Why are ADA Products so expensive?

[zig]

The main thing is that ADA have lost ground, Aquasoil was their biggest spinner but now there's columbo and Olive knott's both of which have the same properties but without the issues such as yellow water and leaching.

Pardon my ignorance but what's columbo, any links?

http://www.plantedbox.com/shop/index.ph ... bad9c22647 😉

oh I see, Florabase. Thanks nelson.

 

[JamesM]

The books thing I find really hard to justify, considering most aren't even translated

 

[Garuf]

Yeah, a £25 increase I really can't see any justification for. Especially when I'd emailed an ebay seller and they said postage from Hong Kong on the new ADA book they could do for £7!

 

[Mark Evans]

for me, ADA's glassware is the best. I have a drop checker and a thermometer, and their simply the best.

 

[George Farmer]

Drive to work in a Ferrari or a Ford. They both get you there, but one gets you there in style and is a lot more expensive. I think the Apple vs. PC is a good comparison too, especially regarding design and packaging.

My best set-up so far in terms of plant growth and health, and no algae issues was using the ADA complete substrate and liquid fert system. I've done a few planted tanks now so the anecdotal evidence is fairly strong on that.

Whether or not that justifies the relatively high price tag is a matter only the individual consumer can decide. We all have different goals, tastes and budgets.

 

[Garuf]

The thing is with out quantative testing it's all just that, anecdotal. The whole picture will never be clear simply because there can be many many factors at play. Changing just one thing, say adding driftwood will change the flow patterns which in turn will change how much co2 is reaching the plants which will change the health. Even how much water evaporates will affect things.
ADA's good but it's not the be all and end all when there's many many factors at play.

There are factors at play with every set up that will never be apparent.
George, do you know rough PPM's for the ADA ferts? I know that when my last set up started I dosed very lean and found that growth was fast but "peaked out" after about a month at this point I noticed co2 use went through the roof as did fert use, no more light was added the only difference I could think was a change of intake, from standard PM 13mm to Cal aquas nano intake.

 

[NeilW]

Perversely because ADA stuff is pretty and expensive it feels like im 'treating' myself which is nice. Saying that I picked up my tasty lily pipes at half price from AE, and as for Macs being expensive I got my Macbook Pro on my uni discount for £373

 

[Garuf]

I get a mac for free with being dyslexic, I just never got round to sorting it out the forms are massively overwhelming. 😳

 

[NeilW]

I get a mac for free with being dyslexic, I just never got round to sorting it out the forms are massively overwhelming. 😳

Someone on my course gets that too, surely an evening plowing through forms is better then a grand?!

 

[Garuf]

Almost certainly, this is asking a lot from someone who spelt their name wrong, on their A level english exam. Twice.

 

[Mark Evans]

pick the bones out of this.image courtesy of natureaquarium PL

 

[Steve Smith]

I wonder if the glass is to protect the products from drool (and other bodily fluids?!)

 

[billy boy]

I wonder if the glass is to protect the products from drool (and other bodily fluids?!)

 

[LondonDragon]

Its all about style, ADA products are expensive because well they are the best kit you can get so they can charge whatever they want. Until someone comes out with products of the same standard for cheaper then its always going to be that way.

My budget does not permit me buying ADA stuff, also I am always looking for bargains which doesn't help haha but if money was no option then I would go for an all ADA cabinet, tank, light, CO2, filter, the works. And then even without water I would look at it and drool LOL

Just the way it goes 😉

But the argument was a little lost here, which was basically why are ADA kit cheaper in the states than in the UK, mostly due to conversion of currency and taxes, and usually what you get for lets say $200 in the states costs £200 in the UK, which is a lot more!!

 

[zig]

I wonder if the glass is to protect the products from drool (and other bodily fluids?!)

Might be there to stop skinheads from shoplifting 😀

 

[a1Matt]

I wonder if the glass is to protect the products from drool (and other bodily fluids?!)

and the 'funniest post on UKAPS' award for 2010 goes to SteveUK.

 

[plantbrain]

you will be surprise how cheap it is in Hong Kong

Yes, we complain and have the same issue here about India and China, but then want the high paying jobs and not pay much for anything here. :idea:

Taxes are lower, but there's many things we do not have also.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[plantbrain]

which was basically why are ADA kit cheaper in the states than in the UK, mostly due to conversion of currency and taxes, and usually what you get for lets say $200 in the states costs £200 in the UK, which is a lot more!!

Yes, that's a good conversion I found. In Oz, the AU dollar was nearly the same to ours when I went, but they where still paid more, so the US dollars where not worth much then.

When the US borrows a lot, the value drops, so imports are cheaper etc. Many tourist show up etc. when the value is high and we are in the black, then the value goes up, and imports start costing a lot. Since china likes to sell us stuff, they like it and offer loans to devalue the dollar, they have done some funny stuff with the yuan however. This means the trade will go their way, we get cheap stuff and lots of it. But we are in serious debt.

Ah economic modeling............

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[sanj]

Hmm I guess you could plan your holiday in China or India and come back with some cheaper goods. A bit like those people who go for affordable surgery abroad and role into a holiday aswell. 😀

 

[LondonDragon]

Hmm I guess you could plan your holiday in China or India and come back with some cheaper goods. A bit like those people who go for affordable surgery abroad and role into a holiday aswell. 😀

Its easier to hide the "surgery" when passing through customs than the goods 😉