Aquascaping stores South East?

[Scream]

Hi. I'm trying to find a store that has a pretty comprehensive collection of rock. I'm wanting to make my first scape and I honestly can't find anywhere that is either willing to let me put rock together to figure out what I want to do or just generally actually having anything other than small pieces of stone. The nearest dedicated place I have found is Aquarium Gardens but they're about a two and a half to three hour drive from me. Factor in Dartford crossing and on a budget it's not looking great. I've spent several hours searching and I'm honestly not getting much. I've looked at more or less every Maidenhead you could name and they either sell none of it or small amounts of it. I'm looking for relatively large sized pieces keep in mind.

Stores I've asked;
Birchwood
Aquatic Design
Ark Aquatics
Crowders Aquatic
Aylesford Aquatics
Riverwood Aquatics
Swallow Aquatics
Aquacadabra
Living Reef Aquatics
Maidenhead anything within around a hundred miles around Tonbridge

 

[MirandaB]

Riverwood or Aquarium Gardens are going to be your nearest unfortunately,the only other one is Scaped Nature in Norwich but that's even further from you.

 

[castle]

Factor in Dartford crossing and on a budget it's not looking great.

Aquascaping rocks are known to break budgets 😟

Have you considered a walk into the hills to see if you can find any rocks that take your fancy?

 

[greengrass]

Have you tried Wildwoods in N.London ( just off the M25) They have a great selection of rocks, woods, leaves/botanicals and aquascaping stuff.
Their plant and fish selection is fantastic - i've been going there for years. Many UKAPS members go there.

 

[Courtneybst]

I'm pretty much in the same area as you, my go-to places for hardscape are Aquarium Gardens and Riverwood Aquatics. Both have an extensive collection.

As mentioned above, Wildwoods in Enfield do have an interesting selection of hardscape and I wouldn't hesitate to visit. Even if you didn't get hardscape the plant and fish selection is enough to warrant it!

 

[Scream]

Aquascaping rocks are known to break budgets 😟

Have you considered a walk into the hills to see if you can find any rocks that take your fancy?

I have the budget for the rock, I'm having to buy things in small doses, but the crossing while only small a fiver is still a fiver, could've spent that on more rock, lol. Also need to factor in the cost of fuel and with it ever increasing it doesn't come cheap.

 

[ianmianmianm]

I want to give a shout out to Crowders in Bordon - easy parking, amazing range of scape materials and especially good quality woods and botanicals which you can mix and match cheaply. Unfortunately the ongoing issue with their water supply means no plants (in vitro may be stocked in the future) but the aquascaping stuff is more than compensatory for it - also has a dojo and a tape measure!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

..... Unfortunately the ongoing issue with their water supply means no plants (in vitro may be stocked in the future) ....

I have to ask .........
What is the issue?

Cheers Darrel

 

[ianmianmianm]

Hi all,

I have to ask .........
What is the issue?

Cheers Darrel

I don't want to go into it too much as I don't know the ins and outs but from what I heard from them today: their private water supply (including potable) is being contaminated, they are having to be supplied with bottled by the water company. This means that they have had to stop livestock sales as they could not meet the conditions for their pet shop licence. Plants are not included in that but; as demand was low anyway and working with and around that water also came with risks. It wasn't economically viable to keep and stock plants with all that extra aggro. In vitro have sucha a good shelf life so less financial risk.

To add - they have been shafted by their water company and it's screwing their business over.