New to LA... Where are the good shops?

[MedRed]

Hello everyone...

I just moved from Portland, OR. I live in Sherman Oaks, Ca (the Valley) I was wondering... what are the best shops in the my area specifically and in LA? I'm getting close to setting up a nano reef again. Also... is there a cool group to join in the area? Here's a pic of my tank in Portland... I miss it :-(

http://i31.*******.com/2pqqpgo.jpg

[bullitr]

Vividaquarium are close to you!

[ryshark]

You're lucky, you live close to Vivid Aquariums

[rroselavy]

Welcome to Socal!

Vivid is the best in Los Angeles proper, but be sure to make an appointment at fragglereef for better deals on corals. Mark's tropical in studio city is Ok, but a bit too old school. I also hear that Age of Aquariums in Signal Hill is pretty nice.

You really have to take the 5 south to fullerton (orange county) to get to the best shops in socal. socaltropicalfish for hardware and amazing reefs and aquariums for corals.

In your area, the San Fernando Valley Reefers club just started up. I am a member, but have not been able to attend any meetings yet.

[MedRed]

Awesome! Thanks! I'm down in the OC atleast once a month. I'll look up Vivid. What are the best shops in the OC?

[562socal]

seaside tropical fish and tongs tropical fish are pretty cool fish stores in the oc.

[MedRed]

Thanks everyone. If anyone has any other good tips, please let me know. I'm overwhelmed with LA. It's so big to try to figure out stores, groups, etc. here.

[bullitr]

To simplify
For any hardware or supply go to socaltropical in Fullerton the owner is Tom great guy !
For frags
go to Ali amazing reef and aquarium in orange owner Ali also a great guy
Vividaquarium in canoga park about 15 minutes away because of the 101 frwy owner Dave very knowledgable

For fish go to rainbow in arleta 5 -10 minutes away from you! Owner is the brother Miguel good guy and Juan I don't like him!

If you want to join the club
There are 2 option
SCRK based in long beach president Tanu
SFVR based in Sherman oaks!
The acting president is Richard


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[Spssteven]

Scrk
Southern California reef keepers meets once a month in long beach at age of aquariums.

Seaside, tongs, and OCA are cool in orange county

If you going to look for sps again check out steve garetts place in costa Mesa!!!! Insane!!!!

So cal tropical fish is awesome in Fullerton.

Vivid is cool near you.

I like your old tank too!

[MedRed]

Thanks so much for the help! and thanks for the comment SPSSteven!

[Spssteven]

If your ever down my way after your tank is up and running I'll hook you up with some frags

[MedRed]

Awesome!

[Lurking]

Look just for Gumbi we stuck it!!!!

[gumbii]

Look just for Gumbi we stuck it!!!!

YAY...!!!

and thanks for contributing to the thread... LOL...





okay... lets see...


age of aquarium (http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&q=age+of+aquarium+long+beach&fb=1&gl=us&hq=age+of+aquarium&hnear=Long+Beach,+CA&cid=0,0,9568392108967948313&ei=YteLTP7aGY2gsQOt09CGBA&ved=0CB0QnwIwAQ&ll=33.805575,-118.16725&spn=0.010038,0.021265&t=h&z=16&iwloc=A) great place, awesome knowledgeable staff, tons of dry goods, huge selection in quality equipment, custom tanks, emergency 24hr service, installations, mobile service, great selection of corals and high quality fish...

reef hot spot (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=reef+hot+spot+saltwater+fish+store&sll=33.976392,-118.267822&sspn=0.306344,0.680466&gl=us&ie=UTF8&hq=reef+hot+spot+saltwater+fish+store&hnear=&ll=33.970983,-118.363266&spn=0.038295,0.085058&t=h&z=14&iwloc=A) is another one of my favorites... they have a great selection of coral frags, some stuff is reasonably priced, some are well, priced at the going shop price... they don't have much fish, but dude... they have all kinds of frags of everything... worth checking out, but it's hidden, and they don't have a gigantor sign like normal LFS...

oc aquatic (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=oc+aquatic&sll=33.970983,-118.363266&sspn=0.038295,0.085058&gl=us&ie=UTF8&hq=oc+aquatic&hnear=&ll=33.67514,-117.950506&spn=0.038428,0.085058&t=h&z=14&iwloc=A) as mentioned earlier in the thread... great selection of fish, and especially corals... lots of LE pieces and the staff there is willing to trade with you... great place for dry goods and equipment as well...

