I have to add my 2 cents + GST
I have always gone MO for most stuff (hardware) as it was way cheaper even with Shipping (sometimes even bringing in stuff from the US was cheaper) The markup the LFS have is high, they have room to move and still make money, but are unwilling, why because most people will pay what they are asking for a product because they do not know any better.
The reason they do not know is because they have not yet found a "Reef" Board to talk with other reefers. I know when I first got into a SW tank, I used the net to look for what I needed, but did not find that many boards. So I did rely on "Al's" for advice and someone there told me the Seaclone skimmer was excellent and worked well.. Not knowing better I bought it.. It worked fine for a few weeks, then doing searchings for seaclone and WHOA did I found out otherwise.. (this was quite awhile after the fact year or 2) I then reseached my next skimmer (my tank is not drilled so I neeed an )HOB) for 6 months I settled on a Remora Pro (awesome little devil) Anyways I returned to Al's and asked again whats a good HOB skimmer, someone again tried to sell the seacrap err seaclone., I opened with both barrels
and mention how could they sell something for $175 that did not skim? then he tried to sell me a Prisim. Anyways I am rambling here. The LFS are generally bad place to go these days, fish never survive for vary long, a lot look skinny and sick.
Here is a true story.. before I was into SW tanks I was keeping discus (they can be very hard to keep) Anyways I bought 6 from Big Al's at about $30 a piece ) within 2 days all but 1 were alive ( I was smart I kept the bodies, frozen in the freezer) ANyways I happened to be talking to a lady who was selling off some of her Discus and I was over at her place looking to buy them. To make a long story short, she asked me what I had in the way of discus and I told her what had happened, she ask me of I got them out of tank such and such in isle such and such I said yes.. and then she says, You did not hear this from me but they had a disease go through that tank than wiped out 20+ discus in 2 days I promptly went from her place to Big Al's and inquired, they denied it, I said I have second hand knowledge that this was the case ( and that I had 5 of 6 die in 2 days) they were not going to give me a full credit. I said you better as this fish were diseased and I was not at fault for their deaths I got my full credit needless to say after stating I would mention this to everyone I talked to
I have to agree with most of the peoples opinions about the LFS stores I do not buy alot of fish, normally just the (cheaper fish) damsels, and clowns as I do not trust buying the more expensive fish from an LFS. I have also not done a live fish order yet either, I have only done a cleanup crew from JL) In the spring I plan on trying the live fish from JL
Anyways I think I babbled on enough.
Jim