Beginner in Phoenix, AZ area looking for good stores

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Hello,

I currently live in Phoenix, AZ and I was wondering if anyone had any
advice about stores locally that have friendly service, knowledge, and
good prices. Please let me know if anyone has had any good
experiences here in the area.

Or if you are looking to sell an old tank, I would be interested.

Thank you,
Matt

[Sidney]

Buy quality components. Buy them one at a time if you must. It is
certainly cheaper in the long run. The Wal-Mart complete setups are a place
to start but, the tank is not that great quality, the stands are terrible
(but they don't fall ;-), and you will find the pumps, heaters, etc. to be
the very minimum level of quality - just enough to keep from killing fish
regularly.

Find a couple of local fish stores near where you live. Buy a tank and
stand there. Buy a really good quality tank and stand first because once
you have it you never replace it. You will spend many hours a week looking
at it so, make sure it is the best quality you can afford (within reason).
I recently purchased a 50 gallon tank for $100. I really like the extra
height and depth of these tanks. A 24 inch tall "show" tank has a lot of
visual appeal for a main living area. The stands run ~$120 to $150 for an
enclosed model (same tank size).

Now, once you recover from that financial outlay, get a good filter and
heater. The Emperor 400 from Marineland is solid starting point and runs
$40 from http://www.bigalsonline.com, add a Rena heater ~$20 from the same
place, some dechlorinator, and fish food you are at ~$80 with shipping. I
like to add a small Tetra DeepWater air pump with a rectangular air stone
(1inch by 6 inch) for those tiny bubbles and the visual appeal and you're
done at about $100.

Now, add the water and let the tank sit about week to cycle through any
"bloom" that might occur. Now you're ready to add a few fish (not more then
4) to get the tank started right. I would suggest viewing all the fish at
several pet stores at least once a week for a couple of weeks before you buy
some. Find fish that are appealing to you and, try to avoid the "Noah's
Ark" syndrome with one or two from each species. Right now I'm into large
groups of schooling Tetra's myself and find their behavior to be much
different in large groups versus isolation in an ocean of many. If you mix
fish, make sure they are compatible (i.e. you are not buying expensive
feeder fish for an aggressive predator in the tank - like Barbs and Neon
Tetra's or similar bad combinations).

> wrote in message
om...
> Hello,
>
> I currently live in Phoenix, AZ and I was wondering if anyone had any
> advice about stores locally that have friendly service, knowledge, and
> good prices. Please let me know if anyone has had any good
> experiences here in the area.
>
> Or if you are looking to sell an old tank, I would be interested.
>
> Thank you,
> Matt
>
>

[T]

Sidney, you do know MarineLand makes the Regent filters for WalMart right?
With a little playing and parts from MarineLand you can convert the Regent
to an Emperor no problems.. My choise of HOT filters is a little different
because of what I prefer and cost related issues ( I use the AC's from the
150 to the 300 because I can make my own filter media mixtures etc, and I
also have foam media for any of these filters in one purchase ). I do agree
with the mat tack particle board stands sold there are not a high qaulity
item and the LFS probably have a better selection of better built units (
unless you want to make one yourself ). You can also check the local Penny
Saver for good deals on tanks.... I bought two 55USG tanks for a mere $50
with a hand built stand that can support both of the tanks... A little
cleaning and they looked new without any leaks. I purchased some of my
filtration off of E bay, at a substainial savings ( these were new units or
units with very little time on them ). take some time and research, research
research, as this hobby will bring a lot of enjoyment for years to
come...IMHO

Tim..


"Sidney" > wrote in message
news:qKjDb.11896$pY.8132@fed1read04...
> Buy quality components. Buy them one at a time if you must. It is
> certainly cheaper in the long run. The Wal-Mart complete setups are a
place
> to start but, the tank is not that great quality, the stands are terrible
> (but they don't fall ;-), and you will find the pumps, heaters, etc. to be
> the very minimum level of quality - just enough to keep from killing fish
> regularly.
>
> Find a couple of local fish stores near where you live. Buy a tank and
> stand there. Buy a really good quality tank and stand first because once
> you have it you never replace it. You will spend many hours a week
looking
> at it so, make sure it is the best quality you can afford (within reason).
> I recently purchased a 50 gallon tank for $100. I really like the extra
> height and depth of these tanks. A 24 inch tall "show" tank has a lot of
> visual appeal for a main living area. The stands run ~$120 to $150 for an
> enclosed model (same tank size).
>
> Now, once you recover from that financial outlay, get a good filter and
> heater. The Emperor 400 from Marineland is solid starting point and runs
> $40 from http://www.bigalsonline.com, add a Rena heater ~$20 from the same
> place, some dechlorinator, and fish food you are at ~$80 with shipping. I
> like to add a small Tetra DeepWater air pump with a rectangular air stone
> (1inch by 6 inch) for those tiny bubbles and the visual appeal and you're
> done at about $100.
>
> Now, add the water and let the tank sit about week to cycle through any
> "bloom" that might occur. Now you're ready to add a few fish (not more
then
> 4) to get the tank started right. I would suggest viewing all the fish at
> several pet stores at least once a week for a couple of weeks before you
buy
> some. Find fish that are appealing to you and, try to avoid the "Noah's
> Ark" syndrome with one or two from each species. Right now I'm into large
> groups of schooling Tetra's myself and find their behavior to be much
> different in large groups versus isolation in an ocean of many. If you
mix
> fish, make sure they are compatible (i.e. you are not buying expensive
> feeder fish for an aggressive predator in the tank - like Barbs and Neon
> Tetra's or similar bad combinations).
>
> > wrote in message
> om...
> > Hello,
> >
> > I currently live in Phoenix, AZ and I was wondering if anyone had any
> > advice about stores locally that have friendly service, knowledge, and
> > good prices. Please let me know if anyone has had any good
> > experiences here in the area.
> >
> > Or if you are looking to sell an old tank, I would be interested.
> >
> > Thank you,
> > Matt
> >
> >
>
>

[Steven S.]

