Hi everyone, first off a disclaimer 
I have chosen 2 forums to use from this point on, I wanted to choose a forum more locally oriented and one other just so I can get some diversity! I wanted to get that out the way up front! Onto some background.
During the last 3 or 4 months I have had the urge to get back into reef keeping again. I have been looking at YouTube videos, browsing forums and visiting a couple of local stores to see what’s on offer. What’s immediately apparent are that things have moved on!!! Especially in the world of lighting. What I also noticed was everything got more expensive? Now, this could be a misconception of mine for a couple of reasons, 1. Fish keeping is just more expensive here in the US than the UK. Nearly $1000 for 160 pounds of live rock?? Or more likely I just did not care about money so much 10 years ago!
Back on track. So I am looking for a reef setup. Now I know if I get a nano reef I will be replacing it in 2 months with a larger tank so I have decided up front to get whatever I can get past the wife without divorce.
What has caught my eye just lately is the RedSea Reefer system, the 250 or 350, some local FS just quoted me $4800 for a 350 fully setup, rock, sand, lights, skimmer everything. Seems expensive. Or is that the going rate?
What I could do with advice on is choosing a LFS. I live in Waldwick NJ, and whilst there are some stores locally , some of which I have visited I have not found one that gives me the warm and fuzzy feeling. To me this is important as I will invest my hard earned cash in to one store and having a good relationship is important to me. I went to the place on RT 17 a couple of times and whilst the staff seem friendly enough, the place looked a bit run down, the tanks were dirty, filters dirty in the fresh water section etc. I have also been to Absolutely Fish in Clifton which is super clean, a great selection of everything, I went there for a quote at the beginning of the year and found the staff were not that engaging. I may have caught them in an off day, it was certainly very busy when I went. I want to give these folks another try.
With this in mind do you folks have any suggestions of stores that would be worth visiting? In my area?
I have chosen 2 forums to use from this point on, I wanted to choose a forum more locally oriented and one other just so I can get some diversity! I wanted to get that out the way up front! Onto some background.During the last 3 or 4 months I have had the urge to get back into reef keeping again. I have been looking at YouTube videos, browsing forums and visiting a couple of local stores to see what’s on offer. What’s immediately apparent are that things have moved on!!! Especially in the world of lighting. What I also noticed was everything got more expensive? Now, this could be a misconception of mine for a couple of reasons, 1. Fish keeping is just more expensive here in the US than the UK. Nearly $1000 for 160 pounds of live rock?? Or more likely I just did not care about money so much 10 years ago!
Back on track. So I am looking for a reef setup. Now I know if I get a nano reef I will be replacing it in 2 months with a larger tank so I have decided up front to get whatever I can get past the wife without divorce.
What has caught my eye just lately is the RedSea Reefer system, the 250 or 350, some local FS just quoted me $4800 for a 350 fully setup, rock, sand, lights, skimmer everything. Seems expensive. Or is that the going rate?
What I could do with advice on is choosing a LFS. I live in Waldwick NJ, and whilst there are some stores locally , some of which I have visited I have not found one that gives me the warm and fuzzy feeling. To me this is important as I will invest my hard earned cash in to one store and having a good relationship is important to me. I went to the place on RT 17 a couple of times and whilst the staff seem friendly enough, the place looked a bit run down, the tanks were dirty, filters dirty in the fresh water section etc. I have also been to Absolutely Fish in Clifton which is super clean, a great selection of everything, I went there for a quote at the beginning of the year and found the staff were not that engaging. I may have caught them in an off day, it was certainly very busy when I went. I want to give these folks another try.
With this in mind do you folks have any suggestions of stores that would be worth visiting? In my area?
