Where to buy?

I'm doing some research on the online stores that 3reefers enjoy buying from and why. So, where do you guys find yourselves buying from the most? How do these places earn your business? How have other places lost your business? Who has the best deals on fish? Corals? Inverts? Dry goods? etc? What's a fair price for overnight shipping? What is a fair "Arrive Alive" guarantee? Any feedback would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Joey

 

Hi Joey,

Welcome to 3reef!!!


As for online purchasing, I feel that most if not all of the sponsors listed here would be good choices depending on what you are looking for.

In terms of dry goods, Bulk Reef Supply, Bigalsonline, Aquacave, and Marinedepot are at the top of my list. I have purchased goods through all 4 companies with only great success at doing so. You will also get varying discounts/offers with the sponsors listed on the forum page under coupon codes. (must be a member to view!)

In terms of online livestock- cannot offer too much insight there as the only livestock I have purchased have been CUC's from John Maloney at Reefcleaners.org (he is practically legendary in this community for his awesome selection and perfect customer service). I have always purchased fish and coral from LFS's. I plan on purchasing a large coral frag pack for a 430 gallon, 120 Gallon, and 30 gallon reef tanks in the next few weeks so I am curious to see what others will have to say about online coral/fish!

 

Thanks M-Ocean Man!

 

Anybody else?

 

Bump

 

Live Aquaria, i hear good stuff about them.

And Bulk Reef Supply.com for dry goods

 

As with M-Ocean Man I have also used Bulk Reef Supply, Bigalsonline, Aquacave, and Marinedepot for dry goods. I also buy from Foster's and Smith. I typically get different things from each place. Salt from F&S, Bulbs from Aquacave, Miscl items from BRS, I typically look at Big Als for sale items such as powerheads.

I have ordered online from. Reefpets (corals) which I would highly recommend. Live aquaria/divers den for corals and fish and would recommend them as well. Also Reef Empire for frags. However I have had mixed feelings with Reef Empire. I have heard good things about Wet Thumb frags. And I always look for different places to get corals and fish online.

 

LIVEAQUARIA.COM ALL THE WAY!!!! It is the best website i have seen around! I have ordered from them a ton of times and never been disapointed!

 

Most of my equipment/dry goods are ordered from Marine Depot, they usually ship same day if I order before 3pm PST, and because I'm local, the package is delivered the next day, even for ground shipping.

I ordered my two tangs from Live Aquaria, and they both arrived very fat and healthy. The hippo came down with ich, but that's due to stress of shipping, nothing LA can do about that...

 

I've never had issues with Liveaquaria in the past for livestock, though this time around with this tank I've not bought any livestock online, I used to buy almost exclusively online, mostly from them.

For live rock, I really can't say enough about vividaquariums.com. Their pics don't do their rock justice at all, and with one e-mail I got exactly the size & shape of rocks that I wanted.