Guest PowderBrown January 29, 2006 Share January 29, 2006 We at Wally's Aquarium have been working hard to upgrade the marine department. We have been searching out new livestock distributors and improving our systems and selections (especially corals!!). We now carry an improved line of hardware including CPR refugia and skimmers and the very cool CoraLife 150W MH clip-on light for those who do not want to hang a halide from their ceiling. In addition, we have some of the best supplemnts available including DT's phytoplankton, Cyclopeze zooplankton, Selcon, Kent Garlic Guard, and a selection of the Ocean Nutrition frozen cubes (including the Variety Pack). We have reworked our coral tanks and are in the process of installing a new 180 for corals. Please stop by and check out the improvements. We think that we have come a long way and there is much more in the works over the next few months. We want to be a regular hangout for all the Wamas members and their friends. Please stop by and talk to Tom, Tony, Seth, David, Greg, Kathy, or one of our other team members. We will be glad to help you with any problems or questions you might be having. Our hours are: Monday-Saturday 10-8:30 Sunday 11-5:30 See you soon!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadgets January 29, 2006 Share January 29, 2006 Do u guys offer a WAMAS Member discount? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kragon January 29, 2006 Share January 29, 2006 Great, we appreciate the note! So, lastnight I took a trip to see you. I was looking for a new pump, a few buckets of salt, tests...etc. When I started talking with the guys (young kid and older guy) behind the counter they informed me and I quote: "The owner hates WAMAS, we appreciate your business but please don't talk about WAMAS, show your membership card (for a possible discount)" .... "Feel free to take it up with the owner or go somewhere else". Now while sometimes you get a guy with bad feelings, there were two of them there (one who looked like a manager) telling me the same thing! Long story short, I only walked out with a pad I badly needed and red slime remover only. I'd prefer to take the much longer trip to Blue Ribbon Koi where he respects reef freaks like me and the organization I prefer to join! Enjoy your new store. Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller January 29, 2006 Share January 29, 2006 Will you be carrying live foods like brine or black worms? I go around the corner from you for that since they do do a nice job keeping it in good shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwildman January 29, 2006 Share January 29, 2006 That is a fine way to start a "New Era". Why post here if the Management and Ownership of Wally's "hates Wamas"? I will let my money talk on this one John Great, we appreciate the note! So, lastnight I took a trip to see you. I was looking for a new pump, a few buckets of salt, tests...etc. When I started talking with the guys (young kid and older guy) behind the counter they informed me and I quote: "The owner hates WAMAS, we appreciate your business but please don't talk about WAMAS, show your membership card (for a possible discount)" .... "Feel free to take it up with the owner or go somewhere else". Now while sometimes you get a guy with bad feelings, there were two of them there (one who looked like a manager) telling me the same thing! Long story short, I only walked out with a pad I badly needed and red slime remover only. I'd prefer to take the much longer trip to Blue Ribbon Koi where he respects reef freaks like me and the organization I prefer to join! Enjoy your new store. Ryan 51480[/snapback] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin January 30, 2006 Share January 30, 2006 I talked to Tom, the owner, about WAMAS over some time. He wanted to start posting here on the website and improving his marine department. He hired a person to over see the improvment of the health and display of marine fish and corals. They look much better and the person is interested in the health and welfare of the live stock, a major improvement over times past. I shop there and will continue to. Wally's is a step up from Super Pets and is close by my house. Now, the Marine scene is still king of healthy fish and BLK is next or equal plus plumbing, but are a long way from my house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PowderBrown January 30, 2006 Share January 30, 2006 Do u guys offer a WAMAS Member discount? 51479[/snapback] We are in the process of working on this and possibly a social or some other WAMAS events. Check the vendor page occasionally and I will keep you apprised as we go forward. