Question

[Tyler777]

Does anybody knows how petsmarts tanks are always looking so crystal clear ?

And how come their fishes look so healthy n happy without a bubbler in the tanks ?

 

[Colin_T]

Their tanks might be connected to each other and an external filter (recirculating system). Then all you see is two pipes in the back of the tank (one for draining water out and the other for filling it back up).

 

[JackGulley]

Their tanks might be connected to each other and an external filter (recirculating system). Then all you see is two pipes in the back of the tank (one for draining water out and the other for filling it back up).

This. My dad works there so I’ve seen it. All the water is effectively one big tank so it’s hard for anything to pollute it.

 

[Archerfish]

Yep, they use a manifold system. They have someone go in before opening time to remove any dead or sick fish. That way, everything looks clean. @GaryE mentioned this in one of his recent posts.

 

[Essjay]

And how come their fishes look so healthy n happy without a bubbler in the tanks ?

Bubblers are to please the fish keeper. They do very little to make a fish 'healthy and happy'. Many of us don't have any form of bubblers, from air stones to venturis.

 

[FishyD]

Does anybody knows how petsmarts tanks are always looking so crystal clear ?

And how come their fishes look so healthy n happy without a bubbler in the tanks ?

If everyone is doing their job they net out the "less happy" fish though out the day. They are surely using a water polisher on their centralized water system, so at the least the water should look clean, and consistent from tank to tank.

 

[Tyler777]

Their tanks might be connected to each other and an external filter (recirculating system). Then all you see is two pipes in the back of the tank (one for draining water out and the other for filling it back up).

O think I saw pipes in the corner of their tanks

 

[Naughts]

They are surely using a water polisher on their centralized water system, so at the least the water should look clean

No need for a water polisher as the water is changed regularly. Clean water looks clean.

 

[Archerfish]

Well...clear (clean) water doesn't mean quality water. My friend had a shop and wrestled with all sorts of challenges. The pipes you noticed were overflow pipes that fed water back into the manifold (central) system. But the central filter system didn't clear the many tanks of dead fish that had to be manually removed several times daily. In this case, the absence of a 'bubbler' or any visible filter inside each tank is irreverent. Do you have an aquarium club or locally owned tropical fish shop nearby?

 

[FishyD]

Well...clear (clean) water doesn't mean quality water. My friend had a shop and wrestled with all sorts of challenges. The pipes you noticed were overflow pipes that fed water back into the manifold (central) system. But the central filter system didn't clear the many tanks of dead fish that had to be manually removed several times daily. In this case, the absence of a 'bubbler' or any visible filter inside each tank is irreverent. Do you have an aquarium club or locally owned tropical fish shop nearby?

That was my thought. Locally, my Petco is much worse than PetsMart, but I suspect most everything they sell was mishandled before they ever even received it at the store. There are dead fish in tanks always. That's unfortunat,e but all you can buy there safely is substrate etc.

 

[gwand]

Yep, they use a manifold system. They have someone go in before opening time to remove any dead or sick fish. That way, everything looks clean. @GaryE mentioned this in one of his recent posts.

My PetSmart always has dead fish in some of their tanks. It’s terrible. I never buy livestock from them.

 

[FishyD]

My PetSmart always has dead fish in some of their tanks. It’s terrible. I never buy livestock from them.

That's a good strategy. They are buying the cheapest stock they can find, and there may or may not be sufficient store staff to even try to keep the tanks clear of casualties.

 

[Tyler777]

Well...clear (clean) water doesn't mean quality water. My friend had a shop and wrestled with all sorts of challenges. The pipes you noticed were overflow pipes that fed water back into the manifold (central) system. But the central filter system didn't clear the many tanks of dead fish that had to be manually removed several times daily. In this case, the absence of a 'bubbler' or any visible filter inside each tank is irreverent. Do you have an aquarium club or locally owned tropical fish shop nearby?

There is one like 15 mins away

 

[Tyler777]

That's a good strategy. They are buying the cheapest stock they can find, and there may or may not be sufficient store staff to even try to keep the tanks clear of casualties.

I noticed that many times when u ask those kids working at persmart when u ask em a question they just go n read the labels that shows me how trained n knowledgeable those kids are

 

[FishyD]

I noticed that many times when u ask those kids working at persmart when u ask em a question they just go n read the labels that shows me how trained n knowledgeable those kids are

Same as Autozone. Unless something changed since the Covid worker shortage, it's hard to find a job that pays less. High turnover, and the training is surely very brief. Also, most retail chains have cut floor staffing anyway so you are lucky if anyone is even assigned to the dept that day. I bought a few plants and it was hard.