Hey all just getting back into aquariums the last few months. I have had some success with growing some beginner plants with a low-tech setup, but I am moving towards high-tech now and have been really frustrated by how hard it is to find supplies. A lot of the equipment used for international aquascaping just doesn't seem to be available in the United States. It either just isn't sold or is out of stock. Is this just a COVID related thing or has it always been like this in the USA? It feels like an infinite sea of ugly stands, rimmed tanks, hang-on-back filters, and overstocking.
Is it just COVID?
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If you can't find any evidence something was ever sold then that is not covid. But if you are just seeing out of stock for things like tanks and stands, then yeah that is covid. Combination of supply lines being disrupted by shutdowns and more people sitting at home thinking 'huh I really would like to get an aquarium'.
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What, specifically, are you looking for?
I haven't had any difficulty sourcing higher end equipment at all. But I guess it depends upon what you're chasing. Any specific items?
I haven't had any difficulty sourcing higher end equipment at all. But I guess it depends upon what you're chasing. Any specific items?
yeah, Covid... combo of the shipping and like Minorhero says, people are sitting around. This was my Covid Hobby for sure. I got a 10g a little before Covid actually started, no masks yet then. by the time covid started I was at a 75g and that's when I started to go more High Tech too. Anyway, mostly it's things like black sand or random breeder boxes and it took me a good month to track down a new 33L when I wanted to make my gourami tank.
I found most of what I wanted just by digging deeper online; finding smaller online stores to buy from. Definitely had to compromise. I did find somethings I wanted but only in the UK and not wanting to double the cost of materials I would opt for a substitute from the US.
Keep digging, and keep checking. You'll find it. If you don't, look up similar items. Sometimes I found these to be more useful than what I originally wanted.
I found most of what I wanted just by digging deeper online; finding smaller online stores to buy from. Definitely had to compromise. I did find somethings I wanted but only in the UK and not wanting to double the cost of materials I would opt for a substitute from the US.
Keep digging, and keep checking. You'll find it. If you don't, look up similar items. Sometimes I found these to be more useful than what I originally wanted.
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Yeah I'm having a hard time finding Fluval heaters. I'm noticing a lot of stuff is under stocked. Also COVID is hitting Brazil really hard so I'm suspecting it's why I'm not seeing imports as usual. March is usually a good time of year for seasonal South American fish. Also it's tax time and stimulus. So everyone is out buying stuff up.
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It could be a combo of issues, commonly stocked items suddenly not available I would certainly attribute to Covid. Most hobbies are suffering the same way. I also am a cyclist, and that hobby is absolutely nuts at the moment. I wanted to get a custom painted bike this year, and the company had to cancel my order due to lack of components. My wife's bike order got pushed from late March this year to June 2022!!! Just got to get what you can right now until things start to get back to normal.
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Yeah, went to get a filter and my local store said they have also been having a hard time sourcing equipment. He says it should open up in a couple months, but it's anyone's guess right now?
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My LFS has said he has had a huge problem getting stuff. Tanks, equipment, livestock etc. He told me a story about he had bought some beautiful species of fish which I can't remember the name of, that were like 2000 dollars, and they were lost by the USPS or whoever deals with shipping them and found dead two days later. Sad how much COVID has effected LFS business', but there isn't one faucet of life right now not really effected by the pandemic so not much we can do until things hopefully get back to normal.
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Same experience here. Was told one box store in my area hasn't received any stock in 3 months and most of their supply orders are half of what they ordered. Lots of stuff on back order right now. Yea, it's covid- I've never had an issue sourcing SA wild caught but I've been told villages aren't willing to trade right now and even if they were the shipping capabilities aren't there anyway.
If you have locally owned locally sourced lfs' and breeding co-ops in your area you might be able to source some higher end equipment through them.
If you have locally owned locally sourced lfs' and breeding co-ops in your area you might be able to source some higher end equipment through them.
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Its the natural progression of constant lockdowns and interruptions to the supply chain. Even many businesses that are opened are not producing at peak levels. Raw materials and especially the processed forms of them are cut as well. Several tank manufactures cannot get glass to produce tanks. Computer parts are in severe shortages to the extent that it is even effecting the manufacturing of cars. Regarding livestock, many international flights have been restricted in quantity. This means there is less availble space to ship things like fish and corals. These issues will not be resolved until people stop living in fear and get back to normal, but in a world of largely disposable products, the ripples of these actions will be felt for quite some time after.
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"stop living in fear?"
Really?
The fear was entirely justified. I have 2 friends that lost their parents to this epidemic. Lets not be trite about its effects.
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Not being trite. The economy is a complex system. That system contains some excesses and a lot of essential tasks. You have people that mine X to ship to Y. To process it into Z. To make part A. To assemble product B. To send to location C...
Right now you may see it as an inconvenience that an aquarium manufacture cannot get glass to make a product to sell to support their families. That is just the surface. What about when glass runs out for making windows for homes or windshields or milk jugs? Its inconvenient now that people cannot buy new computers, but what about when semis cannot be produced and shipping is impacted for everything? Or the computer inside your thermostat that controls heat and ac, which in several parts of the world are critical for life? Or the computers or metal parts that are required to build and repair tractors or any of the other mechanisms in modern farming? Or the US grain production shortage, that feeds livestock to feed people.
We have seen significant impacts on the supply chain across most industries, but as time goes on, those impacts will hit more and more critical parts of infrastructure. Simply cutting the production of everything in half or less, will likely produce more long term damage. Having enough materials for the excesses is an indicator that the requirements for essentials have been met.
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@Sarlindescent No one was disputing the effects of covid on the economy, but describing covid mitigation efforts as merely "living in fear" is insulting to people who have suffered from covid. It's unfair to blame people for not wanting to get sick when the real problem is a nonliving virus that doesn't care about people's feelings, economics, or politics.
We have a way forward and that's thanks to science and medicine, not because people have just decided to carry on like nothing is the matter.
We have a way forward and that's thanks to science and medicine, not because people have just decided to carry on like nothing is the matter.
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I was going to reply in a like manner but you said it perfectly.
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Just a friendly reminder to everyone to keep the discussion civil. somewhatshocked, Wassperest and myself do keep a close eye on threads like these 
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Shortages here in the medical field too, both reagents and consumables. Its frustrating when a shipment gets lost because the manufacturers are creating products much closer to just the amount needed to fill standing orders each month. So they have no replacement to send, or its a 2 week delay. I also hope for a return to whatever normal is soon, but I think supply chain will get worse before better personally.
But hey, heres an opportunity for us to start reading more of the DIY threads and maybe learn new stuff
But hey, heres an opportunity for us to start reading more of the DIY threads and maybe learn new stuff
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