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PowderBrown January 30, 2006 Share January 30, 2006 Great, we appreciate the note! So, lastnight I took a trip to see you. I was looking for a new pump, a few buckets of salt, tests...etc. When I started talking with the guys (young kid and older guy) behind the counter they informed me and I quote: "The owner hates WAMAS, we appreciate your business but please don't talk about WAMAS, show your membership card (for a possible discount)" .... "Feel free to take it up with the owner or go somewhere else". Now while sometimes you get a guy with bad feelings, there were two of them there (one who looked like a manager) telling me the same thing! Long story short, I only walked out with a pad I badly needed and red slime remover only. I'd prefer to take the much longer trip to Blue Ribbon Koi where he respects reef freaks like me and the organization I prefer to join! Enjoy your new store. Ryan 51480[/snapback] Hi Kragon: I am the new guy that was hired to work on the systems and help people out with setup and problems. I was actually in the store when this conversation happened. I actually was talking to my wife about it this evening at dinner. I told her that I couldn't believe how stupid people can be...that you never know who you might be talking to. And, look who he was talking to!! (BTW, the older guy is not a manager....) Anyway, the kid that you spoke to has a fairly normal adolescent chip on his shoulder. I spoke to him about what he said right after you left anbd I'm sure there is more to come once the owner finds out about these posts. All I can say is that I/we have been working very hard to bring Wally's up to a standard that reefers in the area will be confident in. The owner is a business man, like all retail owners, and wants very much to get the store to a high calibre. He does not hate WAMAS. As a matter of fact, one of our primary goals from the beginning of this project was to ask whether we could host one of your socials, once we think we have the store where we want it. As I said in the post, we want to become a place you guys love to stop by and see what is new. Please stop by again when I'm there (Tuesday, Friday, Sunday) and we can chat about what we have planned, etc. I apologize for what the kid said...but what are you going to do?? Take care, Greg (PowderBrown) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PowderBrown January 30, 2006 Share January 30, 2006 That is a fine way to start a "New Era". Why post here if the Management and Ownership of Wally's "hates Wamas"? I will let my money talk on this one John 51485[/snapback] Yeah, this is unfortunate, but please see my reply to Ryan...that about sums it up for me , I think. People think what they think...it doesn't mean its based in reality. Take care, Greg (PowderBrown) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PowderBrown January 30, 2006 Share January 30, 2006 Will you be carrying live foods like brine or black worms? I go around the corner from you for that since they do do a nice job keeping it in good shape. 51481[/snapback] We always have live brine and feeders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller January 30, 2006 Share January 30, 2006 We always have live brine and feeders. 51513[/snapback] Great, I'll stop in over the next few days with Howard and give a second opinion. I thought you didn't carry LBS or didn't used to. Thanks for posting and is the owners name Wally? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ne0eN January 30, 2006 Share January 30, 2006 Just to add one more comment about Wally's... It was one of their emplyees that a year ago told me about WAMAS on-line forum which in turn has revived my interest in my salt water aquarium. For that I thank you Wally's! Good luck and looking forward to seeing your progress! -Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quazi January 30, 2006 Share January 30, 2006 I am very glad to hear that Wally's is improving their store. They have a good fresh water dept and GREAT tank prices. I have not been there in a while, and look forward to coming by soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadgets January 31, 2006 Share January 31, 2006 I went to Wally's today to see the store and it looks nice, but not much in corals or fish. I suppose the will recieve a new shipment this week.They had pretty good prices on tanks so I bought another 75 gallon to play around with. I will be going there again later this week and give an update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craby January 31, 2006 Share January 31, 2006 I have Wally's to thank for getting me into the SW hobby. I bought my 1st tank (6 gallon Eclipse) from there 3 years ago & if it weren't for them, I might not have ever taken the leap. Thank you Wally's & glad to hear of the improvements. Keep it up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cash56 February 1, 2006 Share February 1, 2006 I personally have been shopping at Wally's for years, since before the renovation, and I have to say that in all honesty the store look much better than it ever has. Both salt and the fresh-water stocks are larger and in better health than they used to be. The reef tanks also look way beter than before too. Wally's still looks real shabby from the outside thogh(the sign in particular). Keep up the good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco February 1, 2006 Share February 1, 2006 That's great Cash, and welcome to WAMAS. How'd you find us at WAMAS? Maybe as start on a new foot we could talk our new friends into donating a gift certificate to the raffle at the winter meeting. sending an email to officers@wamas.org I bet would get their info to the right people. