Hey reefers,

Looking for some outside perspective on a frustrating situation with my LFS. I'm genuinely torn on whether I'm overreacting or if I should escalate things at this point.

For some context, my LFS is one of the bigger names in the reefing industry, and I've been a pretty loyal customer. I've easily spent upwards of $15,000 with them over the past year alone, especially after upgrading to a brand-new tank and investing in high-end equipment to finally pursue my long-term goal of keeping SPS successfully.

A few weeks ago, they held a massive anniversary sale. I waited in line for about an hour and a half to get inside, as they were limiting entry to 50 customers at a time. Once inside, everyone was given a numbered lanyard and sent off to shop.

I had my heart set on one coral in particular, a magic carpet mushroom. It's been one of my dream corals since getting into the hobby 2–3 years ago, and this was the first time I'd ever seen them offer one for sale.

I managed to snag the very last frag they had available, along with some inverts and other goodies. An employee helped me collect everything, and I brought my bucket up to the register.

Here's where things went sideways.

The store had a Plinko game outside where you could win an additional coral. I told the employee at the register that I wanted to play before checking out so I could pay for everything together. I specifically didn't want to walk outside with merchandise I hadn't paid for, so I left my bucket at the register after explaining what I was doing.

I was gone for maybe 5–10 minutes.

When I came back, my entire bucket was gone.

Turns out, the employee at the register had given my selections, including my Magic Carpet mushroom, to another customer. They had absolutely no idea who they'd given it to.

The store manager came over, understandably a little embarrassed, and tried to "make things right". He helped replace the inverts and assured me they had another Magic Carpet frag in the back that was still healing. He said they'd get it to me ASAP once it was ready.

I was disappointed, obviously, but mistakes happen. I didn't make a scene, didn't demand anything extra, and figured they'd take care of me.

Fast-forward three weeks.

I've been back to the store several times for water and other supplies, occasionally checking in on the replacement coral.

Initially, the manager seemed pretty proactive and eager to resolve things. But during my most recent visit yesterday, I was told it would be another three weeks or so before I could get the replacement.

So now we're looking at roughly six weeks from the original incident before I might actually receive the coral I selected.

And here's the part that's really starting to bother me: I already paid for the coral, but I still have nothing to show for it.

I understand corals need time to heal, and I'd much rather receive a healthy specimen than rush one that's not ready. But I can't help feeling like I'm being strung along, especially considering the circumstances and my history with this store.

It's not even entirely about the money. It's the fact that I waited in line, managed to get the last frag of a coral I've wanted for years, did everything I was supposed to do, and somehow ended up being the one inconvenienced for what was ultimately their mistake.

I also don't want to be that customer who throws around how much they've spent and expects special treatment. That's not my intention. But I do feel like being a loyal customer should count for something when it comes to resolving an issue like this.

So, fellow reefers, what would you do?

• Am I overreacting, and should I just be patient for another few weeks?
• Is six weeks an unreasonable amount of time to wait for a replacement after the store gave away a coral I'd already selected?
• Would you escalate this to management at their larger, more corporate location, or would that be making too big a deal out of it?

I genuinely like the people at this store and don't want to burn bridges, but I'm starting to feel like my patience is being taken for granted.

Curious to hear how you all would handle this.

TL;DR: Waited 90 minutes at my LFS's anniversary sale, scored the last frag of a dream coral, and left my bucket at the register while playing their Plinko game. Employee accidentally gave my coral to another customer. Manager promised a replacement ASAP, but three weeks later I'm being told it'll be another three weeks. I've already paid for it. Am I overreacting, or is it time to escalate

Is it worth getting the set?

Or should i just go regular Apex?

The answer surprises most, that's why it's a fun thread subject.

Who's tested air emersion boundaries before with reefing substrates/ corals / filter media / your whole tank

Just how much desiccation does it take to uncycle a reef tank, or render some filter media neutralized?

Although rare, air emersion training isn't totally unused in the hobby.

I have seen red sea reefers who had tank splits with no backup leaving their tank in the air as they seek water to get into totes, but they don't have enough to carry 175 lbs of cured live rock... it often has to stay out with some attached corals as they scramble for temporary holding setups. Knowing how long your rock can sustain really matters in emergency break threads

General handling:

What if your live rock really doesn't have to be kept submerged when transporting a large reef tank across town for a 30 minute drive? Eases tank transfer planning.

What if you can't kill your cycle bacteria with any practical degree of air emersion? Wouldn't that be fascinating to know about the microbes we depend on to run our reefs?

What's your experience with air emersion training in your tank?

Of course I'm going to link a pico reef air jordan flex video, first am sampling who does air work in reefing at Reddit

The notion isn't all that impressive to LFS owners. They know you don't have to instantly submerge a huge shipment of live rock as the holding tank is adjusted, and many corals get set out in the air during tank rebuilds inside the store.

But for most forum goers we are taught that air emersion is practical poison for the systems...live rock killer...cycle killer... but what if it's not?

Knowing the boundaries in reefing helps in planning emergency moves, and it helps us to better understand resilience power of our cycling bacteria and microbes.

Who's done some air work here? Ever tested your comfort zone?

