earlier for more info so I can address your concerns. I would also have appreciated, as a very active ORCA sponsor, to have had an email, PM or phone call from you, as a member of ORCA's board of directors regarding the situation so it could have been addressed differently and in a timely manner.

As many on here know, my coral farm was all but devastated a few months ago when someone poured a caustic substance in my farm tanks and killed off a good percentage of my coral. It was heartbreaking to lose so many beautiful corals but, fortunately, we were able to save some but had nowhere else but the coral tanks in the our retail store to house the few mother colonies I was able to save. Added to that is some new stock I had purchased to begin the regrowth. Many of those that are on the racks I purchased for $100 a polyp, plus shipping (I can imagine the outcry if I had marked those up and tried to sell them;), just to have the extreme corals back in my tanks. I have several folks working to help me get my farm back on track (Thank you, thank you Marlon who is working to restore the systems, Waterfaller1, Cham, Teach, Cstires, Matt H and the many, many others who have so graciously offered some frags of my original colonies to help rebuild). We are very close to completion and at that point we will be back to our original plan to house none of our farm corals in our sale tanks.

The other frags...yes, many are sold. Some of my customer's tanks just weren't ready to house certain corals for one reason or another so I do offer to hold them rather than have them take them home and expose them to the wrong conditions. I know some customers get upset regarding this, but those who are at the receiving end of this service, I assure you, appreciate it. It's a fine line sometimes to be able to please both sides in situations such as this so I can only work with my best judgement and hope everyone understands. Again, I apologize that you were inconvienanced. I welcome any comments through PM regarding ANY aspect of my store. I strive for perfection and the only way for me to address concerns, or to make improvements, is to be notified. Thanks all and happy reefing;) Marcye

[Cheekmonkey]

Glad to see you posting on the thread Marcye... I personally wasnt aware of the problem with the coral farm, I'm sure alot of others were in the same situation.

[MIKE ALERS]

Marcie rocks....:D can wait till i move to the new house to buy some of them cool duncans.

[Me No Nemo]

Well, Cheek, it was just one of those things we didn't really want to dwell on...just fix it and move on. I really have to say that there are some of the best people in Central Florida! I've had so many offer help restoring the damage...it's really heartwarming. The damage was massive and overwhelming, but thanks to so many very good hearted people we'll be up and running again soon.
Thanks, Mike:)

[reefnfish]

Keep us posted. Good luck.

[Me No Nemo]

Thanks:) I always figure that the old adage that when one door closes another opens and I think this will be the case. I really appreciate everyone's generosity.