Such a great experience when we walked into the store! They had a great selection of fish and corals. Ethan was super helpful and informative. He helped me with all my questions since I just recently started my first saltwater aquarium. This store is a bit further for me but definitely worth the drive for the customer service, care, and quality you will find here! read more

The service is over the top. I met the owner yesterday and he was willing to spend time and answer questions as all the people on staff. If you have time check out their YouTube channel and online sales as well. Great store read more

So nice having an LFS in my neighborhood. Ethan is so helpful and informative whenever I pop in. I appreciate his knowledge and passion for the hobby! They did sell me a packet of expired Coral Rx once so docking a star for that - other than that it's a great store with lots of variety! read more

After I outgrew my 30 g tank and was ready for an upgrade, Steve helped me select the right system then came to my home to set up a 90g tank. He is always helpful in troubleshooting problems, super knowledgable in teaching tricks of the trade, and highly trustworthy to come into your home when you're away. His shop is always fun to check out and you can tell the effort he takes to ensure healthy livestock. It's nice to have someone who shares the love of the hobby and wants to help you be successful - not just about making a sale. New tank is still cycling and can't wait to watch it evolve. read more

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I can't put into words how much this business wants you to succeeded in your reef keeping. I decided to take the journey of starting a saltwater tank in December 2023. Since then, this place has come my second home. They have helped me learn so much in the hobby. They worry more about the success of your reef keeping than trying to sell you something you don't need. Small businesses like these are one of a kind. I recommend this store to any one interested in the hobby. read more

This is THE place to go if you're an expert or a newbie. The staff is super friendly and eager to answer any questions you have and the prices are the best I've seen In the area. I was helped by Jeffery and Ashton and those dudes made me want to keep coming back and earned my business. read more

Excellent everything. This review is 18 months overdue because from the first time i toured the showroom i enjoyed Dave and his team and their product. 100% of my fish coral tank etc... and service has been awesome. I interviewed several other fish folks who do tank maintenance and i felt the most comfortable with Dave. Thankfully i went with my gut. He's always responsive and informative and does great work. Our reef tank is the highlight of our home. Ok update, I've moved, dave broke down and rebuilt up my tank and has continued to maintain and service it. It's incredible. Our new house has a pond and he's now servicing that too. read more

Best experience I've ever had in any other store, really nice inside and the customer service is great and all the workers are very friendly definitely recommend this place to buy both fish and corals. read more

Five Stars WELL earned! Listen, if you're serious about building a 1st time aquarium, or, like me, getting back into the game after a 15 year hiatus - GO see Dave at Aqautica! The store itself is like walking into a Sea World - quality aquarium, it's beautiful inside. The selection and quality of the Corals, Fish, etc. is excellent. Dave and his staff are helpful, funny, and all - around good people with a wealth of knowledge. A lot has changed in equipment since I last had an Aquarium and our neighbors gifted us a 45 Gallon Red Sea system. Dave helped us set up the tank, gave us TONS of great advice, and services our tank regularly - it's killer. These guys really care about what they do - and it shows. Aquariums can get get really expensive, as we all know, and Dave and his partners really look out for their customers. If you're seriously looking into having a tank custom built or getting into the game with a new aquarium, check out Aqautica! read more

What a great business! Aquatica Corls takes care of my home fish tank and soon to have one at my business too. Dave is attentive and have a full understanding and knowledge of all things fish! His coral supply is amazing and just to take a field trip to the store with kids is fun and educational. If you are thinking of starting a fish tank stop by this place first! read more

My husband, who had been a reef hobbyist before we got married, was curious about getting back into it. We checked around and Aquatica had just opened up in San Marcos which is super convenient for us. We took a look and were very impressed by the great selection of fish and corals and the wonderful customer service we received from everyone there. Since then, we have bought a 65 gallon tank and have fully stocked it, including sand, water and live rock, from Aquatica. We, so far, have only bought our livestock here as well because we can be assured of the quality, something you can't account for at big box sellers. Nice to have such a great place for reef enthusiasts and we'll keep being loyal customers! Great customer service, great atmosphere, great livestock. I highly recommend Aquatica for anyone interested in saltwater aquariums. read more

