New to hobby. Where to buy hardware etc?

[digital-audiophile]

Franco's doesn't have much for salt water.. a bit but I haven't been by in a while

Golds and Big Al's have already been mentioned, There is also Ocean Aquariums on Centre, and Wais on 16th. All have their own strengths and weaknesses, its up to you as the consumer to make the best buying decisions. When I started I spent too much on crap that I have upgraded since so avoid that trap.

Recently most of my purchases have been online and from other reefers (in my opinion the BEST source for livestock!)

- Re: moving into other tanks, it is a pain in the ass, im in the process of doing just that so I would recommend going as big as you can from the start as you know you will want to upgrade later.

[blood_hound]

Aside from jlaquatics and ebay for my hardware and golds fror my livestocks, I get most of my stuff off canreef buy/sell.
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=11
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=31

[EmilyB]

Locally, some shops are coming around to the hobby. I spend some bucks at Gold and wish it was closer, Wais has changed a lot and I spend more there now. I won't shop at Big Als.

[Snappy]

I find the Ocean Runner pumps to be pretty quiet. I use 3 of them, a 6500 for my sump return and 2 x 3500's for my skimmer.
What size of tank? I have a used Aqua medic turbo floater 1000 skimmer FS. Let me know if you are interested.

[Paverdude]

Can someone post the link for oceansaquatics, couldn,t find it with my search engine

Thanks

[dreef]

I don't know worked for me with google ??

https://www.oceanaquatics.com/

[albert_dao]

Necessary equipment for a reef tank:

Lights (as good of quality as you can afford)
Heater
Something to move the water (PH's sump pump, whatever)
Protein skimmer (don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Do you wash your car by hand with a sponge and bucket or do you take it to the car wash?)

That's it. No canisters, no trickle filters, no bio balls, bla bla bla, everything else is either an advance option (calcium reactors, zeovit, etc) or BS (canisters, crappy florescent lighting, nemo toys, etc).

Hope that helps.

[Paverdude]

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lastlight lastlight is online now
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Calgary
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I was in buying some plumbing stuff at Big Als and lo and behold they had parrotfish with "i luv you" tattooed onto them. Being ****ed as I was, I asked the guy there (who has been there forever and must be a manager or something) how they do it.

His eyes lit up.

"Oh they're tattoed on! We get them like that!"

All I said was "That is NOT cool" and paid and got out. He was silent.

Maybe others don't share my feelings on this...but that is totally cruel and is clearly aimed at preying on the below avg hobbyist / impulse buyer. And this froma a store that appears to know quite a bit and caters in some part to the more advanced hobbyist.

That's the last time I shop there.

Unfortunatly some DF'S will buy them and al's will bet more in, supply & demand, but i'm totaly with you that's some sick s**t

[fishmanty]

This was at the Calgary BA?

I gotta see that.... thats sick. Im against dying fish... but tatoo'n? Come on!, how is that not illegal.