Reef eScape

Tyler

2024-04

The team at Reef Escape is amazing! When I arrived I was greeted by multiple employees asking if I needed assistance and once I let them know I was just looking around they let me do my own thing without following me around or information overloading me. Once I needed assistance they were knowledgeable and helped me pick out the first corals for my tank! Definitely recommend this store!

Elijah Spoone

2024-04

New to saltwater and was recommended to check out reef escape to get my first corals. It was busy in there for a Saturday. Dude at the counter was super patient and knowledgeable with all my questions on corals and got me setup to add life into the tank! I will be back for much more! Thanks!

sydney mersereau

2024-03

My husband and I visited the shop today for the first time. Jae was super helpful and a pleasure to chat with. It was awesome viewing the fish and corals. Stunning selection as well as excellent husbandry. We will definitely come back in the future. :)

Ismail Seyfi

2024-02

I have shopped here more than once. I have gotten fish, corals and hermit crabs. I like the staff here. When you ask them a question they take the time to answer. There is a decent selection of corals and some cool display tanks. I think prices are within expected ranges but could use discounts every now and then. Loyalty program would be a nice addition for repeat customers like me.

Denise Zhou

2024-04

a beautiful store! Jae and the other staff members are knowledgeable and extremely helpful. You can tell they really care about all the creatures in their care. Looking forward to going back!

Kristine Ru

2023-05

Absolutely love this place! I’m a reefer and I only get my fish here because they quarantine everything no exceptions. PG and Dave are always knowledgeable and very helpful! The store is clean, organized and dog friendly. If you want quality Go See for yourself. Location is a bit of a challenge but worth it. It’s located in the back of the strip mall.

J R

2024-02

I love this place. We’ve been to several other “reef” stores in most areas of NoVA/DMV as we started our new found salt water aquarium hobby, but all have failed in comparison. P.G., Jae, Lee and everyone else are so helpful in not just general service, but also passing on their knowledge to provide you with most enjoyable reefing experience. Please be patient, the quarantine is essential and won’t be regretted like with other stores of just buy whatever and if it dies, too bad…

Chris Griffith

2024-03

I called the store to inquire about a posting they had on Facebook for fish equipment for curbside pick up. I was told the last item was picked up already but asked if I could hold will the store rep checked to see if they had anything else. I waited on the phone for 20 minutes and ended up arriving at the store before they ever came to the phone. Once I got in the store, I mentioned I had been on hold waiting for someone to come back and three separate employees all looked at me like I was stupid & acted like they had no clue what I was talking about. It was terrible custom service and I will never visit this store again.

Veronica Rodriguez

2024-02

Reef eScape is above and beyond!!The Store is clean and everyone was friendly, Show tanks are amazing!!When you ask them a question they take the time to answer , PG, and the staff are very knowledgeable and patient, always have had a good experience, I absolutely LOVE this place!!!

Whittni O'Brien Gates

2023-05

Friendly staff who share aquarium hobbies. This store is more salt water based, but is expanding later this year for a fresh water section. Our baby liked the large fish and coral display tanks and the gravel vacuum we purchased was a great price $7 👍

Amit Tyagi

2023-07

Reef Escape is my go to reef shop. Andrew, PG, and Jay (and the entire staff) are very knowledgeable and patient. I knew nothing about the hobby and they have guided me through the whole process and answered my millions of questions! They take care of their customers and look out for making my reefing experience the best it can be without trying to upsell me on everything. I look forward going there (almost weekly) to see what they have and learn!

peter ryu

2023-12

When my wife and I decided to dive into a new hobby that we could enjoy together, we landed on the idea of starting our very own aquarium. Fast forward eight months, and let me tell you, this place has become our underwater oasis!Now, when I first dipped my toes into the saltwater hobby, I had zero knowledge and absolutely no experience. Talk about a fish out of water! But fear not, because every time I hit a snag or needed some advice, this place had my back. It's like having your very own fish whisperers on speed dial.My journey started with this business, and I can proudly say that my first fish and coral are VIPs from here. They aren't just hanging in there; they're thriving and doing the underwater cha-cha! What's their secret sauce? A top-notch quarantine process for all their aquatic buddies, ensuring that I can trust every finned and tentacled friend I bring home.I'm shouting it from the rooftop – this place is the real deal! I 100% recommend it to anyone looking to make a splash in the aquarium world. And guess what? I'm not just hooked; I've leveled up to four tanks. Yep, you heard it right – four! It's like a fishy party at my place, and it's all thanks to the awesomeness of this place.So, if you're ready to turn your living room into an underwater wonderland, take the plunge with these aquarium gurus. You won't just get fish; you'll get fins, fun, and a splash of pure joy