tongs (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tongs+tropical+fish+fountain+valley&sll=33.67514,-117.950506&sspn=0.038428,0.085058&gl=us&ie=UTF8&hq=tongs+tropical+fish&hnear=Fountain+Valley,+Orange,+California&t=h&z=15) in fountain valley... way better than the tong's in whittier... DO NOT GO TO THE TONG'S IN WHITTIER!... anyways... the tong's in fountain valley has everything... tons of frags, nice colonies, i've never got a fish from there... i've heard horror stories about buying fish from there... but you can find some good stuff in that shop...

amazing aquariums and reefs (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=amazing+aquariums+reefs&sll=33.715734,-117.972372&sspn=0.019205,0.042529&gl=us&ie=UTF8&hq=amazing+aquariums+reefs&hnear=&ll=33.82023,-117.836051&spn=0.019182,0.042529&t=h&z=15&iwloc=A) AKA Ali's... great place... super clean, ali is smart, setups are clean, every tank in there is a dream tank (lol), tons of eye candy, good prices, and very rare corals/fish... check him out, he's worth the drive...

carson tropical fish (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Carson+Tropical+Fish,+Hawaiian+Gardens,+CA&sll=33.97867,-118.187828&sspn=0.080143,0.170116&ie=UTF8&hq=Carson+Tropical+Fish,&hnear=Hawaiian+Gardens,+Los+Angeles,+California&ll=33.83408,-118.071849&spn=0.009589,0.021265&t=h&z=16&iwloc=A) is one of my favorite spots... great deals on corals, great prices on fish, he also has used equipment... so if you need like an emergency tank, or pump, whatever... good selection on SPS, LPS and softies... if you like a coral colony he has, he will frag it for you...

bell bird farm (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=bell+bird+farm,+ca&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=39.099308,87.099609&ie=UTF8&hq=bell+bird+farm,&hnear=California&ll=33.97867,-118.187828&spn=0.076584,0.170116&t=h&z=13&iwloc=A) is the closest LFS to me.... also my favorite... incredible price on live stock... everything... from fish, birds, reptiles, coral, whatever... this guy beats anyone... everything is healthy too... but... don't go in there expecting a huge store with frag tanks and displays... he's a small shop... he only has one tank with corals... but sometimes you'll find some gems in there... like colonies of acans, aussie LPS, polyp colonies and other good stuff... he does have some SPS sometimes, but they get picked up fast...

i'll do more later, or keep it going...

[reelfishy]

+1 on vivid and aquarium works in noho is decent on lps.

[MedRed]

wow! thanks for the great responses! I checked out Vivid today. A good selection of corals for sure... a lot of things were pretty pricey though. Does anyone know of a good shop near me that's willing to order things? like ORA corals and fish... Or something like a blue spot jawfish?

[bullitr]

Blue spotted jawfish Rainbow has one for 40 bucks last time I was there!


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[MedRed]

oh wow. that's a cheap price! here's my bluespot the first day i took him home. He was by far my favorite fish. I had to give him away when I moved :-(...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-Xwori3tCE

[rroselavy]

Yeah, VIVID is pricey. They also had a massive aiptasia outbreak in the 800g mother colony tank last time I was there. Not suRe how you deal with an outbreak of that size...

I asked at Vivid once about ordering an ultra derasa, and one of the young guys just brushed me off. Dave's the one to talk to if you are looking for a discount. The more you buy from them, the more he discounts.

You could check with the guys at Aquarium Works about special orders. They are pretty cool guys, and get coral shipments in on Wednesdays iirc.

Reef Hot Spot usually has a decent amount of fish. Call first if you are looking for a BSJ.

[MedRed]

Awesome. I had a really good store in Portland that ordered My Blue spot, ora clowns, ora gobies, pop pom crabs, anemone crabs, porcelain crabs, and a lot of my ORA corals. I usually have specific ideas and a plan when I design a tank. I usually need a good store that's willing to order for me.

[Lurking]

Kyoto Aquarium is in Korea town . It is owned by this tiny little Japanese man who does not believe in skimmers or water changes. He claims they are money making devices. He also says his shop is the oldest in Los Angeles.

I think he lives in the store. It smells bad and the tanks are all full of algea. If you decide you want something from one of the tanks he makes you get it and bag it yourself.

It is fun to go and talk to the guy though as he loves to talk about the industry when underwater gravel filters were the big thing.

[gumbii]

this thread is fayling horribly... i guess i'll make another one and unsticky this one... no one else wants to play right...

