BRK guy ticking me off

[WallyBackm]

Not to pile on, but Oz is a good salesman. As someone above mentioned, he gives you space and has never had the holier-than-thou, i know more than you type personality that afflicts so many in this hobby in any of my dealings with him.

[stevearlen]

I've been to BRK 3 times, it was the first LFS I found out about around here and it's about a 30 minute drive. It's a really great store, and most of the staff are VERY helpfull, especially the new guy that started working thre maybe 3-4 weeks ago. But one of them, I don't know his name, he has long hair in lochs and is african-american. I've had to deal with him twice out of three times and he pays no attention to me, treats me like a kid (which i guess I am.... im 14, but not that stupid ) that isn't going to understand anything he says so he doesn't fully explain anything to me. And my mom who usually comes with me pretty much doesn't understand anything about aquarium keeping so she tends to ask a lot of questions which I don't mind her doing necessarily, but this guy completely blows her off and is really abrupt.

 

I know it is "partially" my fault for not doing enough research, but I got my pistol shrimp and watchman goby pair from BRK and he was the one "helping" me, I clearly (or so I thought) explained to him that I didn't think my nitrates and pH would be alright for an invertebrate (pH-7.8 and Nitrate-80-160) and he very distractedly just kept on just nodding and saying it was fine. So I got them, this was about 5 weeks ago, and the pH and nitrates haven't changed much since then but it didn't bother me because he told me it was fine. then my shrimp died about 2 weeks ago for "unexplained" reasons, but after more research, I now know why... go figure.... I have now started to get the pH and nitrates under control though.

 

Now I shop at marine scene which is closer but more expensive however I am willing to spend the extra money because they are very helpfull and at the very least do a good job of pretending to listen to a "stupid, low attention span, ignorant kid"

 

sorry for ranting, but this guy has really ticked me off and ruined any possible good experience I could have had at this place.

 

Frankly, I wish I had you level of maturity when I was 14!

Welcome to WAMAS.

I'm sure things will improve with you tank.

Stick with it.

 

Steve

[L8 2 RISE]

I'm moving the discusion on my water chemistry to a thread entitled "Water Chemistry Issues"

 

Frankly, I wish I had you level of maturity when I was 14!

Welcome to WAMAS.

I'm sure things will improve with you tank.

Stick with it.

 

Steve

 

 

thanks!

Edited May 21, 2008 by L8 2 RISE

[davelin315]

I have always found Oz to be very patient (I usually end up there with 2 or 3 of my daughters who decide it's time to terrorize the store and break everyone's ear drums while they're there. I think that when I leave everyone has decided that they don't want to have kids of their own! Anyway, be happy that you didn't get that other guy - Byron! He's a real piece of work!

[lanman]

I've been doing 1-2 gallon water changes in a twelve gallon tank daily and it's not making a lot of a difference. they are now at 40ppm so I'm going to start doing 3-4 gallon water changes daily until they sort themselves out.

 

Okay - basic lesson in the law of diminishing returns...

 

If you have 40 nitrates, and change 10% of your water, exchanging water with ZERO nitrates, you reduce your nitrates by 4. If you then change 10%, you reduce your nitrates by 3.6. As you have less and less nitrates, a 10% water change makes less of a difference each time.

 

On the other hand - a 25% water change will reduce your nitrates by ... well, 25%. If you have 40 nitrates and do a 50% water change, you are down to 20 in a flash. Of course - then you have to figure out how to keep them there!

 

bob

 