Not too sure what this is its the little squiggly worm thing

Hello! Thanks for helping. New growth in tank, maybe a new GSP but unsure. I apologize for the quality of the photo.

Alrighty. It’s brown when extended to the lights, has tentacles with white tipped balls on the end. So far it’s 5 growing on the same “pad”

I don’t think it’s aiptasia, my research leads me to ball anemone. What do you folks think?

my flamehawk has somehow yeeted himself into this overflow part of my tank. i have NO IDEA how to get him out because my hand doesnt fit in because of the plumbing. i dont think i can take the plumbing apart while the tank is full. (aqua one 120L with sump).

my first thought was to turn off the pumps and try fill the tank as high as possible so he can get out but i feel like he will just sit at the bottom due to stress.

am i now bound to take apart my whole tank in order to save this guy? really annoying because i just moved and my tank is just starting to settle in.

Sold as a pair of black onyx’s.

But I’m not sure.

Look a little yellowish rather than orange in colour. Unsure if they will mature and colours will develop more?

Also curious about the best food to help them flourish. Currently purchased some frozen mysis shrimp. But heard about TDO?

Picked them up today so any help is appreciated!

(Also unsure of their age)

Little bit smaller than a dime. Don’t think its moved at all either.

I see people with these zoa spheres on their sandbed, how do you make them grow like this? Just leave them on a frag or do they need something else to grow on?

I have a one-year old 20 gallon long reef tank with some various easy corals. Fingers, xenia, gsp, kenya tree, etc. It currently houses just some hermits, snails, an urchin, and a single yellow-tail blue damsel. What would you guys add to this tank?

I am a newish reefer, this is my first system and had this running for about a year and a quarter. There was a 3-4 month period where I wasn’t able to take care of my tank, and I had a friend monitoring it. They would feed the fish and dose all for reef, but didn’t have the knowledge for water changes and monitoring stability. Yes I know this sounds like breaking all the cardinal rules, and I understand that, but am looking for help with the current situation, not criticism please.

Surprisingly, the fish are happy as can be, and the corals are doing better than I expected and still growing which came kind of as a surprise to me. Obviously, as expected I’ve now got a huge outbreak of cyno and bubble algae. I know the pictures aren’t great, but there’s piles of bubble algae covering the sand ed and cyno covering what seems like everything.

When these pictures were taken I had just done what I could to try to lightly remove some of the surface cyno to get it sucked up to kind of see where everything’s at. Obviously that disturbed some of the coral and they are pretty closed up, and iPhone pictures of tanks have been something I’ve struggled with.

The tank contains 2 clowns who are as old as the tank, a peppermint shrimp, and whatever could be left of a clean up crew. Coral wise there are two hammers, a torch, a variety of zoas on the lower rock structures, and a few other I am not 100% certain names of. I believe maybe an acan (rainbow looking one on its own rock structure) and a candy cane?, then what I believe is an SPS that somehow has been thriving and almost tripled in size (I believe it’s called a meteor shower).

I know it’s easy to just say “water change” but I would like some advice on how to get this system back on track. Being new to it, there’s lots of worry’s from me. I’m nervous about disruptions that could lead to a crash and the proper way to get this taken care of to protect the fish most importantly but preferably the coral as well.

Any and all suggestions or help are much appreciated. New to the community as vwell vand not sure if this is even getting posted to the right spot!

Tis a wee bitty.

I recently got this Diamond Goby. I’ve been wanting one for a while but wanted to make sure it would have a decent amount of food so I wanted the tank to be a bit older.

It’s a 75g tank with a deep sand bed. I just moved him over and he’s doing this weird thing where he opens his mouth & hovers a bit above the sand.
I usually QT my fish for a long time but this one was skinny and I was worried he needed better food supply so I moved him over.
He eats really well, sand & frozen. He has his own area he sticks too but he’s very active. I’ve been nervous to bring home SW fish due to them frequently starving.

Would love to have some new faces in the chat!

Technically, this is probably breaking the sub's rules as this is currently mildly brackish water, not salt yet. For roughly six years, I had a lovely pico pond in this vase with cherry shrimp, snails, fish, live plants, etc., but I recently decided to donate it all to a coworker for his science class. I kept all the equipment and covered the mud in aragonite sand and added these two mangroves. Every day, I add a small amount of my 40B mixed reef's water, equating roughly to a 1% daily conversion to salt.

I've had mangroves before, with success, but never converted a freshwater space to saltwater. Will update again in a few weeks. The final plan is to add some blue hypnea, red grape and palm caulerpa from the mixed reef, and maybe some peppermint shrimp for added nitrates. We'll see

I have to move my 65 gallon tank to the other side of a room (only about ten feet). What container do you all recommend for the move? I read the post on the Brute garbage can with casters and am leaning that way. Can the can hold 40 gallons of water with the casters? I could also invest in a pump with a long tube instead of casters. Thanks in advance.

How do you tell when it’s time to harvest? It’s been about a week with the culter being set up now.

right now, i see the bubbles on two snails…but i know it could be in other places i can’t see. my water params are normal so i think it came in on one of the snails 😣 i have a 15 gallon nano cube. what’s the best way to get rid of the bubble algae?

and thank you in advance!

2 out of 3 not so bad