Best place for supplies in kelowna?

[corymagee]

Im new to kelowna and thinking about restarting a 75 gallon reef tank. where are the best places to get sand, live rock ect in the kelowna area? Or should I just wait to go down to the coast again to get all that stuff??

[janalta]

Wait until you can get down to the coast....the pet stores here are seriously lacking in saltwater supplies of any kind and ridiculously over priced.
You're going to be paying twice as much for livestock here...and it's difficult to find dry goods/equipment.

You can get started with sand, live rock, etc from the stores here if you want to start with just the basics. The least expensive LR when I set up a year ago was in Rutland....but their rock comes with little to no life on it and no coraline.
I'd like some more rock in my tank, but it kills me to pay $7-$8/lb for it here.

[Aquattro]

Probably a good idea to go visit the local stores and see what they've got. If you don't like anything locally, most of the sponsors on Canreef can arrange delivery of most items.

[LeanneP]

J & L Aquatics is the cheapest I've found for everything at the coast in Burnaby and they are really big for online shopping. They are least half the price for stuff and if you spend $100 they give free shippingon dry goods (not live rock though).
Around Kelowna, Petsmart has a little bit of salt water stuff like live sand and they are cheaper. I would be careful about buying anything alive in Rutland as I've seen a lot of dead corals and fish with spots on them. AJ's in Vernon is quite a big store and it is clean but prices I wouldn't say are cheap. Petcity has very nice live saltwater but is rather pricey.
If you can make a trip to Van you might save. Good luck.

Leanne

[janalta]

I've seen sick/dying/dead fish in all of the local stores...but also have healthy, happy fish from both Rutland and Mission stores.
The problem is that the livestock is being stressed too many times...being shipped to the suppliers, then again shipped to the interior. Also a lot of employees who really aren't experienced in SW needs. ( Total Pet is bad for this...and also the most expensive livestock )

I'm leery about buying from display tanks in a retail shop that have very visable aptasia/flatworm/hair algae problems as well....those you will be able to judge for yourself.

We definitely need a good marine/reef store in the interior !

[2pts]

I'm in Vernon and drive down to Burnaby every 2 months. I drive back through Kelowna.

I'm heading down next week.

I go down to J&L almost always the third Friday of every second month.

[janalta]

Would you be interested in bringing a few small livestock orders back with you when you go down?