Terrible LFS experience this past weekend

[WillieM96]

I went to a LFS this past weekend (I won't say where) that claimed to be a tropical reef specialist and I was amazed at how clueless this guy was. First off, he had virtually nothing in stock. Second, he tried to tell me that distilled water (which I use in my aquarium) is not nearly as good as RO/DI water- he claimed there is too much dissolved material in distilled water, which absolutely blew my mind. Third, he said that all my fish will die if I continue to use commercial salt (he makes his own). Finally, he said that my Remora Pro is a terrible skimmer and I shouldn't even bother using it. Now, I understand that the Remora is not the best skimmer on the market, but it's pretty darn good. To add to it, he called me ignorant. I know I'm no genius, but I do have a biology degree from a very good school and what he was telling me was spitting in the face of some pretty good science. I wanted to punch him but I just turned around and left.

[zhenya]

Hi Willie,

Sorry you had to endure such strong opinions from an LFS owner...you are not alone in this and most hobbyists come in contact with such people, at least once.
All I can say is that you did the right thing by leaving the store without incident... ;)
And, not all LFS owners/employees are clueless or ignorant, some are pretty darn good businessman and a true hobbyists. You just have to look around more, ask your local club(if you have one locally) members where they shop.

[WillieM96]

I didn't mean to say that all LFS owners are this way. I was visiting my in-laws and I wanted to check out a store I had seen on the internet. My LFS down here in Va Beach have been amazing and i have nothing but glowing remarks for them. I just couldn't believe this guy actually had a business and I needed to vent.

[leebca]

Hi Willie. Sorry for the problems. LFSs can often be frustrating. I know that Richmond isn't too close to you, but worth the trip, I think.

I travel to the Dulles, VA area 6 or 8 times a year and have tried to visit one or more VA LFSs now and then. There are some good ones in VA.

There are a couple in the Richmond area worth checking out. One of the ones I thought most impressive was Atlantis Aquariums: http://atlantisva.com/

I reviewed their store and this is what I had to say of them:
This is an all marine store. It has an impressive livestock of specimens (fish and corals) from all over the planet. The store is clean and neat and the help is knowledgeable. You will find pricing reasonable and sometimes a bargain. They seem to care about their livestock and want to help the aquarist succeed. They receive multiple shipments each week so check in at the store often to see what is new and available

Good luck!