[Spssteven]

Someone should change the name to stores in so cal too. This is a super fail sticky

[MedRed]

lol@gumbii. I didn't even know this was a sticky. I've been accessing it through the subscribe feature. I was going to pull the trigger on a 60 XL Solana tonight for $1k, but someone told me I could get a similar starphire tank for cheaper through tong's. I'm not in any hurry. I'll probably end up selling my 34 gallon solana.

[gumbii]

Someone should change the name to stores in so cal too. This is a super fail sticky

did i misspell they...?

lol@gumbii. I didn't even know this was a sticky. I've been accessing it through the subscribe feature. I was going to pull the trigger on a 60 XL Solana tonight for $1k, but someone told me I could get a similar starphire tank for cheaper through tong's. I'm not in any hurry. I'll probably end up selling my 34 gallon solana.

i'll make a different thread later... if the mod's don't mind... we get a "what stores are cool blah blah blah?" like once a month... i keep asking for a sticky, but no one wants to do it... so they stickied this one, but no one here ever reads the entire thread, they just post their opinions...

[Spssteven]

No No mis spell. Just we don't need a new to la what stores here thread, we need a so cal store thread or like you said a what stores are cool blah blah blah thread. Lol

[MedRed]

did i misspell they...?



i'll make a different thread later... if the mod's don't mind... we get a "what stores are cool blah blah blah?" like once a month... i keep asking for a sticky, but no one wants to do it... so they stickied this one, but no one here ever reads the entire thread, they just post their opinions...

I think it would be a fantastic idea to make a thread with a listing of stores like your post... You could even section them off LA, OC, and San Diego.

I will probably continue to ruin this thread with all of my questions. lol

[gumbii]

make a different thread...

[gumbii]

how do we get this one unstickied and the other one stickied...?

[Spssteven]

Done welcome!
And thank you mods

[gumbii]

how do you do that...? lol...


i was going to click on the report a post and ask them to do it... but i don't want to get in trouble...

thx steven...

and thank you mods...! WooT!...

[szwab]

Reporting the post is the quickest way to get a thread stuck or unstuck.
In most cases. :)

[gumbii]

good to know...

but i can't sneeze in this forum without getting a two year infraction... so i'll keep that technical stuff to other members...

[MedRed]

SFVR's website seems broken... what are the sites for the local clubs?

[Spssteven]

Scrk dot org
go there!!

[saleen2881]

age of aquariums best fish store

[saleen2881]

Kyoto Aquarium is in Korea town . It is owned by this tiny little Japanese man who does not believe in skimmers or water changes. He claims they are money making devices. He also says his shop is the oldest in Los Angeles.

I think he lives in the store. It smells bad and the tanks are all full of algea. If you decide you want something from one of the tanks he makes you get it and bag it yourself.

It is fun to go and talk to the guy though as he loves to talk about the industry when underwater gravel filters were the big thing.

yea i think he sleeps on the green coach in the back! i could not belive what i saw when i walked in i went insane!

[MedRed]

I have more questions...

1) what are the best stores for live rock?
2) Does anyone carry dry base rock?

[MedRed]

3) Are there any stores near me (Sherman Oaks) that sell Seachem Aquavitro Salinity Salt?

[rroselavy]

3) Are there any stores near me (Sherman Oaks) that sell Seachem Aquavitro Salinity Salt?

Don't know off hand, but the Seachem dealer locator shows 2 stores near you that may be worth calling. Giant Fish in Encino, and The Aquarium in Culver City.

Seachem Dealer Locator (http://aqua.seachem.com/SDLocator/DealerLocatorStart.php)

-Scott

[rroselavy]

I have more questions...

1) what are the best stores for live rock?
2) Does anyone carry dry base rock?

Best? I got two awesome big pieces (25# and 35#) from Vivid back when it was $5/pound, but now they charge more. They may run in store specials though.

I stopped in at Mark's Tropical yesterday on a lark, and they had Vanuatu (iirc) for $5/pound. I didn't see any large pieces in the tank, and it wasn't a huge tank.

You could also try Aquarium Works since they are pretty close to you. I once saw Aiptasia in their LR vat, but that was a few years ago. Their prices might be pretty reasonable.

[MedRed]

thanks rroselavy

[Spssteven]

Order some macro rock it's all dry but awesome!!!! Check it out

[MedRed]

I just ordered some dry rock from reefcleaners.org. I bought about twice what I need, so I may have some for sale later.

[MedRed]

No luck on calling around for Seachem Aquavitro Salinity Salt. I'm surprised there are no Aqua Vitro dealers in the immediate vicinity. I'm going to see if a regular Seachem dealer can order it for me.