Where Do You Get Your Supplies?

[Ltygress]

Thanks to yesterday's news of a pending windfall, I'm finally about to set up the 100G tank for the fish I've always wanted.

But as of today I have absolutely NOTHING but a tank. Thankfully it has a label on the bottom saying it came from glasscages.com, so I know where to look for the stand, hoods, and canopy to fit it perfectly.

What I don't have, is EVERYTHING ELSE! I'll need filters, lights, heaters, thermometers, gravel, water changer hose (buckets are fine when you only have 10G tanks), plants, extra slate rock, extra large sizes of medications and water testing equipment, and a larger net or two.

This is a lot to be purchasing at once. I'll have money to spend on it, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to over-pay for anything.

So what are some online or catalog retailers you're aware of? Please do NOT suggest Drs Foster and Smith because I know from owning parrots that they are indeed way overpriced! I used to know of a few about 15 years ago, but can't recall names at all.

Wide selection is important. I'm HOPING to buy everything from one place to save on shipping. But if one item is just stupidly cheap from somewhere else, I'll take that into consideration.

If you think Petsmart, Petco, or even Walmart may have a cheaper version, I can do that too (as long as it's nothing LIVING from them). If you think I can get it all cheap through Amazon, I'll try that too.

So where do you get YOUR equipment?

 

[RobRocksFishTank]

I've had good luck with sales at PetCo and PetSmart. Harder to find items were gotten on Amazon. I got PFS at a local pool store, cheap.

 

[Baccus]

I would try Ebay, do a search for new items and often pet supply retailers will have a page you can shop through.

 

[Ltygress]

Rob, I actually just went back on my own word. I have a Drs Foster and Smith catalog, and went online to petsmart.com to compare prices. Either Drs. Foster and Smith joined the competitive price gang, or Petsmart's prices went way up. Both companies had about the same price on many items. And I'll need to look up reviews on the JBJ UV canister filter now...

Baccus, I'll give that a try. I started avoiding eBay YEARS ago when it went so far into commercial retail that individual sellers got lost. But it may be a good place for FINDING those retailers now.

 

[DrRob]

What I don't have, is EVERYTHING ELSE! I'll need filters, lights, heaters, thermometers, gravel, water changer hose (buckets are fine when you only have 10G tanks), plants, extra slate rock, extra large sizes of medications and water testing equipment, and a larger net or two.

 
Filters are indeed more expensive for bigger tanks, but it's worth getting something easy to clean that can keep up with demand.
 
Lights can be remarkably cheap if you stay simple with fluorescent tubes, particularly if you get cheap daylight ones from places like Home Depot.
 
Gravel and slate rock can often come from garden supply places, generally pond stuff is far cheaper than aquarium stuff.
 
Plants can be grown on from cuttings if you're patient and don't need to cost the earth.
 
I have no idea why you'd need larger quantities of testing kit, they all test a small sample from the tank, the sample size being the same regardless of the size of the tank.
 
As for medications, personally I don't bother to keep any in, and sink the money into having a better filter, so you're far less likely to need any.

 

[Ltygress]

 
Filters are indeed more expensive for bigger tanks, but it's worth getting something easy to clean that can keep up with demand.

I do plan to go for high quality. I just don't want to pay $350 for a specific filter in one location when I can get the same brand and model for $250 elsewhere. Same goes with pretty much everything else.
 

Lights can be remarkably cheap if you stay simple with fluorescent tubes, particularly if you get cheap daylight ones from places like Home Depot.

Probably will. I need to order the canopy first to figure out exactly how I will be able to secure them, then I'll go shopping.
 

Gravel and slate rock can often come from garden supply places, generally pond stuff is far cheaper than aquarium stuff.

Home Depot or Lowes again, actually. $4 for a bag of "pea gravel" and only four bags will add REALLY GOOD substrate depth to the tank. I use it in all of my other aquariums.
 

Plants can be grown on from cuttings if you're patient and don't need to cost the earth.

I have some miniature ones I took from a local pond. I sprayed them really well with tap water for several minutes, and they are in a tank by themselves with an air pump and stone to grow them out. But I do want variety. Found a good source for those though in the review section of these forums.
 

I have no idea why you'd need larger quantities of testing kit, they all test a small sample from the tank, the sample size being the same regardless of the size of the tank.

Not large quantities of those, just more, as in different types. I'll be doing angelfish and discus, and the latter prefers fairly specific water conditions. For example, I don't test water hardness on my current tanks (guppies) but I will for discus.
 

As for medications, personally I don't bother to keep any in, and sink the money into having a better filter, so you're far less likely to need any.

I ALWAYS want to keep some on hand, ESPECIALLY as I'm stocking new tanks. I do quarantine, but there is always the risk of "carrier" fish who have the disease but never show signs. And I don't have enough of anything to treat a full 100 gallons. Should anything get past quarantine at all, I don't want to be rushing to the store in hopes of saving a $200 fish at the last minute. And if the store HAPPENS to be out of stock, I could be screwed. I'd rather be prepared by having it and not need it, than to need it and not be able to get it.

 

[Baccus]

Because different medications can have bad effects on certain fish (tetras and loaches spring to mind), I would wait until you know your intended stocking prior to buying any medications. Hopefully this way you can tailor your medications needed to the species being kept.
Otherwise the best bet is a multicure type medication since most of the common illnesses will be covered by it.

 

[crusader58]

I don't know if you're still looking, but having used Seapets online store I can recommend them, their prices are competitive and service is good. http/www.seapets.co.uk/

 

[DrRob]

Sadly for that the OP is in the USA. I think that their equivalent would probably be Dr Foster and Smith, which they'd already mentioned.

 

[crusader58]

Oops, my mistake...but for anyone in the UK I hope it's of help