Lost faith in my new LFS

[Sorrell]

I got a reccomendation for a LFS that's only 45 minutes from my house (the next one is 75 miles) so i was so excited. Well, i decided to give them a call today to ask about my tank that I switched to sand and to find out if I would have to recycle, or if I would just have a little spike.
Here's our conversation:
me: Hi, i just changed my tank from gravel to sand B)
her: oh so you're going salt?
me: no, I just wanted more of a natural look because it's planted and I thought it's look nice
herh...ok
me: I was wondering if you reccommend keeping it cycled with fish or just ammonia?
her:Why would you add ammonia?
me: To keep it cycled for the next week before I can get my new fish
her: But adding ammonia will kill your fish
me: But there aren't any fish in there
her:Well are you going to add fish eventually?
me: Yeah
her: Then they'll die
me: ok, thanks for your help
her: No problem

Well, looks like I'll be driving the extra thirty miles still. Oh well...

 

[canarsie11]

That was sad and hilariuos at the sametime!

When I first started out i want to a fish store:


LFS: May I help you
me: Just looking I am nervous about my cycling my tank, I will be starting this weekend!

LFS: Talk to jimmy he is the store expert!

Me : Okay
Me : Hey Jimmy they said u are the manto talk to about cycling a tank!

Jimmy/LFS: Well thats easy just make sure the water is the same temperture, before you put water back in, cause it can kill your fish.

Me: Thanks for the advice (have not been back since)

 

[Sorrell]

I called another store later today, and this time I approached it by asking what they can tell me about fishless cycling. He said you can't cycle a tank without fish and then he was silent. "ok thanks bye"
You'd think of all people they would keep on on their research.

 

[Sky042]

they have no idea that you can fishless cycle. the one guy told me that adding ammonia would eventually kill the fish I'd add at the end because the chemical wouldn't get filtered out. I asked him what he thought fish waste was composed of. He told me ammonia. then muttered something about not adding chemicals to the tank.

 

[vantgE]

from what i hear fishless cycle is very new in the hobby about 2 years old only and non-internet people most likely haven't heard of it, give the lfs a chance i say go cxheck it out jus cause one person did not know what you mean over the phone doesn't mean there bad my lfs is great, but when i asked about synodontis catfish they said they had lot's when i got there they had non but i still like the store youn got tff to teach you about fishles cycles

 

[wuvmybetta]

My lfs is awesome and I had to explain a fishless cycle to them, as vant said, it's a fairly new concept. A lot of old time hobbyist know pretty much all they thought there was to know but they're usually very open minded about hearing new things.

 

[Shizat]

I have never had one customer tell me that they have cycled their tank using the fishless cycling with ammonia in my 3 years. Its probably the best way to cycle a tank but it just hasn't caught on yet.

 

[CatLover]

Is fishless cycling really all that new? I always thought it was the only safe/proper way to cycle a tank. Actually I didn't know about cycling WITH fish until I read about it here.
So the concept isn't new, it just didn't become well known until recently I guess.

 

[vantgE]

yeah i don't know how to cycle with fish either but i have heard on other forums people asking about it at the lfs and getting no info, but i'm not quite sure how new it is

 

[Bol]

Its probably the best way to cycle a tank but it just hasn't caught on yet.

And, in my opinion, it probably won't.

It would be a tough sell convincing Joe Average that it's worth it to keep your new tank completely empty of fish for 4-8 weeks, rather than distress or kill a few danios. In fact, as you can see by reading differing opinions on forums, it's even a tough sell convincing Joe Well-Informed of that.

Add to that the apparently growing market of live bacteria products, and frankly, I don't think fishless cycling will catch on much at all, in the mainstream.

 

[Fishstix]

Most of the LFS' i've been to in my area only know about Bio-Spira for new tanks. If you mention fishless cycling you'll get a blank look!!!

 

[Sorrell]

I agree that it's not worth it to ditch a good store simply because they don't know about fishless cycling. What I found most shocking is that she couldn't figure out why I would have sand substrate in a freshwater tank. I also admit I didn't appreciate being laughed at when I told her I was going to add ammonia to keep the tank cycled.

 

[J_acon]

I bet most of the guys at the LFS know about Fishless Cycling, But if you do a fishless cycled that means you won't be buying FISH.

 

[clutterydrawer]

If I had a policy of only shopping at an lfs who knew stuff about fish, I'd never get any fish at all. when I rule the world I'm going to make people take a special exam before they can work in a fish shop.

 

[annieka]

I only go to a specialysed aquariumshop...no more petshops with fish for me.
All the people in those stores (in my neighborhood) know nothing about fish and good fish keeping.

They sell people sick fish, advise wrong fish combinations and don't know the first thing about water chemistry. People like that shouldn' t be allowed to sell fish! The even sold a lungfish and said that it wouldn't get bigger than 50 cm...those things can grow up to 2 meter!!!
I can get so angry about things like than...not that it changes anything..

So to avoid being pissed off al the time and to get good fish I never go there anymore.