I have the 55g Wal-Mart kit and am so far very satisfied with it. The
heater keeps the temperature stable I have never seen it fluctuate even a
degree. The filter comes with an extension tube for the intake and seems to
work fine plus the pads are very cheap to replace. The tank... I can see in
and it doesn't leak what more do you want? I added and elite 802 pump with
2 air stone ornaments from petsmart to increase oxygenation and generate a
better water flow. The stand holds the tank and doesn't fall or wooble and
looks fairly attractive, that's really all I wanted. My only complaint is
the hood only supports 2 -15 watt tubes no where near enough for plants and
its impossible to adapt. Though all the kits are like that.

"Sidney" > wrote in message
news:qKjDb.11896$pY.8132@fed1read04...
> Buy quality components. Buy them one at a time if you must. It is
> certainly cheaper in the long run. The Wal-Mart complete setups are a
place
> to start but, the tank is not that great quality, the stands are terrible
> (but they don't fall ;-), and you will find the pumps, heaters, etc. to be
> the very minimum level of quality - just enough to keep from killing fish
> regularly.
>
> Find a couple of local fish stores near where you live. Buy a tank and
> stand there. Buy a really good quality tank and stand first because once
> you have it you never replace it. You will spend many hours a week
looking
> at it so, make sure it is the best quality you can afford (within reason).
> I recently purchased a 50 gallon tank for $100. I really like the extra
> height and depth of these tanks. A 24 inch tall "show" tank has a lot of
> visual appeal for a main living area. The stands run ~$120 to $150 for an
> enclosed model (same tank size).
>
> Now, once you recover from that financial outlay, get a good filter and
> heater. The Emperor 400 from Marineland is solid starting point and runs
> $40 from http://www.bigalsonline.com, add a Rena heater ~$20 from the same
> place, some dechlorinator, and fish food you are at ~$80 with shipping. I
> like to add a small Tetra DeepWater air pump with a rectangular air stone
> (1inch by 6 inch) for those tiny bubbles and the visual appeal and you're
> done at about $100.
>
> Now, add the water and let the tank sit about week to cycle through any
> "bloom" that might occur. Now you're ready to add a few fish (not more
then
> 4) to get the tank started right. I would suggest viewing all the fish at
> several pet stores at least once a week for a couple of weeks before you
buy
> some. Find fish that are appealing to you and, try to avoid the "Noah's
> Ark" syndrome with one or two from each species. Right now I'm into large
> groups of schooling Tetra's myself and find their behavior to be much
> different in large groups versus isolation in an ocean of many. If you
mix
> fish, make sure they are compatible (i.e. you are not buying expensive
> feeder fish for an aggressive predator in the tank - like Barbs and Neon
> Tetra's or similar bad combinations).
>
> > wrote in message
> om...
> > Hello,
> >
> > I currently live in Phoenix, AZ and I was wondering if anyone had any
> > advice about stores locally that have friendly service, knowledge, and
> > good prices. Please let me know if anyone has had any good
> > experiences here in the area.
> >
> > Or if you are looking to sell an old tank, I would be interested.
> >
> > Thank you,
> > Matt
> >
> >
>
>

[Sidney]

My heater did in fact fluctuate. A Rena submersible can be placed along the
intake tube which cuts down visual clutter and puts the heater in a good
water circulation path so it heats the entire 4 foot long tank.

For a lightly loaded tank, the Regent filter works. Add more fish and live
plants, it is marginal at best. It does not provide good water circulation
unless placed carefully. I don't like DEAD water in my tank.

The tank holds water and isn't opaque. Great, it meets the minimum
requirement. It is narrow from front to back so, live plants touch both
sides. The plastic surrounds are thicker then some other tanks so, more of
your view is blocked by black plastic. Thin glass does not have the
structural integrity of thicker glass but, my tank has not bowed enough to
leak either.

The stand is not as tall as other standard tank stands. Against a wall with
nothing blocking the view, who cares? It is amazing what 4 inches does in
tank stand height when it is placed in a dining room or living room where
there are other objects that may be between you and the tank.

The hoods are cheap plastic units with weak bulbs. You can upgrade them to
a point. The first time you go from 30W of factory hood light to a pair of
65W PowerCompacts, you will be amazed at the difference in what you can see.

There is no single right or wrong answer. This is just my experience. YMMV

Sid


"Steven S." > wrote in message
news:dyFFb.16764$VB2.37025@attbi_s51...
> I have the 55g Wal-Mart kit and am so far very satisfied with it.
The
> heater keeps the temperature stable I have never seen it fluctuate even a
> degree. The filter comes with an extension tube for the intake and seems
to
> work fine plus the pads are very cheap to replace. The tank... I can see
in
> and it doesn't leak what more do you want? I added and elite 802 pump
with
> 2 air stone ornaments from petsmart to increase oxygenation and generate a
> better water flow. The stand holds the tank and doesn't fall or wooble
and
> looks fairly attractive, that's really all I wanted. My only complaint is
> the hood only supports 2 -15 watt tubes no where near enough for plants
and
> its impossible to adapt. Though all the kits are like that.
>

[james]

In article >,
> wrote:
>
>
>Hello,
>
>I currently live in Phoenix, AZ and I was wondering if anyone had any
>advice about stores locally that have friendly service, knowledge, and
>good prices.

Pets, Inc. in Tempe. Family owned, independent shop. I miss it since
moving to Tucson, but Desert Pets on 22nd St. fills the same niche,
thank goodness.