Love this store great selection of fish and coral and awesome people love how nice and helpful they and how they talk to me like we've know each other forever can't beat that :) Let's just say I'm pretty much there every week now for "water" but I always pick up some goodies ha thanks guys keep up the good work read more

After my first trip here, I'm convinced. Not only is this guy a fellow N7, his livestock is some of the healthiest stock I've ever seen, with various types of coral/fish/inverts at various price ranges, and all in superb health. The owner is knowledgeable and helpful, and also attentive to any and all customers in the store. The store is attractive with very high end LED and T5 Lighting solutions for optimal fish viewing, and several "Store Only" displays to show that the fish are in fantastic health and are cared for by someone who obviously knows what he's doing. I'll definitely be looking forward to my next trip here, when my tank stabilizes. read more

We love this place. Dave really goes above and beyond to help us out and answer all of our questions about our reef tank. Super friendly and very knowledgeable. The staff is also very helpful. There is a nice selection of corals. Some of the best quality we have seen. Thank you Dave for everyrhing!! read more

Dave came out to set up filter, uv light, and everything needed for 120 gl freshwater.. did a great job everything he set up is solid and top of the line... next thing now is to do freshwater live plants... even though Aquatica specialize in salt water, they do know as much in fresh water as well.. highly recommended.. read more

Aquatica Corals and Custom Aquariums - Aquarium Services Near Me - San Marcos, California

I live in the Inland Empire and this one store beats all five I've been to. Just the cleanness and quality of the tanks make me want to give this store a 10/5 stars. All of the employees seemed very friendly and helpful. If I had the time and the money, I would come here very often. read more

Omg , dave saved the day and the family pet , the kids were worried that the fish wasn.t moving , idk anything about the balances of salt or ph , my wife wanted this tank . And dave came on a holiday to the house, totally saved all my live corals, he cleaned it , its 7:22 pm in labor day , what a great guy and very knowledgable about fish and tanks, idk my wife wanted it , without dave, i would have an empty tank with no fish .. Thank u , great service. read more

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My Wife and I drove up to the North County area from Chula Vista to visit our daughter. While up there we decided to see if there were any fish/reef stores. We opened Yelp and decided to visit Aquatica Corals. Once inside we were greeted by a young girl named Sarah. Sarah absolutely blew us away with her friendliness, customer service and her knowledge. We spoke with Sarah about a variety of things and we felt so at ease with her that we ended up walking out with more than we anticipated. Sarah also happened to be the co-owner of the shop and I can't say enough at how pleased we were with her friendliness and knowledge. I've been to many shops in San Diego for our salt water reef tank and by far Aquatica Corals is the most clean of any. Their tanks are pristine and their fish are absolutely healthy and thriving. Their corals are beautiful. While walking through AC I felt as if I was in a museum. It was so clean and everything was immaculate. Walking through each tank felt like we were looking at the newest painting. I've been to other stores where the fish are dead in the tank and they don't bother to pick them out but AC was absolutely pristine. When we got home we received a text from Sarah who asked us how our new fish were doing. I don't think it gets any better than that. 5 star service. Even though we live in Chula Vista we would never consider that drive just to look at fish however after finding AC we actually are looking forward to our next trip up. Loved the family atmosphere, the mom and pop feeling and we loved Sarah, Dave and her father's service. When we left I felt like AC was our secret spot and at first I wanted to be selfish with my find, however I realized when you have a group of people that blow you away like that it's best to tell everyone about them! read more

I consider myself very fortunate to have Aquatica located just a couple blocks from my house. I have been going to Aquatica since the day they first opened. My wife, daughter, and I walk there at least once a week if not more often. We love to go look at the rare and exotic fish that only Aquatica seem to get in stock on a regular basis. We have had the opportunity to see some specimens that, unfortunately, we will never be able to afford, but get to appreciate them none the less. Aquatica's sps coral colonies are truly amazing as well. But the staff is the real reason we keep going back so often. Dave, Sarah, Joe, and Tyler are some of the most helpful, nicest, and just down right great people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. We have purchased coral, fish, food, supplements, tank automation, water, and lots of misc tank maintenance equipment over the years and are always happy with our purchase. Dave has also tested my water more times than I care to admit, usually just to double check my own test kits to make sure they are still accurate. At least that is what I like to tell him so he doesn't think I am lazy. We have also hired him to be our tank sitter while away on vacation a number of times now. It is hard to leave your tank and home to someone while you are away, but I get plenty of peace of mind knowing its being taken care of by someone I trust. read more