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve G February 1, 2006 Share February 1, 2006 I bought another 75 gallon to play around with. 51605[/snapback] I love that! I'll drop that line on my wife just to get her reaction. Is Wally's officially the closest saltwater LFS to DC proper besides Tropical Lagoon? I live near Companion Pets on U St. and their dry goods are ancient and overpriced and they keep banker's hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin February 1, 2006 Share February 1, 2006 I don't know if its the closest, but straight down 14th-395 to little river exit is easy. The store on U is fresh water only. I work across the street at the Third District and stopped in one day. Not to mention the rude staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadgets February 1, 2006 Share February 1, 2006 I love that! I'll drop that line on my wife just to get her reaction. Is Wally's officially the closest saltwater LFS to DC proper besides Tropical Lagoon? I live near Companion Pets on U St. and their dry goods are ancient and overpriced and they keep banker's hours. 51780[/snapback] Wallys is pretty close no more than 15-20minutes away depending on traffic. You can also try Congressional Aquarium in Rockville, MD It's about 10 minutes from tropical Lagoon (They are more expensive though). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ridley February 2, 2006 Share February 2, 2006 Wallys is pretty close no more than 15-20minutes away depending on traffic. You can also try Congressional Aquarium in Rockville, MD It's about 10 minutes from tropical Lagoon (They are more expensive though). 51815[/snapback] I do not know about others experiences with Congressional, but I must say they have some of the most sickly looking fish I have ever seen which would explain some of their prices. Very inexpensive fish, but you had better be prepared for illness to follow in short order. Very friendly staff, but my last visit suggested a serious problem with ich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edwardj February 2, 2006 Share February 2, 2006 I do not know about others experiences with Congressional, but I must say they have some of the most sickly looking fish I have ever seen which would explain some of their prices. Very inexpensive fish, but you had better be prepared for illness to follow in short order. Very friendly staff, but my last visit suggested a serious problem with ich. 51869[/snapback] I'm only 6 months into this, with a 95g. Since the beginning, the guys at Wally's have been quite helpful. I ended up getting my tank from Glass cages, after returning a 75g I bought at Wally's. They took it back no questions asked. At the time, I had been shopping for tanks, and they had the best prices in the area. I had to get a 3' long tank - a compromise with the wife. I've received so much good advice from these guys - albeit the younger staff wasn't quite as knowleldgeable, they all seemed to have a good attitude and didn't try to BS me. I too heard about WAMAS from a guy at Wally's. Edwardj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dzekunoi February 2, 2006 Share February 2, 2006 Wallys is pretty close no more than 15-20minutes away depending on traffic. You can also try Congressional Aquarium in Rockville, MD It's about 10 minutes from tropical Lagoon (They are more expensive though). 51815[/snapback] I have mixed experiance with Congressional. Some people there are great, some are not. In my freshwater times they sold me very sick fish :( And yes, they are a bit on expensive side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Stearns February 3, 2006 Share February 3, 2006 I have been stopping in at Wally's for over two years- they were very close on my way from work- I have tried on several occasions to get them to just post our meeting flyer with no luck. I can say thier Marine stock has improved significantly over time. They are far from the best priced or qurantined, and you must know what you are doing. Some sales folks in there will sell you anything with little regard for what can be kept together or stocked in a mixed reef or with regards to compatability. Until they can say WAMAS discount with a straight face, I will use them only for emegency convieniece supplies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest goblinshark February 3, 2006 Share February 3, 2006 yea, i too have had mixed experiance with congressional, ive been shoppin there for 8 years. And i must say as a far as freshwater goes theyre pretty good,but saltwater....lets jus say a head of xenia i could get off the free tble at a wamas meeting goes for about 30-40$there! I have also bought fish from them, none have died due ot disease...it was do to giant killer green britle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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