I kind of feel like I started hear on the wrong foot and want to make that better, I feel that some people have gotten the wrong impression of me and I don't want it to be that way, I can assure you (at least I think ) that I am in no way an arogant, disrespectful, impatiant and unlistening person. I really want advice and help with this hobby, and I think I really need it. I just found this sight otherwise, you would've heard from me about the nitrates, shrimp and puffer way before this. In support of BRK, I probably will go back there every once in a while, but I have found several LFS's that are closer and more convenient for me, so it may not be untill later this summer. I thought I clearly explained to Oz that my nitrates were high, and thought the reply he had given me of just a distracted nod was just the way he was which I didn't mind, it may well have been that he didn't hear me or I didn't make myself clear and I did see him help another older cusomer whos tank had just been infected with ick while I was there and he was being veryfriendly and helpful to the man, so I dont know what it was . As for the prior research part (in my defence ) I went to BRK planning on getting a firefish or some other very simple first time starter fish. When I explained to Chris and Oz what I wanted, they both suggested I get the watchman goby/shrimp pair, so I spent a little more time looking around and "spoke" to Oz about my nitrates and "thought" he said it was fine so decided to go with it. I probably should have done more research on these fish once I got home, but I didn't and I will agree with you that that was my faust entirely, but I went to BRK with an idea of what I wanted that I knew at least a little about, as well as wanting a little advice. I ended leaving with a completely different set of animals then I expected (which Im not saying is a bad thing) that I thought I had good advice about. As for the puffer fish, I in no way want to cause it any harm or pain and am the last person ever to consciously do that, I did learn from other people in this, because as I said, this fish was recomended to me by multiple people on another forum. I will defineltly double think the puffer. As far as the star goes, I did actually see it take the arms off of the star, and I have seen it eating several of the small (little bit under dime size) stars around my tank(i forgot what they're called )

 

I'm sorry for any wrong impressions I've made and hope to be a productive member of this community .

 

Sam

BTW: my nitrates are down to 15

 

Any chance that Oz was jealous of your hair??

 

Some of the best reef-keepers in this club avoid puffers because they are such messy eaters, and people just plain end up with too much waste for the system to handle well.

 

Glad to hear you're getting the nitrates under control.

 

bob

[reefmontalvo]

I found BRK after hours of research on the net brought me to WAMAS. With that I used to go to Centreville Aquariums, let say to be a prifessional I rather spend my cash with people that are not tryn to sell me the entire store and then clain to have the lowest prices. Now Ozzie is my boy a very knowledgable guy and a very huge asset to Johnny and the whole of BRK. I agree with everybody here with age comes maturity and sometimes it best to pick and choose your battles. I'm sorry but that is just my $.02 cents and I hope you have better luck with this hobby.

[L8 2 RISE]

Okay - basic lesson in the law of diminishing returns...

 

If you have 40 nitrates, and change 10% of your water, exchanging water with ZERO nitrates, you reduce your nitrates by 4. If you then change 10%, you reduce your nitrates by 3.6. As you have less and less nitrates, a 10% water change makes less of a difference each time.

 

On the other hand - a 25% water change will reduce your nitrates by ... well, 25%. If you have 40 nitrates and do a 50% water change, you are down to 20 in a flash. Of course - then you have to figure out how to keep them there!

 

oh.... That actually makes a lot of sense

Any chance that Oz was jealous of your hair??

 

Some of the best reef-keepers in this club avoid puffers because they are such messy eaters, and people just plain end up with too much waste for the system to handle well.

 

Glad to hear you're getting the nitrates under control.

 

bob

 

LOL

 

I found BRK after hours of research on the net brought me to WAMAS. With that I used to go to Centreville Aquariums, let say to be a prifessional I rather spend my cash with people that are not tryn to sell me the entire store and then clain to have the lowest prices. Now Ozzie is my boy a very knowledgable guy and a very huge asset to Johnny and the whole of BRK. I agree with everybody here with age comes maturity and sometimes it best to pick and choose your battles. I'm sorry but that is just my $.02 cents and I hope you have better luck with this hobby.

 

 

Not trying to be rude here, but I think I've got the point that Oz is a good guy, and I already new that BRK was a great place, I dont need the same stuff repeated, I was expressing my comment in the "VENDOR EXPERIENCE" FORUM and my experience with Oz was not very enjoyable even if you take out the "wrong advice on the shrimp" part, my experience with him was NOT enjoyable.

 

I am not trying to start a "battle" here, I am expressing my vendor experience[/i][/b] nothing more, nothing less. Honestly I am getting tired of the same retorical stuff being said over and over again, I tried to hold my tongue, but COME ON..............give it a rest

 

 

I'm sorry if that sounded rude or out of turn and I'm not just pointing the finger at you, reefmontalvo, you just happened to make the wrong post at the wrong time , I'm just expressing my fealings here, and this stuff is getting pretty retorical .

 

sorry,

Sam

[YBeNormal]

I agree. This thread has pretty much run it's course so I am going to close it now. If anyone has serious heartburn about this decision or fels tht they have something substantial to add to the thread, please contact me via PM.