Jim G

2024-04

Bar none best saltwater fish store in the DMV. The staff care about the live animals as much as you do, and are knowledgeable, and can make sure you make informed decisions

Jessica Heckman

2023-06

My favorite store in the area! Everyone is really friendly and happy to take the time to explain things. I recently started a 45 gallon saltwater tank and Jae has been a life saver! He does a great job explaining things to a beginner without over complicating it. 10/10 recommend. Can't wait to go back soon.

Jermiah Williams

2023-06

One of my favorite saltwater stores I have visited. Everyone their knowledge of fish is great. My first visit I learned so much information about starting a saltwater tank. I brought a lot of dry rock and salt. They have tons of live rock as well. Store was clean and everyone was friendly. They also quarantine every fish before sold. My only con is when I go back most of the fish are sold already it breaks my heart. Wish they would post online what’s the current stock so I can call in and pay a holding fee. Other then that the shop is great.

Jamie Keys

2024-02

Very helpful staff, they are happy to answer any questions you have. Good selection of fish and coral.

Matt McClure

2023-09

The staff at Reef eScape was extremely helpful and patient with us as we looked at possible options for a new salt water tank set up. They answered all our questions and provided suggestions based on our expected budget. We would recoomend Reef eScape to anyone looking for a new tank or if they are looking for specific fish or corals.

Grant Winman

2023-12

Excellent customer service, knowledgeable staff, clean and organized shop, well maintained tanks, well cared for stock, no detectable pests, and best prices I’ve seen anywhere.

Juan Canahui

2023-05

I drove nearly an hour to get to this store. It looked like a great spot thanks to the good reviews. When I pulled up, I though it was a bit odd that the store was around the corner in the back of the building, but I wanted to give it a shot and try to support small business. I was in the store more than 30 minutes, and not one person acknowledged me or my partner. Not even a “Hello”. Sometimes they looked up at me then turned away. I needed some help as I’m getting started with my new reef tank and wanted to spend a lot of money on it over the next few months. Oh well.The store is very small. Not a lot of fish in stock. The fish that were in the front looked good, the ones for sale in the back looked miserable. The equipment looked old and dusty and not a very wide selection.I honestly don’t know how this place has good reviews, though perhaps other types of people get better service here if you know what I mean. I left disappointed, and drove to a different store that had better selection of coral and fish, a welcoming atmosphere, and some actual customer service.

Joseph Pietroluongo

2022-05

It’s in the back!Just visited here and it was great. They do 3+ week quarantine on fish and coral plus they source sustainably from breeders. Their coral selection was great with a ton of varieties and different grades of quality and size. Offered excellent advice on how to properly cycle my tank as well as correct some of the misconceptions I had. Will be buying most of my fish from here.

John West

2023-09

Amazing place, both the retail store and their services. Employees are true enthusiasts and experts who can help customers design, maintain, and correct when needed salt water aquariums.

Daniel Pierce

2022-05

My wife and I were thinking of going from a cheap, small Petsmart aquarium to a larger one that would look nice in our new home. Dave took the time to walk us through all the considerations, from whether we’d need to further support our floors to how we could best keep out our cats. All in all, he took over an hour discussing all our questions, running estimates for different setups, and giving us a ton of practical advice about how to get our new tank started. Truly excellent and expert customer service. Some of the very best we’ve had with any purchase ever. We will definitely be back.

Ben Tieu

2023-05

This is now my go to aquarium store for life. I thought i knew a thing or two about aquariums, but Jay was there and he humbled me with his knowledge. He was very nice as well, and i love the fact they actually quarantine their fish before selling. Amazing practices, and amazing place!

