well, since i was off this week, and keep hearing the hooplah about this place, i packed up the wife and kids and hit the road this morning. and the only reason i feel the need to write this post is not at all to discern anyone from going, but to give u guys a little better insight on what to expect. honestly, that fish place is bigger. maybe we r just used to the size of baltimore… i dunno. but after what turned out to be closer to 5 and a half hour trip (traffic and 1 potty stop) we got there around 12. the displays were fantastic! dont get me wrong! but we watched the show, AND did the bahind the scenes tour, covered the entire place in a little over 2 hours. (the tour was 45 min by itself) and the tour is nothing that any of us would be interested in. if u own a reef tank… u already know everything thats gonna be covered on the tour. we just viewed 4 of the displays from above and discussed the difference in lighting 2 marine tanks, and the difference in filtration between a salt versus a fresh tank. (protein skimmer) wasnt allowed in the pump rooms (which were under us) nor were we allowed to see what goes on in the big reef display… all in all, if it was a local place, it was a nice little trip for the kids. the touch tanks r always cool, and kids always love big sharks. but nowhere near the size of baltimore OR camden. and unfortunately… i really hate to say it… but i think i am more impressed with the display tank when u leave tfp. simply my 2 pennies… nothing more. just dont want anyone else to expect a dynamic national aquarium and be let down, especially after such an exhausting ride. a 20,000 gallon reef is indeed a sight to behold nonetheless.
Bj: while you were there I stopped in the store…picked up a nice flame angel…when your mom told me you went to LI to see atlantis - I asked her if she could call you …I wanted to tell you to go see country critters-a really nice store , while you were in the area…it probably would have been more interesting than atlantis…
Btw: Joe Yauillo of atlantis used to be at NY aquarium in brooklyn…he had a good job there and a future…someone convinced him to jump ship and go to atlantis . It was the biggest mistake of his life…now he has to hope atlantis stays around long enough for him to retire…
i stopped by adventure aquarium near atlantis. beautiful store, sweet displays and whatnot… kinda reminded me of capt nemos in that respect. ALOT of stock on the floor and the dry good were priced competitively…
First things first. Atlantis is a privately owned aquarium. Of course it isn’t as big as Balitmore, but if you are into reef tanks, you will not see anything like the reef tank at Atlantis in Baltimore or any Northeast city. Quite frankly, the reef tank in Baltimore is disappointing. I for one could look at the reef in Atlantis for some time.
“I wanted to tell you to go see country critters-a really nice store , while you were in the area…it probably would have been more interesting than atlantis…”
WOW!
Having lived on Long Island my whole life, over 50 yrs, I could not disagree with you more. CC is a nice, large, over priced pet store. And should never be compared to a trip to see a 20,000 gal reef tank. Sorry for the flame, but this is my opinion. There are way better fish stores you could have checked out, too bad you didn’t post about your trip b4 hand, could have given you some info.
And Joe happens to be co-founder and co-owner of Atlantis,which has been around for 10 yrs now, and I really don’t believe that he thinks that he made a mistake by leaving the NY Aquarium, which by the way didn’t even have reef tank the last time I was there.
To be honest BJ, ive never heard anything but good things about Atlantis from anyone ever. I think yours is the first “less than good” review ive ever heard.
someone convinced him to jump ship and go to atlantisim pretty sure you have your facts wrong. CORAL magazine did an interview with Joe as well as a write up on Atlantis. Like John said, Joe is a co-founder, and from what i understand, Atlantis was almost his idea exclusively and he was the one shopping it around from the outset.
BJ thanks for the review. I’ve never been and am looking forward to the club trip this summer. It’s nice to not hear glowing rave reviews from everyone as it keeps expectations in check and allows to people to be pleasantly suprised but never dissapointed.
I didn’t watch “The 40 Year Old Virgin” for 2 years because of EVERYONE raving about it being the funniest movie of all time - not becasue I didn’t want to see it but because my expectations were so high I figured I had no chance of not being dissapointed.
Thanks for sharing your opinons and review.
It's nice to not hear glowing rave reviews from everyone as it keeps expectations in check and allows to people to be pleasantly suprised but never dissapointed.
interesting perspective. i guess in a weird way i do the same thing. i dont want to see Avatar because of all the good reviews!
personally i cant wait!!
[quote=“hottuna, post:2, topic:2822”]
someone convinced him to jump ship and go to atlantis . It was the biggest mistake of his life…now he has to hope atlantis stays around long enough for him to retire…[/quote]
Wow. Heard him talk for hours at MACNA about that aquarium like it was his third child.(and his other children helped build some of the exhibits.) Hearing him talk about some of his DIYS projects made every person there jealous as all anything. He has like 6 different types of wave makers… It was an impressive talk including tons of fish spawning videos. They have had some problems with it though. Like the massive corals crushing the rock structure they are mounted to and coming crashing down.
I could be wrong, but I swore he described the partnership as he was the one with the idea and the passion and his partner had the $ to make it happen. Don’t quote me, but I swore he said something along those lines. My memory sucks though especially with names.
