Reefkeeper new to chicago.

[Merkur]

Hello fellow reefers. i've been a member here at reefs.org for quite some time. a couple years ago i got my reef set-up and stable with much help from the bbs and the excellent community that makes it happen. that was back in Dallas. well, a couple weeks ago i sold the contents of my 90 gallon to a Dallas reefer, loaded everything up and moved to chicago.

i'm now settled in and i've begun rebuilding my system. after a couple years of corosion and a couple years of learning experience i'm having a blast restoring and rebuilding everything. of course, this means i'll need to pick up a couple of new items.

other than re-introducing myself to reefs.org, i would like to say hello to the chicago reefers, maybe we can do some frag trading in the future or frag selling to get me restarted. the biggest question i have is, where are the local reef stores at? for both livestock and hardware. i mail order a good bit, but its always nice to know a place that you can just head on over to.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey there, even though I'm pretty much a newb to this site I'd like to say welcome back. There seem to be more Chicago reefers than just about anywhere else in the States, I've noticed. First one comes to mind is M.E. Milz, but that damned lawyer seems to be MIA on us. :?

Color me green! :mrgreen:

 

[goofyreefer]

Where are you located in the Chicago area? HAve you set up your system yet? What are your plans? softy tank? SPS? LPS? Welcome to Chicago. There are some good stores around.

 

[reefNewbie]

Im at school now, but I live in Glen Ellyn IL. I would be interested if any of the fellow chicago reefers know of any good stores!

 

[sedgro]

Hi Merkur-

There are many, many stores in the Chicagoland area. My favorites:

Rare fish and Inverts (but pricey): Old Town Aqaurium near North and Wells; Living Sea Aquarium in Park Ridge (even more pricey IMO); Pet Paradise in Downers Grove (by far the best deals on rare fish).

Best deals: Scotts in Westchester - go there late Thursday (they get their shipments Thursday am) or early Friday for the best selection - all corals including some amazing wild Acro colonies are $40 (doesn't matter which); Coral Reef Aquarium in Noridge (most corals also are $40); Reefdweller on North Lincoln Ave - Menard is a great guy and usually has very fair prices; Spalsh of Life - out in Elburn but usually has good frags

Avoid: Aquarium World on Lincoln - laughable prices, poor quality livestock

Try this link for a complete listing and some opinions:

http://fins.actwin.com/dir/stores.php?c=1&r=27


Sedgro

 

[Merkur]

Thanks for the info guys! i'll walk over and check out old town on my way home from work. i love over near Grand and N May, the wife and i got a nice large loft that we are thrilled about.

about the tank: its a 90gallon non-reef ready that i'm about read to drill. over two years with the lifereef overflows was enough. it will be primarily SPS with a bit of LPS and a couple clams. i plan to only keep 3-5 fish depending on what i settle on. lighting is 400w MHLD, 2x6500k and 1x20,000k with ETSS skimmer/sump, CSL pumps and i'm about ready to start building a calcium reactor. i'm currenty hot and heavy rebuilding the system. i think i'll order rock in about a months time. my last setup had a refigium which i totally loved, however i don't know if i will have room to do that this time. we'll see.

uh oh, i think i'm going to have to ask that ago old problematic question....

any southdown in town? haha. i just had to ask ya know...

 

[Merkur]

i was just looking through that list (and duh, old town is not walking distance really), could anybody tell me the closest places to either jackson/dearborn or n may/grand? specificlly i need to pick up some bulkhead fittings.

 

[John_Brandt]

i was just looking through that list (and duh, old town is not walking distance really), could anybody tell me the closest places to either jackson/dearborn or n may/grand? specificlly i need to pick up some bulkhead fittings.

Merkur,

Welcome to Chicago!

Your closest store is Old Town Aquarium. There are no aquarium shops in the downtown/Loop area. Although OTA is always worth the visit, you should call first if getting those bulkheads is critical.

John Brandt

MASNA
MAC
CMAS-Chicago

 

[criccio]

Some others out in the 'burbs are Petland in Naperville which has a very nice selection and Tropi-Quatics in Lombard, so-so. I don't recommend the Glen Ellyn Pet Center, but since you're so close you you'll probably drop in anyway. I do agree with Scotts being one of the better places. Almost forgot Advanced Aquatics and Beyond the Reef in Schaumburg. Splash of Life is a little far but worth the drive, he frags anything for you.

 

[reefNewbie]

glen ellyn pet is a rip off! plus the fish are almost always sick. Tropiquatics i agree is pretty nice and the owner is great.