This is the highest of the high end coral and salt water fish shops. Their showroom is stunning. The livestock and coral are the healthiest I've ever seen. I bought my live rock here and it's absolutely amazing with no bad hitchhikers. This is the only place I'll by my water. Thanks guys for all your advice and helping me build a great reef tank. read more

Aquatica Corals and Custom Aquariums - The awesome Real Reef live rock I got from aquatica - Aquarium Services Near Me - San Marcos, California

The bad reviews I've seen are surely from those who are either inexperienced in the hobby or do not practice preventative treatment of disease prior to introducing their newly acquired marine livestock. Ich is very common and should always be treated for whether you see it or don't. You never know what exposure they have had during their travels prior to arriving at the store. With that said, I've been in the hobby for 15 years living in San Diego and have never seen a place that truly devotes the time and knowledge to keeping their aquariums, corals and fish in top condition! Yes they are a little bit more expensive, but I do believe the saying "You get what you pay for" applies here!! read more

Aquatica Corals and Custom Aquariums - Aquatica's beautiful corals. - Aquarium Services Near Me - San Marcos, California

These young men run a class A shop! Dave is an expert in his field and a great guy to work with!! Do NOT hesitate to use Aquatica for all your reef needs! read more

Wandered into this shop today for the first time and was extremely impressed. Fish and corals looked great, staff was friendly and helpful, and the store was clean and well-presented: none of the thrown-together, warehouse feel that you sometimes have with a LFS. Will be back many times. read more

Best coral shop in N County. Dave is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Lots of great corals to choose from at great prices.

Super nice store unfortunately not friendly and even speaks to you condescendingly. Very expensive! $72 for a 3" hippo!

This is one of the best places for reef keepers, Dave has great knowledge and has helped me maintain my aquarium, they have some really good corals and fish, I would recommend this place any day. read more

My husband and I cannot recommend Dave and Aquatica corals highly enough. They are super professional, knowledgable and helpful. The selection of corals is fantastic. Dave's help has turned our aquarium into the showpiece that it was intended to be. We are so grateful! read more

Loved the store. Great presentation of coral and fish. Staff was very knowledgeable and helpful. Sarah was very proficient. I would definitely recommend the store. If you have a chance check out the show tank in the back the colors are amazing!!! read more

Family owned business gives you fantastic customer service! I brought my 3 year old and they catered to her as much, if not more, than me. Awesome livestock, including their fantastic show tank in the back. I bought several mini colonies of sps and some fish food. read more

This place rules! Finally a reef-specialty store in North County! One look and it's obvious that these folks know how to set up and maintain reefs... Beautiful displays with ALL healthy critters throughout the store. read more

A wonderful place. The staff was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. When I asked for their opinion on products they answered with conviction which is nice. First time there. Will not be my last. read more

New favorite aquarium store! Wide variety of marine animals including corals. Also, they have a lot of rare and unique animals such as their sea cucumbers and flame scallops. The staff was very helpful and professional! They knew what they were talking about. The animals all appeared very healthy and lively. All the tanks are very clean, as well as the store itself. I purchased a pink sea cucumber a few days ago, and it is doing great in my tank! I will definitely be back for some corals. read more

I have worked in the customer service business for a while and the staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. They take the time to answer questions and help every customer. Their fish are by far the healthiest around and they have a HUGE selection. It's a smaller location but they made the inside wonderful. You will be shocked when you walk in. Not to mention they have some beautiful show tanks! If you haven't been in, you have to go. read more

