Prices in the US & UK

[Mermaids Purse]

What do you Reeflanders think of the prices you have to pay ?, Everyday things that you need to run a Reef, things like Salts,Buffers, additives, Fillters, Sumps, and all this other supper doupper stuff that seems to come onto the market every other week.
Is it just me that thinks that i'm being ripped of by paying $/£100 for skimmers or filters and different typs of media that are said to do this and that and dont really do anything at all. I cannot really justify paying loads of $s or £s for things that amount to no more than bits of plastic that must only cost cents or pence to make. are the LFS and producers of this stuff taking advantage of this new born hobby? or is it really that costly to produce.
I could spend $50-$100 a week for my tank here in the UK and have very little to show for it.
I know that the shipment of live stock can be costly but that not what I'm asking, I know that I might be opening a can of worms with some of the LFS and sponsors but there are times that I just think that we pay through the nose .
I'm sorry about the spelling
Regards to All
DM

[Minh Nguyen]

This is hardly a new born hobby. That is why you can save alot of money doing things yourself. Know what you need and know the products before you buy it. There are lots os cheaper cheaper products that one can use that is not produce for Reeftank and will work just as well and much, much cheaper.

[Ninong]

In the UK, you pay a lot more than we do for livestock and you have much less to choose from. The one advantage that you do have is that you pay less for German products, such as high-end German lighting fixtures and top-of-the-line skimmers, etc., than we do.

[Mermaids Purse]

Hi NINH NGUYEN,
Thanks for the reply, perhaps I should not have said new born, but here in the UK it seems to have taken off in a big way over the last couple of years.
Nearly all the LFS no seem to stock things and live stock for the reefer more so than before. The point I was trying to make was, do you think that the prices that some of these products are sold at are value for money. I have looked at some of these skimmers and Nitrate filters and the likes of that are on sale and they seem far to costly for the amount of workmanship that has gone into it .IMO some if not most of the suppliers or makers of these things here in the UK are taking us for a ride with the prices they charge knowing that this great hobby and my passion is growing more and more.
Thanks for your reply
Keep in touch
DM

[Mermaids Purse]

I can live with the price of livestock, because I know the price of air freight is very high, but its well worth it when you see some of the great corals that are now coming into the UK from overseas.
Its the stuff like carbon, Phos remover, Salts and other everyday things that seem to be costly, I have just paid £30 ( not sure in $ about $50 ?) for some Phos remover to combat Hair Algae Antiphos Fe which I think is a lot of money for something that is only an Iron Based product weighing a few grams.
Thanks for reply
DM

[adtravels]

hi
new to the forum usually operate on rc
I am british and live in bangkok i have a tank and all livestock and most equipment is a fraction on the price of the UK it really crippled me in england to run a tank but here it is a joy but you cant legally keep nems, sps, clams (but can get them of course, i dont) so it has its drawbacks.

ehiem and aquamadic stuff does cost more here though but you can get cheap alternatives that do the job i love it but know one day i will have to return so hope the equipment comes down in price as with others I dont mind paying for live stock as it makes you care more and value it more

acouple of egs to get your mouth watering
ocellaris 80 baht £1.10
true percs wild caught pair 1200 baht £18
zoos large piece (upturned soupbowl) 300 baht £4.50
coral beauty 300 baht £4.50
the list goes on

[Reefland]

Hi adtravels,

[Mermaids Purse]

Hi Adtravel,
STOP!STOP!, your making me green with envy at the prices you pay, like you sais your going to notice a difference when u return to the UK.
One good thing about living in Bangkok is the fact that really your not allowed to keep Nems, I have noticed here in the UK that neally all of the LFS dont keep them in there display tanks, I think I know the reason why its because they wont survive long in our tanks and are not really happy some do be most will die after a short time, but most of these LFS dont really care about that they will sell them just to make money charging £30-£60 for Nems.
IMO the best place for these lovely animals is in the reefs where they came from .
Thanks For Reply
DM