Luca Azeri

2023-05

Reef Escape is the best Marine fish , Corals & inverts store in Fairfax perhaps in whole state of Virginia . Employees are very cultured ,knowledgeable ,especially PJ, the guy is professional with good personality , very attentive. The design of the store ,and display tanks are just perfect .Special Thanks to the Owner !Please Visit the Store you won't regret it ,Satisfaction Guaranteed 100% .

Brian Cahill

2022-05

Amazing store! Dave and James are extremely knowledgeable and give you practical advise. I have such confidence in their QT process that I do not buy fish from anyone else.They recently had to keep a large batch of fish in quarantine for several months which likely cost the store a significant chunk of change.Reef escape did the right thing holding the fish, and keeping up with their QT until a qualified Marine biologist cleared the QT. Its this commitment to its customers that gives me confidence in their business, and why I will go out of my way to buy products at this store rather than online even if it costs me a few extra dollars.Looking forward to the huge expansion, cant wait to see how the 1000 gallon show tank turns out!

Melanie Myers

2022-05

I drove 30 minutes to get here. I’m always looking for ways to support small businesses, and I had wanted to try this shop out. I was there probably 20 minutes, and out of around 6 employees in the store, not one person acknowledged me. Looked at me then turned away. I needed some help and I was going to purchase something. Oh well. The store is very small. Not a lot of fish in stock. There were a couple of display aquariums in the front that looked decent, but in the back the tanks were in poor shape. And with all the people working there, you’d think they could remove the dead fish. Also there’s a tank in the front that’s overrun with guppies. The tank was dark and miserable. I know they breed profusely, but if you’re going to keep them, then provide proper care and manage them. I honestly don’t know how this place got good reviews. I went up the road to a different store where I at least got decent customer service.

Max Wu

2023-05

We love the staff. PG , Andrew, and others have been so generous with their time, honesty, and advice as my wife and I plunged into the reef tank hobby. We also appreciate their fish quarantine process.

Jason Greenwalt

2023-05

Our first visit. The staff was incredibly kind and patient with us. We talked primarily with Dave and then bonded with Jay through a shared live for turtles. They are knowledgeable and informative and will definitely be seeing a lot more of us.

TD D

2023-05

Sorry this is a long review.I recently joined the hobby a few months ago and did a lot of research on local fish stores. I found Reef eScape through a video from someone who recommended them as one of the best in the Northern VA area. I initially went in to get information about a saltwater aquarium and quickly realized I needed to start with freshwater. I will get a managed saltwater aquarium at some point but want to learn more in case I need to do something myself.After talking to Noah for an extensive period of time, I made the decision to push the button. With Noah’s tireless help day and night (and I mean day & night), I finally have my aquarium up and running. Noah’s commitment to not only the hobby but his passion for marine biology is evident in how he interacts with his customers. Do you know anyone who will respond to an email or call after hours? Well, Noah would and it was well known by the other employees. I actually now have a planted aquarium as well due to conversations with Noah, Jae and Jonny.Although Reef eScape currently has a small selection of freshwater fish, they are the ONLY freshwater fish store that truly quarantines all their fish (saltwater and freshwater). I tirelessly researched which fish I wanted once my tank was fully cycled after 6 weeks. While I was in the store; Dave, Jonny, Jae and Noah collaborated on what I wanted to order and discussed which fish would work and which would not work. I was truly excited that after 2 months of waiting, testing and waiting again I would finally have my fish. Unfortunately, only one of the fish selections was ordered so I ended up with fish I didn’t necessarily want but was willing to take home. Even though I wasn’t expecting the other fish, they have been fun to observe and I love them the same. I even bought guppies that I didn’t want but only purchased because they were an unexpected unique new addition to the store. Thank you Jae!!!Sadly I just found out Noah is no longer working for Reef eScape. My heart truly hurts that he’s no longer there because it’s hard to find someone who’s willing to go above and beyond to genuinely help a customer. Noah was a great asset to Reef eScape and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors. I know he’s going to do well where ever he is.

Rob Shaw

2024-02

Very knowledgeable, nice experience, clean, healthyaquarium friend's