








Aqua SD has built a significant reputation in the San Diego reef scene as a coral-focused online retailer with a physical storefront, moving massive volumes of LPS, SPS, and soft corals to hobbyists across the country. Their inventory leans heavily into zoanthids, acans, hammer corals, torches, and bubble tip anemones, with pricing that frequently undercuts competitors—particularly on bulk orders. Customers routinely report ordering 20, 30, even 40+ coral frags at a time, which speaks to the kind of volume pricing that draws serious reef builders.
The in-store experience in San Diego earns consistent praise. Staff members like Ian are called out by name for going above and beyond, expediting last-minute orders and offering solid reefing advice. The tanks are well-maintained, the livestock looks healthy, and the coral selection rotates enough to keep regulars coming back.
A military discount adds a community-minded touch that resonates with San Diego's large military population. Where Aqua SD truly shines is the sheer breadth of their coral offerings. Reviewers highlight vibrant torch corals, large zoanthid colonies, and clean-looking LPS frags that arrive looking true to their online listings.
When packaging is done right—heat packs included, water still warm on arrival—customers rave about the condition of their livestock. However, the shipping operation has real inconsistencies that prospective buyers should note. Multiple reviewers report orders arriving without heat packs during winter months, leading to total losses.
Others describe corals that don't match saturated website photos, arrive smaller than expected, or come with hitchhikers like aiptasia, bubble algae, and cyano. Customer service response times can be slow, and several reviewers describe drawn-out refund disputes. Communication around shipping delays is another recurring pain point.
For local San Diego reefers who can shop in person and inspect livestock firsthand, Aqua SD is a strong destination with competitive pricing and knowledgeable staff. Online buyers should factor in some shipping risk, especially during extreme weather, and may want to start with smaller orders to gauge their experience.
Sally Trauco
6 reviews
I had some problems with my order originally because I didn’t meet the minimum order for shipping. Once that was sorted I received a healthy beautiful fish and nice coral frags.
radsdad1
5 reviews
I have purchased two large (5"+) Zoanthid rocks for a very good price and am pleased with my purchase. They did have some Aptasia, But some boiling water and a syringe takes care of that. All in all, two very good purchases.
Ace G
Wasn’t a bad experience but just got my order today that I ordered 2 weeks ago didn’t receive the anemone they said they would switch out for the bubble tip I ordered didn’t receive that half of the corals I got are half alive and some alive I don’t think I will be purchasing from here for a while or even maybe was my last purchase wasn’t bad just wish there was more communication about orders not being shipped out and what ur going to get
Jamie Segner
4 reviews
I had a bad first experience with their online shipping. They forgot a heat pack and a lot of the corals didn’t make it. Mistakes happen, but the replacement corals they sent out were a third of the original size, pretty disappointing. Customer service isn’t the fastest either. Will not order from here again.
Frank Colontonio
4 reviews
30+ Days later, no response. Here is the last response: _________________________ Thank you for the clarification. I will dive into this right now and see why shopify is telling us you were refunded. I promise we will make this right for you and get you your money back. We apologize for the hassle it has caused. On Mon, Jan 26, 2026 at 11:41 AM Customer wrote: Actually now that i checked, neither of these charges have been refunded. The first one for $116.08 nor the second one for $35.60. Both charge on 12/21/2025 See below. Nothing has been charged back, i cancelled the dispute as you requested. I never disputed the $36.60 charge. You got paid for both according to the processor. See the image below __________ I have not gotten a reply since. AquaSD ripped me off. AWEFUL!! Big order send in the middle of winter with no heat pack. All of the corals were lost. they arrived in ice cold water with snow damage to the shipping box. I was told that i would get store credit and have not gotten a response since. I have order many things from Aquasd, this is the first time i have regretted it. i will not be ordering from them again.
Ferlando Mallory
6 reviews
I placed an order in December 2025 and beginning of January 2026. I was supposed to receive them January 9.. I have not received any one of them. They don't answer the phone or respond to emails. I even had PayPal investigate the case. They told paypal I received the items I did not receive any item. Don't shop with these people. This is a 100% rip off. I'm working to get my money back . My order status clearly doesn't show that it shipped. I will let the public know more about the outcome
Gloria Snipes
14 reviews
We have purchased many corals from AquaSD. They have always arrived safe and as pictured from the website. The one time a coral did not look good enough for them, they called us and we were able to pick another and no delay in our order. Thank you guys our reef tank is looking beautiful.
George Hernandez
Will be buying coral again.
Gary Duhon
2 reviews
I recently ordered twice from ASD. 26 corals total. 80% were LPS with nine being hammer and torches. All corals came in looking great and healthy. The frags were clean looking . Im very satisfied with staff and corals. I will order from them again in the future.
Christy H
11 reviews
I live in Arizona and have ordered from AquaSD several times. All of my orders were exactly as ordered, packed sufficiently for all types of weather and beautiful! Customer service is just great and so helpful if you have questions about anything.
Note: Store information and services may change. Always call (760) 686-0252 to confirm current availability, hours, and services before visiting Aqua SD.
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7550 Miramar Rd STE 130
February 7, 2026
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