[APD] RANT Concerning Availability of Supplies

[Jerry Baker <jerry at bakerweb_biz>]

I'm going to vent some frustration here...

<RANT>
Man, you'd think living in the second largest metropolitan area in the 
United States would allow you access to supplies more easily than most. 
You'd be wrong if you thought that. I have already written here about 
the total lack of availability of substrate material here, and written 
about the fact that it has taken me a grand total of 4 months to get a 
satisfactory aquarium stand for a standard 125-gallon tank. Well, having 
just purchased a conductivity meter, I figured I would get some 
calibration solution. Have you ever tried to buy calibration solution 
for a conductivity meter? First, not one fish store within a twenty mile 
radius sells it. There were about a half dozen who obviously struggle 
with English and told me they carried it only to have it turn out that 
it was pH calibration solution when I got there. I have spent the last 
two hours contacting every single yellow page listing for chemical and 
laboratory supply companies in the Los Angeles basin. I found exactly 
*one* that sells a conductivity reference solution -- it's 45 miles away 
and only open during my work hours. Most won't sell to the public 
because "government regulation," as they put it. I can purchase 
potassium chlorate (a component of plastic explosives) online, but they 
claim they can't sell me salt water. I'm going to have to buy it from 
the manufacturer and pay $2.50 for a small bottle and $7 to ship it.
</RANT>

-- 
Jerry Baker
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