aquarium center in blackwood NJ

[nanoguy]

you guys crack me up over here...nice tat by the way,,,i got a few but no way in hell i am gettin my head done...u got some grande huevos there bro...ur a better man then me....

we do have a set day for salt water shipments..mon and tues...and we have a decent amount of regs that know this,,,so hint hint come in by wed thurs to get any of the good stuff,,,trying to convince dom in converting the live rock tank into a frag tank for all of u nano guys...im tryin...look forward to meeting all of u when u pop by,,,,FYI been there over a year now...and this is my second time working there was there 2 years ago before i moved to puerto rico...but this time around i have more responsibility in reef since pat no longer is there,,,..


tom

 

[mfisher2112]

Ahh. That's why everything is gone when I get there on Fridays! LOL!

I think if you show Dom the financials of it, you may be more likely to get his attention.

Remember: 1 large colony of zoas may = $80, but if you can frag that colony into 10 frags, and sell each frag for $20, you just upped your gross to $200, and made 10 people happy instead of just one. Not to mention being able to correctly prop your own allows you to continue to supply yourself off that one colony.

Just a thought.

See you next week Tom! LOL! (BTW, wife hasn't killed me yet. )

 

[jazzsam]

Ahh. That's why everything is gone when I get there on Fridays! LOL!

I think if you show Dom the financials of it, you may be more likely to get his attention.

Remember: 1 large colony of zoas may = $80, but if you can frag that colony into 10 frags, and sell each frag for $20, you just upped your gross to $200, and made 10 people happy instead of just one. Not to mention being able to correctly prop your own allows you to continue to supply yourself off that one colony.

Just a thought.

See you next week Tom! LOL! (BTW, wife hasn't killed me yet. )

I am not a fan of some stores that frag colonies out and sell it like that. It just seems wrong to do that to a great colony. It is one thing to sell a frag that broke off or trim down something that is outgrowing its space but doing it with that intention i don't care for. (I also like to buy colonies more than frags)

 

[mfisher2112]

If it's done right by someone who knows what they are doing it can be a success for everyone. Some of the small colonies that I have purchased from there have been pathetically in need of fragging.

For me, I would often prefer to buy 10 or 20 polyps of zoas than an entire 200 polyp colony. Especially if I can break my budget up and get several different varieties.

The conversation that Tom and I had in the store is the backdrop for that post.

I by no means was suggesting he frag everything. We were talking specifically about breaking up some of the overgrown zoa colonies and creating a frag tank that would serve to thin out the super large colonies that were outgrowing their space in the main tanks, as well as provide a smaller purchase for nano tank customers as well. The financial aspect was merely a means of appealing to the business man side of Dom.

I wouldn't suggest any store frag more sensitive corals or more difficult to prop corals just for the pure purpose of making more money off of them.

 

[nick]

yea you couldn't even think about touching that reef section when pat was working there lol. i was in there the otherday picking some stuff up and one of the kids didnt know an answer to one of the questions, so i helped him help the lady out. now i know he was kidding when he asked if i had a job and if i needed one, he just didn't have that kind of athurity in the store, but it did rekindle the intrest in working there again. i see people who have worked in there before who have quit come back many times.hmmm you wouldn't know if Dom was in need of help around the store would you?

 

[Embowe]

I wouldn't mind working there either...(considering the construction yard I was working at just shut down ) but I doubt Dom, or any LFS, is willing to pay 25k/year ...wishful thinking though

 

[nanoguy]

well nick u can have my job...i quit over a month and half ago...dom made a poor decision and I parted my way from that store...im not going to be one of those people that go back after working there...liked the store people were nice in there,,,but unfortunately i wasn't backed by the boss on someone esles mistake so i left...things happen for a reason just dont havin a bitter taste in my mouth for the way things ended....so nick go for it..

 

[reefitup]

I've gotta tell you. I've shopped there for years for turtle stuff for our kids 2 turtles ((ducking)) and I've always loved that store and have always drooled over this one particular item. I went in today looking to drop $250 - $300 on it and they acted like they didn't want to sell me anything.

I asked if they had an item and it was like "Maybe in the back" then they went and helped another customer and I just kind of stood there...I ended up walking out.

I might go back eventually, but I was really put off by them today. It was not like they were busy at all, but it was kinda close to closing time. They're normally not like that. I've always held them in high regards, but theye lost a couple points with me today Maybe today was just a fluke with New Years or something and everyone wanting to go do their thing, but I left with my cash...

 

[shinningballs]

is it true that aquarium center is under new management?

 

[reefitup]

Not sure if they're under new management but was anyone in there this weekend? I was in this morning and saw atleast 5 or 6 fish taking what my daughter referred to as a "fish nap." :'(

Some were beautiful ones too. A georgous puffer stuck in my mind... a few others I think Angels or something similar. Just kinda got what I needed and left. Kind of concerned...was planning on making that my LFS

I did see the brightest flame angel I think I've ever seen though...

I'll just keep an eye I guess. Maybe they were just stressed :

 

[icecool2]

I wish this wasn't my first post of the forum, but here it is anyway....

I've been shopping at this store for 15 years since Jeff and Dominic both owned it. I've had nothing but positive comments about them until just recently. My sister went in (I wish she talked to me first) and talked with their employee Brandon (sp?). Let me just say that you should stay far away from this guy.

Here's what he told her...

