New fish and aquarium store in Fort McMurray

[Myka]

The wholesale cost of the fish itself isn't the point. You need to factor in that $1000 shipping, plus the permits, then add your markup to that (usually double or triple). That's how the LFS do it. How many fish were in that box? Once you divvy up the shipping cost and permits the landed cost of those fish will be significantly higher than those wholesale prices. The wholesale prices don't matter as much as shipping cost.

Keep in mind the cost of commercial rental in FMM will be through the roof so prices will always be high there - that's just the reality of living in FMM. Considering the average income in FMM, a saltwater store could do quite well there...

[intarsiabox]

Originally Posted by scuba ken

I (and a mate) already import fish direct from international suppliers, we don't do many, but have put several orders through, we were amazed at the prices, the shipping seemed to run at about $1000.00 and that didn't seem to move much regardless of the fish ordered.

Clowns $4
Bi color angels $6
Tangs $4-12 a piece
Clown trigger 2". $9
Blue face angel 2" $14
Juvenile Emporer Angel $10


Corals similar prices

We have sold and ordered fish for friends and work mates, they were fine, the biggest problem we could see was "how do u man a store a d keep working in the oil sands?" there is a way, we are still working those details through.

That's good, I wasn't sure if international live orders could be flown in directly to Fort Mac now. That makes having a well stocked live goods store more feasible for our northern residents.

[scuba ken]

Originally Posted by intarsiabox

That's good, I wasn't sure if international live orders could be flown in directly to Fort Mac now. That makes having a well stocked live goods store more feasible for our northern residents.

Ethe fish come into Vancouver, Then into fort mac, we pick up at the airport, we the lay over in Vancouver is somewhat problematic, the 1st shipment we made, was left outside waiting for the next flight, we lost quite a few fish on this shipment, we did recover the costs from the supplier, but then lost out on revenue to offset the shipping costs.

This idea still isn't out of the question, but will take some more planning, the biggest problem we encountered was "how many people in fort mac, are salt water tankers ?". Obviously our main stay couldn't be just Marine fish, we also looked at I porting tanks/set ups and doing the whole service, from set up, maintaining and take down. The real money can be made through offering the whole package, and supplying the fish, rocks, sand, equipment, chemicals, corals and most of all, sou d advice and support.

Even thought of dabbling into the tropical and cold water set ups, a fish emporium for fort mac, would be much easier and cost efficient to operate for 2 hours each evening from a double garage attached to a house, this way display tanks can be "shop props" and also be tax write offs and also be advistments for the business, also have the tax cuts on the garage and utilities being used to support the business, almost be free to support our hobbies ?

Anyway that's as far as we got, the idea is sleeping, not written off yet.

[Myka]

Check out bylaws to see if you can run a retail business out of your garage. The last thing you want is someone coming and shutting down your business after you put a bunch of hard work and money into it.

[scuba ken]

No worries, as I say, some thought but not too much.
The bye laws really say that any home business cannot become a nusciemce to the other neighbours for noise, congestion etc and must not be an illegal activity.

Early days, and more dream than reality.................. But who knows "sea nery" may ne day become more than half a dozen beers and a pizza.

[Saltymac]

Hopping to get some good advise from all the people in the Mac just got a 75 gallon tank as my first and just setting it up all help and advise welcome, more than welcome to pop round the house have some beers and put me on the right tracks, just PM for contact details

[scuba ken]

Originally Posted by Saltymac

Hopping to get some good advise from all the people in the Mac just got a 75 gallon tank as my first and just setting it up all help and advise welcome, more than welcome to pop round the house have some beers and put me on the right tracks, just PM for contact details

Some photos ?

Is it a reef tank, fowlr, or a cool mixed reef, or maybe a small predator tank ?

Drop some photos and some specs on here.
Is it cycled yet ? Any fish yet, any corals ?

Sorry just excited, I just took my cube down and transferred the fish to my new set up in st Albert, the "rebuild" of the tank in fmm is going to be reef and only reef, corals and some coral fish, nothing too OTT just peaceful and colourful.

[Saltymac]

Sorry about the crappy iPad picture, but the tank was running for 2 years Neill I bought it from them on Tuesday it's. a 75 gallon half round tank and is my first reef tank.
It came with a Fluval FX5 filter, cheap lights and a power head, also 100 lbs of LR and 60Lbs of LV sand.
It also came with 1clown fish and a star fish, both are doing well both eating and look quite healthy.
I just ordered a sump, protein skimmer and some LEDs of ebay, and an RO/DI system.
I have had it for 4 days and used 70% of the water that the previous owners had and the rest was a fresh batch of treated tap water and salt mix.
I did PH, NITRITE, PHOSPHATE AND CALCIUM tests last night and all is well within acceptable limits.
I want to keep some corals and some colourful fish, just waiting to make sure the tank is ok before I buy corals and add any more fish.

[scuba ken]

Are you going to drill the tank or use a hang on the back overflow ?
If u can go drilled now that would be better, get rid of the fluval 5 as soon as u can set up the sump.
You can s ell it and buy some more equipment.

Love the tank dimensions and the half circle look.
What light would u like ?

[Saltymac]

Using a hang on back overflow, then if in 12 months I'm doing ok in the hobby I'm going to go for a bigger tank may be 220 or so but that will have drilled overflows
I thought I might use the FX5 as a carbon and GFO filter if possible?

I just bought some LEDs that are programmable and have high range of spectrum