Have you been searching
for a serious skimmer for a great price? We now carry the full Reef
Octopus line of skimmers, reactors, etc and as always you can expect
unbeatable prices and free advice on choosing the equipment that you
need to make your tank something you can be proud of. So what are you
waiting for? Drop by or call us today to day to place your order!
GOT FLOW?
Specialty Pets has you
covered
VORTECH
Vortech Intelligent power
head systems create ideal conditions for your reef aquarium. With flow
rates from 200 to over 6000 gallons per hour, there is a Vortech to
match your reef needs.
The MP 10 Series
Designed especially for nano-reef
aquariums, the MP10w ES from EcoTech Marine is a small yet powerful
pump. The MP10w ES ideal for tanks from 2.5 to 50 gallons creates gentle
flows of 200 to 1,575 gallons per hour, helping the tanks feel more
like the ocean.
MP-20
Ideally suited for aquariums smaller
than 70 gallons, the MP20 produces unmatched broad yet gentle flow while
placing the motor outside the tank preserving the beauty of your aquarium
and enhancing the health of your tank’s ecosystem.
MP-40 Series
The award-winning technology of
the MP40w ES provides wireless operation on tanks between 50 and 500+
gallons, producing 1,000 to 3,200 gallons per hour of flow and smallest
in-tank footprint for full-size reef aquariums.
Specialty Pets carries a full line
of Eco Tech Marine products and can order anything from the catalog
including upgrades for your older MP series pumps. Anyone wishing to
see a vortech in action can drop by and view the two we use on our 150
gallon reef display tank.
TUNZE
Hobbyists
need not be limited to Vortech for their reef keeping needs as Specialty
Pets is the areas only "Authorized TUNZE dealer." If you need
high flow with precise German engineering, TUNZE is the undisputed champ
of the power head world. TUNZE pioneered powerhead technology with the
introduction of Stream style pumps in the early 70s. Today hobbyists
have an almost endless assortment of pumps and accessories to choose
from. If you have a large tank more than likely you are going to go
with TUNZE at some point. TUNZE pumps deliver flow rates from a few
hundred gph all the way up to a staggering 7,925 gph boasted by the
Turbelle 6305.
SEIO
We
also offer a line of more economy friendly powerhead solutions for the
hobbyists on a budget or anyone who is just getting started and doesn't
want to make a huge initial investment. For tanks that require a bit
more flow for a lot less cost we suggest SEIO Prop pumps. These pump
models can deliver flow from 600 to 1,500 gph and are perfect for medium
sized (40-75 gallon) systems. Before
Reactors?
So
you have heard other reef hobbyist talking about reactors on their
tank? Do you need one? If so what kind and what are the differences?
reactors come in different sizes and shapes but all have a common
function. They are a vessel where media is exposed to tank water and
returned. Calcium reactors are the most common and complex of the
types. A calcium reactor injects CO2 gas into the chamber where the
gas causes a calcium based media to dissolve infusing the water with
calcium. These reactors should only be used with a controller as potential
for disaster exists without proper safety measures. The next is a
Kalkwasser reactor, these are filled with Kalkwasser and are used
in conjunction with an auto top off system such as a TUNZE osmolator.
They contain a small pump that is hooked to a timer or controller
that that is set to stir the media intermittently. When the top off
pumps in tank water it flows through the Kalk reactor back into the
tanks sump. This is used to increase both the tanks Calcium level
and the Alkalinity. As a general rule one should purchase a Kalk reactor
before a calcium reactor, the Ca reactor will be used to increase
the Ca levels when and if the Kalk reactor alone will not suffice.
There are other reactors such as Phosphate reactors, nitrate reactors
etc. The use of reactors in a system will help maintain the stability
needed to insure long term success with your tank.
Live Rock & Base Rock
What's
the difference in live rock and base rock? Well it's easy, live rock
comes out of a live saltwater system. It harbors beneficial bacteria's
and life that will help establish a SW system faster. Base rock is
dry reef rock and is far less expensive than live. Either can be used
to set up a saltwater reef system but most hobbyists opt for a 50/50
mix of base and live. What ever you choose you should plan for about
1- 1.5 lbs per gallon and look for rock that is not solid, look for
porous rock, this will harbor far more bacteria than a solid piece.
If you are buying live rock and adding to a already cycled aquarium
you must be sure that the rock is fully cured. If the rock has been
out of the water for over 12 hours there will likely be a lot of die
off on the rock causing the tank to undergo a cycle. This is why live
rock is best for starting a new aquarium as it can quickly help to
establish a bacteria bed and cycle the tank. If you are buying live
rock it is strongly advised that you have a good skimmer in operation
as there will allmost always be die off to some degree unless the
rock is placed into the system within several hours. The live rock
we sell is fully cured and is safe to add to either an established
system or a new system.
Lighting solutions for any tank
Lighting is important for any tank but for a
reef tank it's a necessity. Coral or more specifically the zooxanthellae,
the symbiotic algae's that live within them need light for photosynthesis.
What type of light is dependant upon your particular coral needs. T-5
and metal halide are the top choice in advanced reef lighting right
now. T-5s promise less energy usage and more light than other conventional
means where as halides produce a great deal more PAR or photosynthetic
active radiation. LED technology is an upcoming force and much talked
about but over larger tanks it still falls a bit short, plus the cost
of these systems leaves most new hobbyists out of game. Power compacts
which were the long standing solution for years are slowly giving way
to T-5s and then there are Plasma and HID lights. Which of these will
become the next lighting leader? That's for the future to determine,
right now you should go with which ever light source is more proven
for your particular tank lighting needs. We offer lights and bulbs for
all your lighting needs at an affordable price.
Can we match competitors
prices?
Why stop there? In some cases we can flat out
beat their prices or host exclusive offers that they can't. Bring in
a competitors add and see what we can do for you, what do you have to
loose?