After a frustrating experience with another LFS and the company that sold/installed my rather unique 190 Gal tank I checked out Aquatica. First of all it is the cleanest and most presentable LFS that I have seen. I'll shorten the story here - Dave gave me a lot of excellent advice regarding a UV sterilizer, a local chiller company (excellent chiller BTW) and how to stabilize my closed-system aquarium. I could have bought the UV unit on Amazon for less after Dave told me about it but that's just unethical since he literally talked me into it plus he runs the same model. I continue to ask him questions every time I go in and buy fish, snails and/or crabs. The selection has been great and all the fish I have purchased are healthy and thriving. Dave is professional and always helpful. This, to me, is a nice change. Seriously, this is refreshing. My aquarium is progressing very well now and I have received several complements. I have asked Dave and Joe to order 3 particular Wrasses this week for me. Joe has been helpful too since he has a great deal of knowledge about fish and gave me insights to all three. Tyler has been very helpful also. I have had a couple good conversations with him about fish and my tank. I was going to write this review a couple months back but held off in case my experience was just a fluke. I have been going in there almost once a week for the past couple of months and really the only thing I can complain about is the parking. read more

I have been going to Aquatica for about 9 months now after discovering the store was in my neighborhood and have been extremely pleased with Dave, his team, the quality of products and livestock available. To be clear, this is not your typical tropical fish store so if you are looking for a 1 gallon beta tank it is probably best to hit Petco. If however you are looking for fish, corals, great advice, something special, or just want to see some cool things this is your store and Dave will make sure you get exactly what you are looking for even if he has to build it. My latest adventure was upgrading to a larger tank. This as you can imagine is a significant undertaking but Dave did everything in his power to make it as easy as possible. Although he offered to let me leave my fish and corals in his store for an easier stress free move, I decide to just make the swap in a day. With this being the case, Dave provided 4 large Styrofoam containers as temp homes for my fish and corals. He also loaned me his PAR meter to make sure I was able to get the new lighting as close as possible to the old. Last but not least, he also loaned me a set of suction cups to move the old tank out and put the new in place. These were a life saver!!!! On the day of the move, Dave and Tyler unboxed the tank, sump and stand loaded it into my suburban and followed me to my house early on a Friday to help unload. Dave then came by at about 7:30PM the same day to fill the tank so I didn't have to mix water and was able to make a same day swap. Although Dave had only intended on filling the tank which should have only taken a few minutes, I was running behind (bigger effort than anticipated) so Dave pitched in to finish up placement of the tank and get live sand in so we could fill. Once we had the tank filled there was of course a leak which Dave happily fixed. All in Dave spent well over an hour late on a Friday evening without complaint. I have had a number of other experiences with Dave as well to include a vacation visit to my home for a tank check and all my interactions have been nothing but positive. Thanks Dave and Team! (The kids wanted to thank Rex too!) read more

Excellent! Amuzed, great place to spend the day with the family. My 4 yearl old and I loved it!

i have never felt so comfortable in a reef store in my life! the owner was so cool. he spent close to an hour showing me things i didn't know! i got some coral and two fish from this place and everything is so healthy..im coming back to this place even though i live all the way in city heights! read more

Aquatica Corals and Custom Aquariums - brought some coral home and it looks happy! - Aquarium Services Near Me - San Marcos, California

This store is amazing, the owners run the business themselves and are very knowledgable. My husband and I were SO impressed! We will only come here from now on, there's no reason to give our business to others when this business gives us all the information we could ever ask for and caters to our needs. read more

I went back to the store today to pick-up the hardy fishes and cleaning crew. Dave and Tyler gave me a lot of great pointers. Much appreciated! Can't wait until the water stabilizes so I can stock corals. read more

Aquatica Corals and Custom Aquariums - Starter fishes and clean up crew - Aquarium Services Near Me - San Marcos, California

This place is awesome! Gorgeous aquariums and fish. Dave is very knowledgable and nice as well. I got my husband his first jellyfish aquarium for Christmas. They didn't have jellyfish in stock but ordered them for me. We asked for help setting up the aquarium(which I purchased online so he totally didn't have to help us!) and Dave was so helpful in explaining things to us and making sure we were all set for our new jellyfish to come home :) If we ever decide to have a full aquarium it will be from here. read more