 

[goofyreefer]

I stopped by Beyond the Reef earlier today and I told myself when i left that I wouldn't come back. The corals there do not look very healthy #1 the prices are pretty high IMO on par with if not higher than Living Sea. He had a couple purple tangs which just looked awful and were priced @ $120.00+. The thing that really annoyed me was that the store has a really strong cigarette smell. He should go have a smoke outside the store not in it but that's just my opinion.

 

[jbash]

Welcome to Chicago Merkur!
CMAS (Chicagoland Marine Aquarium Society) has a poll right now about favorite fish stores on its disccussion forum (which really lives on ReefCentral but is accessible through http://www.cmas.net

Of course we also have monthly meetings and members get discounts at many (most?) LFSs. Tomorrow, Saturday 4/19, is this months meeting and "The Puffer Queen" is coming to town to talk about puffer fish. Details on the web site and in the Announcement forums of Reefs.org and ReefCentral.
The IMAC organizer will also be there and is still looking for a few club members to help in exchange for free registration (I don't know details).

Visitors are welcome at meetings (we won't make you pay $15 dues so feel free to stop by if you are interested. Meeting is at 1pm at Schaumburg Public Library. Directions on the web site.

BTW, meeting, newsletter and membership info on website is current, some other parts are missing or terribly out of date awaiting our new webmaster...

jim b

 

[Poor Man]

Hi Jbash,

Just read your post, I moved to Naperville on 4/6 and will probably set up a 15g nano until we move into a house (approx Nov). My 90g setup is at http://www.mindspear.com/reef . Bummer, as I had the 90 crated in NY and it made it ok, but then the maintenance guys went into my garage by accident and tossed it, and my MH lighting into the dumpster!! Luckily I saved the lighting, but the tank was gone. They are, however, replacing it.

I am interested in joining the group you mentioned above, and I'll visit the website.

One last note, I used to be a member of this board a long time ago, but I quit posting here after I got flamed for wanting to use concrete rock in my tank. Hopefully people are a bit more opened minded now.

 

[jbash]

poorman-
Welcome to Chicago. Bummer about your 90 but sounds like you are getting a new one so maybe it comes out OK. Of course if it were me I'd try to get something larger Can't you tell them it was a 150 they threw out?

Hope to see you at IMAC or CMAS meetings. (You are aware that IMAC is here in Chicago in 2 weeks, right? CMAS is not sponsor, but many of us will be there).

I promise to only flame gently if I disagree I think it is too bad when anyone is run off by rude posts.

jim b

 

[Merkur]

Well i'll tell you what, now that i've begun to "get in the loop" it is appearing that chicago is a darn good town to be a reefer. i'll definity have to get involved with the MAS group (i was in dallas for a time, and it was great) and i'll have to see about the IMAC.

FWIW: if you see a white guy and his paki wife at the IMAC wearing matching Mountaneering parka's, that would be me, please say howdy

------

okay, now back to business. hopefully this thread gets some more traffic so i don't have to start a new one. i absolutly MUST KNOW who around town can drill my glass tank. its a 90g AGA and thier is no way i'm suffering through another couple years with siphon overflows!!! they never failed on me, but its still a PITA!!!

[aside] i'm tired of drinking tank water whist restarting the siphon, and i'm dreading having to talk my wife through it when i'm out of town climbing. OMG, can you hear it? "you leave for three weeks to go to yosemiti and climb that goshdarn (haha) el cap again and this is my reward??". [/aside].

i'm willing and able to do it myself.... but i'm getting a bit of testicular shrinkage thinking about all that glass breaking. so its only at a last ditch effort that i'll try (try..... hahaha, its like "trying" to rapell) it myself.

not to mention, i would expect to pay about the less for the drilling then i would for a diamond bit. $144.99 at champion lighting!!! ahk!!

 

[goofyreefer]

Well I can't help you with a place to drill your tank but here's a link to a place where you can get your own bit.

http://www.shopsmartxpress.com/AmeriGls/W9.htm

 

[John_Brandt]

Oakton Glass & Mirror
921 E. Oakton
Des Plaines, IL.
(847) 299-7919

Ask for John as he is the owner.


John Brandt

MASNA
MAC
CMAS-Chicago

 

[Tangy1]

J Frank Glass on Clyborn and Fullerton is in the city and they drilled my tank. They actually cracked my 55, because it was a tempered glass panel. But they glued in a new panel with a hole in it. It was pretty cheap too. $15-20.

 

[Merkur]

no kidding... sweet. thanks for the info!!

 

[jbash]

I've used J Frank but there is a place over in Logan Square that will drill for $5 a hole. That info came from Paul Kolinda and I think someone else (Jeff?) mentioned a place also that was $5 a hole. There was a recent thread on the CMAS discussion forum (reefcentral).

Sorry I don't have names and addresses handy.

jim b