I could be wrong, but I swore he described the partnership as he was the one with the idea and the passion and his partner had the $ to make it happen
I think your exactly right Jon. Thats exactly how i remember it as well. I think the other partner was a construction/real estate guy with tons of loot and a hobbyist himself. It was definitely Joe’s dream and if i recall, it was one that wasnt going to happen after having the zoning approval turned down by at least one city.
Whole story is pretty impressive!
Lucky SOBs make a good living working on real reef tanks.
Pretty sure I’m right …I used to fish all the time with Eddie- Joes old boss at ny aquarium who told me the whole story…not to mention Pete P. (ny aq.) who thinks joe made a wrong choice also…
as for houndsbayman : what store on long island has a better selection than country critters ???
I havent lived there for 09 yrs …but keep in contact with Steve (owner)…who tells me nobody’s got him beat so far… Dont tell me that dump that brian used to run in port jeff …I know better…pets wharehouse ? another joke…
I grew up there John…I helped build pets plus in freeport back in the 70’s & the second store in the 80’s…owned part of another store that shall remain nameless in the early 90’s …I know everyone in that scene…
So Joe’s old boss says he made the wrong choice by quiting? Why would he say otherwise?
The owner of an LFS says nobody’s got him beat. Sounds like every single LFS I have ever been in, lol.
If all this info were to be true doesn’t sound like stuff you should be spreading on a public forum.
Just my two cents. :TWOCENTS
Country Critters may have a better selection of corals than any store on the east end of Long Island, but their prices are ridiculous. And if I am not mistaken, someone bought the store a few years ago, a younger kid that use to work a LFS, I heard he got the money from his rich grandmother, but what do I know. As far as fish go and prices on anything for saltwater equipment, you can’t beat Aqua Hut. And there is a new Pets Warehouse in Selden, where not too long ago, I purchased a 160 gal bucket of IO for $35.
I apologize for stirring the pot guys. theres no doubt that the displays are awesome, and the huge reef is a sight to behold. i guess the ride time v.s. entertainment time wasnt the proper ratio for me. (did that make sense?? lol) thats all. but im sure funding something like this takes a HUGE chunk of change, and comparing it to a national aquarium really isnt fair. i simply expected something bigger…
on to note number 2. the lfs in new york are nowhere even close to competing with our lfs here in delaware afa prices are concerned. (not tooting my own horn here… keep reading) but the cost of living is huge compared to here. EVERYTHING is more expensive. so this hobby should be no different folks. for example, i read somewhere that unemployment in ny is around 600 bux a week! delaware is just over 300 after taxes… so what does that tell ya. so u gotta compare apples to apples. compare 2 stores in the same area, rather than one here vs one in new york. especially long island!!!
i gotta say tho, it was my first time seeing a lambo dealer, ferrari dealer, mazzerati dealer, and a bently dealer. things u will never see in little ol delaware! (ok, maybe in the city…) ;D
Houndsbayman: correct…that someone’s name is jonathan- a snot nose kid that one of the owners fell in love with…he only owns 1/8th of the store (in shares) . the real (majority) owner Steve Hornung is still very much in charge of everything …steve and I started working together at pets plus at the tender age of 16…and even though we worked for and owned different competing stores over the 33 yrs I’ve known him - we still remain friends…
The prices at country critters are par for the course -considering his huge overhead to keep that store running,and the fact that most of his customers are from the Hamptons. They got money to burn and he knows it…
Aqua Hut has a reputation for buying the cheapset fish he can find,doesn’t matter if they’re drugged or caught with dynamite in the phillipines - all he cares about is if they are cheap…
you get what u pay for…many people told me that fish they purchased at aquahut died mysteriously in a short period of time…
Steve told me that he doesnt want cheap bargainhunters frequenting his store,he also doesnt cater to reef clubs for the same reason…so houndsbayman , country critters may not be the store for you.
Country critters has also gone through the trouble of creating its own wholesale facility out in california -Run by mike sanfratello ,a former employee…
This way they can cherry pick all the best stuff for their own store as it comes in to LA…
As for yourbucket of I/O - after you drove 250 miles to get it and paid 8.5% sales tax how much did you save over buying it in delaware?
You guys in DRC will enjoy atlantis- especially the 20,00 gal reef tank,and if you choose -the behind the scenes tour as well.Have a great time !!!
If you really think that I drove up to NY just to buy IO, then my condolences. And by the way, I do not live in De., I live in Maryland.
the cost of living is huge compared to here. EVERYTHING is more expensive. so this hobby should be no different folks.
great point!
national aquarium really isnt fair. i simply expected something bigger.....
another good point and one everyone should keep in mind. atlantis is definitely more about quality than quantity!
I just wunt to see the BIG tank! I’m sure i will be amazed.
you and me both!
hey shawn, i just got a sweet idea… the guy that gave the “behind the scenes” tour mentioned to me that if he saw Joe Yauillo walking around he would send him my way. “he loves talking to guys like you” meaning, people with reef tanks themselves. i wonder if someone contacted tham and told tham about the club making a trip up, he might schedule a little time for a small talk and q &a for u guys. THAT would be sweet! and like i said, the guy i spoke with made it seem like joe would be more than willing to take some time and speak with people that he could “level” with… (if that makes any sense) lol