Family run shop, Essex

[Stresseddad]

This is the place i would recommend if ever you were passing, their called Greenhouse watergardens, family run business and very helpfull...http://www.watergarden.co.uk/.

I spent 3 hours chating to them for advice and wasn't their to buy a single thing but they had the time to chat,when i wanted to do my first pond 5 years ago.
I was a complete newbie apart from going to my grandads pond and uncles when i was a kid

The fish always comes first with them, I have bought all my fish from them and i bought my one and only sturgeon from them and was told everything i needed to know about keeping sturgeon before they would sell him, they even threw in a small bag of food free with the sturgeon, i have always gone their and even though it's an extra 10 min drive to get their i would rather do that.

I pop down their to have a nose around atleast once a week even though i am not buying anything as they are very helpfull, friendly, and even get offered cups of tea...... .. Also they always and i mean always have someone working on their tanks and bays to keep them maintained and clean.

Their website only shows them as being more of as it says "watergardens" but this can be misleading, unless you have actualy gone in their then you will know what i mean

Another place i sometiems pop down to is called Tisburys......http://www.tisburysaquaticcentre.co.uk/ (they are slightly overpriced), they charge a lot more for their fish (they do have some nice size fish /sturgeon their) and they even have a lake where they have 25 lb plus in, they however have not had the time to speak and chat, a lot of the time theirs about 5 people working their, 3 standng around chatting to themselves and the other 2 working on till and in the office and feel that if i was buying anything i would have to scream the shop down to get their attention. also i think they have too many small pits outside with fish in to be able to keep them maintained, they are extending and adding about another 10-15 small pits as well. so all in all i would stick with the first shop and if fancied a change pop to tisburys as it is something diferent.

[stellatus]

watergarden sounds like a good place, we do need to hear about them, they are out there it just seems a bit few and far between these days.

The working in the tanks is a dead give away, it does show comitment to the fish, so stick with them and if ever Im in your neck or the woods I will pop in.

[Stresseddad]

Yeah m8, it is worth it, and if ever you are in my neck of the woods, your more than welcome to pop round and have a nose at my pond with a beer of course.....

[stellatus]

Will do, I drive up to near Welwyn garden city from lancing a few times a year to drop off sturgeon food to a shop near there and can always go the dartford way back as it's about the same distance whatever way I go round the M25 so I will drop in to Greenhouse watergardens on the way, I'll post on this thread when I'm going next.

[Stresseddad]

Yeah no probs, if driving then maybe a at the pond not a good idea..... well for you anyway.........

[stellatus]

True a coffee will be better, I'll have a beer when I get home to make up for it...

[reggie_ranchu]

I know this is a very old thread but i just have to thank you Stresseddad, I went to both shops yesterday after reading this and i have to say , Greenhouse watergardens is a great shop, It was only up the road from me and i never knew it was there very helpful and very good on price, i bought a few koi's from them and they are about half the price of the shops i got too

The other one i wasn't so keen on, alot of dead or ill fish in their display tanks, seem's dirty in there , just not the kind of place i like going.

If you don't know already you must go down to amwell aquatics http://www.amwellaquatics.co.uk, its in Epping, its massive they have a good selection of high quality koi, but expect to pay high quality prices, even the kids like going down there of a weekend and seeing the massive koi's.

Anyways thanks thanks for sharing and i will defo be going back to Greenhouse watergardens what a gem

[Stresseddad]

Glad this post has helped, as you know Greenhouse now, their is another palce not so far called Tranquilities, stear clear! at all costs!, they rip you off, go in to ask advice you will walk out with £500 worth of crap if they ahd their way, they got sturgeon swimming on backs in their (got a vid on anotehr post of this) and generally not got a clue, this is one place i would love to be investigated and clsoed down!.

If went further afield their is Urban aquatics opposite Albion pub by Rainham a13, their not too bad but mainly for tropicals/marines and do have a fair selection of koi(i did moan at them for having a sturg in a small tank), anotehr good place is in Romford Wet pets again this is mainly marine/tropicals and very few coldwater.

Stick with Greenhouse you know where you are with them, they wil do water test for you and even scrape your koi for microscopy examiantion if you can transport them down to em safely, all advice is free, been going their 9 years now and pop in once a week to have a nose and chat. Pm me your addy and will pop rand to ahve a nose at your pond if that ok with you, more than welcome here to look as well.

P.S
I never knew it was their all them years ago, i was driving past with a m8 heading from chadwell heath going to Tisburys, and we went past, i said to m8 to ccarry on going, but he went rand the blok and we stopped off their (glad he ignored me) must hav been fate..

I have heard of armwell aquatics, also theirs Tc koi (can't rememebr the addy off the top of my head) again these 2 palces Tisburys and TC koi are bit more pricey..

[reggie_ranchu]

Yeah sure thing, my pond is still a work in progress and not must to boast about atm, When i get it all sorted your more than welcome to come and have a butch

Prob give me some tips too

But yeah i really recommend you to go down armwell, its clean in there, quite friendly and a good size. I only found it about 4 months ago, i used to go Wildwoods wow at cruse hill, but i just had enough of that place after a while.

[Stresseddad]

my ponds been work in progress for 9 years now,