Aquatica Corals and Custom Aquariums

About

http://www.socalireefs.com/index.php?pageid=aquatica

Story

Aquatica opened in August 2012 through the vision of owner Dave West. While in college at BYU studying to get his Construction Management degree, Dave would take time from studying by caring for his saltwater aquarium that his wife Sarah gave as a present. He would visit the Local fish store often and became good friends with everyone at the store. He learned some of the mechanics of running a LFS and the idea of opening a Local fish store came to mind. Sarah, a native of San Diego County, learned of a partnership possibility in a Local fish store. So Dave and Sarah came to San Diego to explore the partnership avenue. Fortunately, that partnership did not work out and Dave decided to open a Local fish store in San Marcos, Ca. in North San Diego County. Aquatica came to fruition.
Aquatica offers what most Local fish stores offer such as drygoods, rare saltwater fish and coral, RODI, saltwater mix (1.025), customs aquariums, protein skimmers, sumps, maintenance services etc. Dave wanted the look of the store to be unique in the floor plan, design and color. When customers come in, the store will appeal to the sight, sounds, and smell of a modern Local fish store. Because of the design of the store, the color and beauty of the livestock pop. The store's display tanks are completely illuminated by LEDs (the majority being Radions by Ecotech)
All the systems are UV sterilized (By Aqua Ultraviolet). There is also an in house quarantine system for fish. Dave wants Aquatica to be synonymous with the words honesty, excellence, and integrity. He continually discusses the most recent advances in technology and husbandry of livestock with all the major suppliers. In this way, the hobbyist will have more success and enjoyment and less problems. As for the future of Aquatica, Dave loves customs aquarium set ups and would like to expand the business because there are so many areas in the field that can be magnified.
Personally, Dave loves shooting, working out, and any of the other outdoor hobbies (hunting, fishing, scuba diving, off roading). Sarah also loves working out and is also a Ice Figure skating coach drawing on her experience as a 12 year competitive skater. Both of them are very active in their church. And of course, Dave and Sarah love this hobby.

QUESTIONNAIRE:
Q & A with Dave West, Owner of Aquatica. The newest LFS in San Diego, located in San Marcos, Ca.
Q: So Dave, tell us about yourself
A: Well, I'm from Connecticut. After finishing high school, I served a two year mission for my church in Brazil. While on my
mission I learned so much including work ethic, honesty and dealing with people. I then went to college at Brigham Young
University and met my wife Sarah. We were married last year and moved to California early this year.
Q: How did you end up opening a Local fish store?
A: I've always wanted to start a business. I was studying to get a Construction Management Degree at BYU. While in college,
Sarah bought me a 45 gallon aquarium and it started my love again for saltwater tanks. I had a tank in high school. This got me
to thinking-why don't I start a business in something I really enjoy. There was an opportunity that opened up here in San Diego,
and so my wife and I left Utah to start a new life. Unfortunately, that business lead didn't work out so we decided to start up a
brand new store in San Marcos.
Q: Any regrets so far?
A: None at all. There are stresses only business owners will understand and I'm doing what I love. I remember one day we got to
the store at 9am and got home at 1:30am the next morning-very long hours sometimes. Surrounding myself with people that
have been in this hobby for years, professionals that I felt where the best in their prospective fields have made owning a Local fish store
less stressful. I have learned so much. Who would not want Ecotech behind them? Our suppliers have not been shy to share the
trade knowledge. Reef Dynamics, Leemar, Oculus Aquatics, ORA, Quality Marine and a few other suppliers are so helpful to
ensure that Aquatica can give the best products. I even appreciate when customers come in and say 'hey Dave, I found success
doing it this way.' Because we are dealing with living specimens, things aren't always easily predictable. I am always learning, I
think we are all learning.
Q: Looking at Aquatica, it doesn't strike me as a regular Local Fish Store. How did the planning come about?
A: A visit to a Local fish store for a hobbyist gets our blood going, myself included. All fish stores have their appeal. We hobbyist are all
looking for that livestock that we can take home to create our own ocean world. When you search the internet, there are so many
different images of local fish store. It seems European Local fish stores had a sense of style. There were also several in the US. When I visited Birch
Aquarium, I felt inspired. I also love art museums, the Lourve in Paris, France being my favorite. When you step into Aquatica,
I was hoping for Birch meets an art gallery, where the livestock are the stars and their color pops. I wanted to eliminate clutter,
smell, mess and sounds of tanks-you could say the reality of owning an aquarium . I also wanted a place that family and friends
can enjoy not just the hobbyist. There are still many aspects that have to be adjusted in the store and things that will be learned.
Q: What is your favorite part of the hobby?
A: When you come to the store, you will notice that more of the store has lps and sps. I love corals. My wife loves fish and she
is responsible for the that department. As time goes on, we will see what happens to the store. Wise men know that a happy wife is a happy life.