Is My Lfs Crazy?

[afishdude]

I just got done browsing through the LFS this morning and noticed a sign by the fish tanks. It read "To return fish you must have a water sample and the perimeters MUST read: Ammonia- 0ppm, Nitrite- 0ppm, Nitrate: 20ppm, PH 7.0"

Who has a ph of exactly 7 and a nitrate level of exactly 20?

Is this just a way to say they have a money back guarantee but not have to honor it?

 

[doktor doris]

I was thinking perhaps the sign says at or under the following parameters, but that cannot apply to pH.

And what fish actually like perfectly neutral?

My Angels, tetras, etc like acid ,my cichlids like alkaline, I don't know any that like pH7.

mind you, perhaps they added the nitrate requirment to stop people using water out of their tap.

But even so our tanks should be 0, 0, and 0.

So yes, those rules make no sense.
Go in again and ask, Iam intrigued.

cheerio
doris

 

[kribensis12]

Umm, that sounds VERY strict. I would follow almost all the water quality rules except my pH is 8.6 !

 

[meguro]

Considering they would probably test the water from the bag the fish that you're trying to return are in, it is an impossible return policy. Let alone the uninformed nitrate and pH requirement, yet strangely no mention of hardness or other water parameters.

 

[arobinson1984]

I'd like to see what they would say if customers went in and said they would only buy fish from there if all the shops tanks had the same results

Andy

 

[mooey65]

I'd like to see what they would say if customers went in and said they would only buy fish from there if all the shops tanks had the same results

Andy

Hmm I mite go it to my LFS 2mo and do this just for the hell of it.

 

[afishdude]

I asked and they said "We use this rule to make sure the tank was not the cause of the fish's death"

 

[sic0198]

.

 

[afishdude]

I'm 100% positive. And the "must" was all caps and bold on the sign.

The only thing I can think of is that their tanks have those perimeters. Next time I go in there I'm going to take a container and take a scoop of their water and ask them to 'test my water' for me. If they tell me what to do to 'fix' it, I'm going to listen to what they say and then tell them they just tested their own water. Maybe they will take down the sign then.

 

[sic0198]

LOL Do that!

But what if in the off chance it comes out that the water is exactly as the sign says? It look like this is a way for them to sway they offer a return policy but chances are they'd never have to honor it.

I think they have to have a return policy by law.

 

[Cdarmychi]

the chances of a shop with a central filtration having those results are slim,.....and im sure the op can select a nice and dirty smelling/looking tank to try with that idea...maybe hunt out a dead fish or two in there tanks and use that water? lol....please do this, if only because i cant do it myself....that sign would soooo get me kicked out.

Sakura

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Didn't read through the other posts, but they may only accept water with a pH of 7, because that's what it is out of the tap at the store? If it is different in your home aquarium, and you hadn't properly acclimatised the fish you bought, there is a chance of them dying. I am not sure how closely they would follow this rule though, at my store the manager allows people to get replacements on fish even if there showing ammonia and/or nitrites, he tells us to just educate them on the nitrogen cycle, and give them a store credit after to pick up the fish after the problem is solved.

 

[Super Dude]

Sweet! be sure this lfs isn't important to you, cuz you could be banned from it.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Considering they would probably test the water from the bag the fish that you're trying to return are in, it is an impossible return policy. Let alone the uninformed nitrate and pH requirement, yet strangely no mention of hardness or other water parameters.

It is required for most LFS with a return policy, to bring a separate water sample...

 

[meguro]

Well in that case you could simply cheat and give them bottled spring water or something. As they have next to no way of knowing if it is from your tank or not.