Vienna Aquarium in Leesburg

[John]

Saw a new LFS in Leesburg...Vienna Aquarium...I didn't have time to stop in, has anyone checked them out?

 

http://viennaaquarium.com/

[MBVette]

Someone was just telling me a about this place today. Has anyone been there?

[nbgen12]

Hopefully they are better than they were when the store was in vienna.....the guy who runs it was always unfriendly, items were overpriced, and the fish never looked as healthy as most other lfs's. Im sure with a fresh location maybe they are going for a fresh start and changing their ways.<br /><br />Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2<br />

Edited October 18, 2012 by nbgen12

[TonyD]

I've been there. Stopped by the summer. Place is similar to BRK in which they have koi fish also. Their saltwater fish and corals were overpriced, didn't look healthy. Their stock were very common, meaning Petco probably had better selections. Their lighting over the fish and corals are from the PAR38 bulbs mounted really high from the ceiling. Surprised any light reached the corals at all. It was very dark.

[nbgen12]

I guess they havent changed much.....

 

Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2

[zygote2k]

that's too bad to hear about them.

way back in the day, they had this little hole in the wall pet store next to 7-11 on 123. They had lots of interesting fish and corals too. It was a mom and pop shop and their son worked there. When they moved to the warehouse district down the street, they became a big fish and coral store with birds and koi too. They had one of the nicest display tanks with big clams.

Marine Scene opened and put a hurtin on them and it seemed like they just couldn't keep up with the demands of competition.

[Origami]

I've been there. Stopped by the summer. Place is similar to BRK in which they have koi fish also. Their saltwater fish and corals were overpriced, didn't look healthy. Their stock were very common, meaning Petco probably had better selections. Their lighting over the fish and corals are from the PAR38 bulbs mounted really high from the ceiling. Surprised any light reached the corals at all. It was very dark.

Hi Tony. Haven't seen much of you lately.

 

I've been driving by that place each time I'm on Catoctin Circle and have been meaning to just drop in and take a look. I just haven't managed to do that, though. I'm sorry to hear that it didn't look all that good.

 

Does anybody know how long they've been there? It just seems like they popped up in that location a few months ago as I didn't notice them before.

[Huly]

Origami

 

This is the place we told you about that we have had some bad advice from. Being new to this it might just be that or they are very old school. Not sure.

 

A few things we encountered was their SW selection is limited, they use strips to test water, their salinity in SW is low (want to say 1.022), sold us wrong stuff for certain issues (the bacteria stuff for the Tang), wrong identification on items, etc

 

Once again we are new to this so it could be just us.

 

 

[Chad]

I didn't know they were there... although I don't make it out that way in a car very often.

 

Either way, they are not on our LFS map... we should fix that. Tom, who has edit abilities for that map?

[F&Fmgr]

they are great for business, everyone that goes there has come to my store with issues, which I readily help them to correct. Once the customers have success, they buy livestock from me....like I said, Ive actually seen an increase in business since they opened lol

[Chad]

^lol, good for you, Sean, that's awesome!

 

[AOberheim]

I manage the ProFeed pet supply store on Maple Ave about 500 yards from where Vienna aquarium use to be on Mill St in Vienna. Petco opened up last November right across the street from my store, but I think it took a bigger toll on them than me.

A bad location, rude staff, and minimal selection definitely all played a part as well, I don't know why they would open back up with with the same business model if they plan to continue to try to make a profit.

 

I believe it was in January that they closed the doors in Vienna and about Early march that they opened up out in Leesburg.

[Origami]

Origami

 

This is the place we told you about that we have had some bad advice from. Being new to this it might just be that or they are very old school. Not sure.

 

A few things we encountered was their SW selection is limited, they use strips to test water, their salinity in SW is low (want to say 1.022), sold us wrong stuff for certain issues (the bacteria stuff for the Tang), wrong identification on items, etc

 

Once again we are new to this so it could be just us.

I doubt if it's just you, Huly. Thanks for cluing us in.

 

they are great for business, everyone that goes there has come to my store with issues, which I readily help them to correct. Once the customers have success, they buy livestock from me....like I said, Ive actually seen an increase in business since they opened lol

The increase is not because of them, Sean, but YOU! Glad to hear things are picking up.

[Huly]

they are great for business, everyone that goes there has come to my store with issues, which I readily help them to correct. Once the customers have success, they buy livestock from me....like I said, Ive actually seen an increase in business since they opened lol

 

 

LOL that would be us! LOL

[amos]

I have stopped in a couple of times to check it out. It has an open layout with a lot of potential. That being said, they are still fairly green in this new location, and though I did stop in Vienna Aquarium back in Vienna, its been a while and the folks here may be different. I for one, having moved out west, am rooting for them. I've gotten good and bad advice from all the stores - its about the people working their and when you catch them. Fish I've gotten at Petco have stayed with me for years and fish from a "great" LFS have not lasted months. Advice in this hobby has to be taken lightly and test against one's owns experience as their is no silver bullet. Ultimately, a little more competition is good for us all and Leesburg needs a good LFS!

 

Jon