1. Buy a 5 gallon SW tank because it's easier to take care of than a bigger one. (WHAT!?)
2. You don't need to buy a thermometer because the tank is so small it isn't needed. (ARE YOU KIDDING!?)
3. Using tap water to fill the tank is fine. (Debatable, but I strongly diagree)
4. Cycle the tank with a damsel fish. (Typical LFS lie)

I talked to her while she was on her way there yesterday. Told her to slow down and give the tank at least a month to cycle and let everything settle down. What did the person in the store tell her when she said that? "Well, some people say you should do that, but I don't think you need to". WTF!?

I know nanoguy quit, but if anyone else from the store is watching this thread. You lost a 15 year customer. I'll be in to talk to Dom about it this week and let him know the wonderful things his employees are spouting.

 

[icecool2]

Oh and I forgot to mention. They sold her a $50 mushroom colony for her 1 WEEK OLD TANK!

 

[Hawkeye]

I never understand this kind of strategy by a seller - unless the employee is just temporary and looking to boost sales to look good - it's a slash/burn kinda strategy where you make money early on but lose long-term customers.

At least she walked into an LFS...what if she went "next door" to the Mercedes dealer...(just joking!).

Welcome to Njrc - come over to the general discussion board and introduce yourself!

 

[shinningballs]

lol. plus they have a worker there smell beer and weeds.what a store seems going down.

 

[nanoguy]

i wont step in that store again..Dom only cares for himself...i was there for over a year and he sided with a 16 year old kid making 8oo an hour when I was makin $ 13.5o...he was pushin me out the door up until that day...He has too many kids there that dont know shyt...the only 2 people that know are steve and val....so if u go there ask for them...

 

[reefitup]

I'm sorry...but I have no patience for inexperienced, untrained kids slinging fish and putting out information to customers. I worked in a pet store alotta years ago in VaBch when I was 20ish, but I had several saltwater tanks and had to prove I knew what I was talking about before they let me near the customers. I think it's just irrisponsible to put people who are not trainined, not experienced infront of customers.

Is Brandon the one that looks like Harry Potter? ((my son informed me of this - Hey Dad, he looks like Harry Potter)) LOL

My last few trips have been better, although, I don't ask questions in there either. I get what I want, and do my research before I go. I get in, get what I need, and get out. I've had questions pop up on dry goods and Val was helpful, but the problem is...she's so dang busy because I think other customers also see her as being one of the best ones in there...

Mushroom colony in a week old tank, huh? She take it back yet?

 

[nanoguy]

no harry potter would be warren i imagine..he is the sorry excuse that i lost my job because he sold a tilapia and a red devil to a guy and said they would be fine in a tank together...the tilapia was about 5 in and the red devil was 2in...the fight didin't last round one as the tilapia killed the red devil in a matter of minutes..

ne way...its a shame cause dom has nice coral frags...just so much inexperience...guess he rather save a dollar payin young kids then those with more knowledge...i have seen alot of his customers over at Value Pet in Pennsauken. both them and myself get a laugh when i see them in there rather then blackwood...i live a few minutes away from value and the kids there know more...there corls are not so bad and seem decent price...he just doesn't have as much SW fish as Dom

 

[pgordemer]

i have seen alot of his customers over at Value Pet in Pennsauken. both them and myself get a laugh when i see them in there rather then blackwood...i live a few minutes away from value and the kids there know more...there corls are not so bad and seem decent price...he just doesn't have as much SW fish as Dom

Generally buying a coral from here is an "iffy" thing, There isn't much good general knowledge there, but for drygoods and products where you know what you want, his prices are quite low.

Reef Crystals - Aquarium Center $79.00
Reef Crystals - Value Pet Center $45.00
Mag 7 Pump - Aquarium Center - $109.00
Mag 7 Pump - Value Pet Center - $72.00

I don't mind paying a bit more to suppport a LFS, but double for dry goods is just nuts.

 

[reefitup]

i have seen alot of his customers over at Value Pet in Pennsauken. both them and myself get a laugh when i see them in there rather then blackwood...i live a few minutes away from value and the kids there know more...there corls are not so bad and seem decent price...he just doesn't have as much SW fish as Dom

Generally buying a coral from here is an "iffy" thing, There isn't much good general knowledge there, but for drygoods and products where you know what you want, his prices are quite low.

Reef Crystals - Aquarium Center $79.00
Reef Crystals - Value Pet Center $45.00
Mag 7 Pump - Aquarium Center - $109.00
Mag 7 Pump - Value Pet Center - $72.00

I don't mind paying a bit more to suppport a LFS, but double for dry goods is just nuts.

ya know... I tend to try to support local reefers who are in it for the love of the hobby (not Fragging For Profits) before supporting a LFS when it comes to livestock. I'd rather get something that's been in a tank for more than 3 days after being flown around the world. \

One of the kids there told me someone gave them a bunch of Macro for free and a couple days later it was all for sale in tiny quantities for like 9 or 10 bucks...

When it comes to dry goods, you almost have to go to a LFS. Maybe I'll have to venture to Value Pet. I'm sure it will come up in a google search...

I just bought RC's from them too...$@*$#)# :

 

[Xavier613]

Value pet is right at cooper river on 130 just past the airport circle and THE PUB (sorry, love it there) They have awesome prices for dry goods i know but not having the ability to go to any other more SW oriented stores i cant really say with the corals and fish price though the fish seem to be about the same as online. Really friendly staff and admit if they dont know something if you ask them.