I've been a reef hobbyist for 4 yrs now and I just moved to the springs from south Florida 8 mos ago.I constantly shop around and buy frags, i cant help myself, i love it. It seems as tho there are some mixed reviews here and many reviews that think complainers are competitors. Well I am here to give you the whole truth. There were only four coral stores in town when i moved here: seascape, Neptune, fishy business, and Mr aqua. While fishy business has gone completely down hill and the frag tanks are covered in algae, disgusting. He manages to keep a small but nice assortment of zoos. Neptune's Realm was a great store that would give freebies away all the time, unfortunately they recently closed. Mr aqua has constantly been the best store in town, coral wise, display wise, knowledge wise and friendly, he is all around the best shop by far.
Then there's seascape aquatics which even myself have mixed review of it. I'm not gonna say anything or confirm the cigarettes or alcohol as i haven't noticed an issue with Jim and if i did i would not care. The issue I do have with Jim specifically is that his shop is the closest to me in town so I go there around 2 times a week, so I've been there at least a hundred times since I've moved into town and spent easily hundreds of dollars there. Jim has rung me up dozens of times and is always there, yet has never said a simple hello or hi or have a good day or anything at all!!!! My issue is if Jim does not want to be there which he clearly doesn't want to be, then go home. His wife and employee and the other hand are much nicer. His wife has had Jim rub off on her over the years and is quite stubborn herself but still much nicer then Jim. Both the onwers get quite agitated if you ask to many questions. The older women who works there is a joy, she is polite and will stop whatever she is doing to help you.
And now for the odd part of the reviews to explain. The reason there are mixed reviews is not because there are competitors posting on here. It happens because Jim for some reason takes to some people really well. Often I will go into the store and Jim is having fun talking reef stuff with a customer, and it seems like a good atmosphere. But it's just one of the few customers he likes for some reason. Everyone else he ignores and is just an overall unpleasant man to be around. The really odd thing is I probably spend more money there then 80% of their customers yet Jim doesn't think it's a good idea to say hello to me or even be a nice guy instead of blah i really have to help you again. I continue to shop there because the only two shops in town are them and Mr aqua, and disgusting fishy business.
In conclusion I don't think seascape aquatics is a horrible store. The older woman is great. I really just have a problem with the rudeness of Jim and sometimes his wife and that might just be her demeanor. Other then that they do get nice corals and fish.
I hope you found my review helpful and unbiased as I try to be. And if you still think I'm a competitor then your probably unpleasant too and just stubborn.
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