Welcome To Specialty Pets

TFG Home Grown Coral from WV

What is TFG Coral and what does it matter?

TFG or "The Frag Guys" is a brand of coral created locally here in WV and sold nationally that has been hand selected for growth, color and health. TFG coral are not hacked up frags of frags, they are from mother colonies that have been responsibly sustainability harvested for years. Some of our oldest colonies date back a decade. We are very proud to offer our own brand and are confident you will have the greatest success with our coral. With the stress on the oceans today and encroaching regulations threatening the saltwater reef hobby, sustainable aquacultured coral might be the only hope the hobby has as a source for livestock.

TFG Blastomusa Merletti has some of the best color we have seen in any blasto merletti. We acquired this coral several years ago and it quickly set itself apart from other blastos we had. It grew faster and had a deeper colored skirt as well as a bright green contrasting center. This particular frag has been raised under T-5 lighting (Fiji-Purple) and is available now at Specialty Pets. There is only one frag available at this price so act fast.

Anemones are they OK for my tank?

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One of the most amazing creatures in a saltwater tank has to be an anemone. These Cnidarians are not TRUE coral, they are closely related however and in the hobby they are much sought after among keepers of clown fish. There are many variety of anemone that can be successfully kept in captivity for years as long as proper conditions are met. Some of the best suited are the Entacmaea quadricolor or Bubble Tip Anemone. These particular anemone can range from brownish green , bright green to the most sought after red or (rose). In the hobby you are likely to come across BTA, Sebaes, Condylactis and various carpet anemones. All of these anemones can be hand fed meaty food such as thawed krill, shrimp, or silver sides. If clowns are present they may or may not choose to host in an anemone, if they do they will tend to take great care of the animal and provide food and cleaning services in exchange for residence within the waving tentacles.

There is no guarantee that your clown fish will host with a particular anemone but the best pairings I have personally witnessed were between Maroon Clowns, Clarkis and Tomato clowns with both BTAs and Sebaes as well as some carpets. Beware however of keeping smaller anemones with larger clown fish as they have been known to cause far to much stress on the anemone and can kill them. Carpet anemones have their own particular downfalls. They can produce powerful stings and have been known to devour any fish that makes the mistake of getting too close to them. Anemones will require at least power compact, or T-5 lighting, in deeper tanks multiple T-5s or Metal Halide may be required.

Clean Up Crews What should I have

There is a great equalizing factor in all saltwater tanks especially reef tanks. No matter the tank size or the top of the line state of the art equipment placed on them every single system from a nano tank to a multi thousand gallon system must have a clean up crew. Clean up crews are usually the first inverts to be purchased for a tank, as they are instrumental in heading off the inevitable algae blooms a tank will encounter shortly after it's cycle. We all like a clean tank and to insure it stays that way you must make sure you have the right numbers in your cleanup crews and that the crews are made up just for your particular system. Some crabs don't play well with others, and some can reach places others can't. Some snails are best suited for film algae while others are better equipped to take down hair algaes. In our opinion it's best to settle for a basic crew at first and later add on specific inverts to attack problems as they arise.

At Specialty Pets we recommend a basic clean up crew of at least 1 (mex red leg or blue leg) crab per gallon as well as about 1 asteria snails per 2 gallons or so. A peppermint shrimp is also a great addition to your clean up crew as it will help fight any unwanted aiptasia anemones that can quickly bloom out of hand in a newly set up tank. Scarlet reef crabs are some of the best general algae eaters and are among the most peaceful and long lived in the hobby. They are also among the higher priced but well worth it. If you can add these, do it, they provide you with years of clean up service and they are one of the most colorful of the "reef safe" dwarf crabs you will find in the trade.

There are many other specialty clean up inverts available and we can get just about any you need. We also have clean up crew specials which match or beat on line offers. If you just set up your tank or need to sure up your numbers drop by. Clean Up crews arrive every other week.

Need Rock?

You will find all the live and base rock at Specialty Pets that you will need. You will also find our true LIVE SAND to be invaluable to helping set up your reef tank or to add bio-diversity to your pre-existing tank(s). Plan on a pound per gallon of sand and about the same for rock.

Are You Part of the Community?

Join our ever growing facebook family and get exclusive deals, contests and notifications. Membership indeed has its privilege, get notification of arrivals, order specific fish, participate in store group buys and much more.

Specialty Pets

Like our Aquatic Auctions USA Facebook page for exciting deals on coral, plants, and more. Auctions are usually posted daily around 10 a.m. Do you live in Columbus, OH or another location outside of the Charleston-Huntington, WV area? Your Aquatic Auction winnings can be shipped to you or held for pickup.

We Know Saltwater

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.

The basics of flow and light

Lets talk about what you need to keep your reef tank happy and healthy for a long time. All to often in the saltwater hobby you will be bombarded by "experts" who tell you to add this or add that but what do you really need? I mean what are the pieces of equipment and additives that you have to have in order to have better success and less trouble with your new reef tank? To start there is lighting, and what you need is dependant upon what you are keeping and what size tank you are keeping it in.

A fish only tank will require no special lighting at all, it's up to the hobbyist to determine based on color preference. A reef tank with coral however is a different matter all together. Remember not all coral are created equally and therefore have different light and water flow needs. Lighting and water flow on a SPS tank will be far different from lighting on a soft coral system. It comes down to a basic high and low system for water flow and lighting. If you are keeping SPS your going to want a high flow system with heavy skimming. If your going with a soft coral system, depending on tank depth you might get by with a bit less lighting and flow. Always try to create the specific flow and light needs of your particular coral. If you do this you will insure it's health and longevity for many years to come.

Skimmers

After lighting and flow the next most valuable piece of equipment to any reef keeper is a good skimmer. All to often this is the one area a lot of new hobbyists neglect. A good skimmer is essential for continued health of both a reef and fish only with live rock (FOWLR) system. The size of the skimmer should be proportional to the tank size and over all bio load. In other words the bigger the tank and the more fish and coral the bigger your skimmer will need to be. Until recently the general hobbyist skimmer market was full of skimmers that just were not suited for any serious long term use. Now there are affordable solutions to all your skimming needs no matter the tank size. For long term success we recommend a skimmer rated for at least 2 X your tank size at least, with skimmers bigger is usually better.

No matter which brand you decide on, remember to regularly clean your skimmer, a dirty skimmer will not produce skimate no matter what name is on its side. Always check the skimmers venturi air line supply if it has one, these can clog and reduce skimming effectiveness. Also make a point to remove the pump from time to time and clean it in a solution of vinegar and water, this will get rid of any calcium deposits that may be blocking the pumps intake and will give your skimmer many years of continued service.

The Reef Specialists

At Specialty Pets we know reefs, we know a lot of other things to. We know you are looking for the best deals you can find. That's why we are competitive toward any of the big online stores. You will also be able to see some of this equipment for yourself and get a demonstration before you make any decisions on purchasing. Specialty Pets is run by people who are hobbyists and have decades of experience with marine tanks and reef set ups. You can rest assured you will receive the best possible information and support from us. We are in the business of creating new hobbyists. Bulk and special orders are always welcome, call for details.

Ready for Serious Flow?

If you want real flow in your reef tank, and why wouldn't you? In our opinion there is no better way than using a Vortech MP system. Or a TUNZE power head. The Vortechs can generate massive amounts of chaotic wave action and with smaller models available, can be used on tanks as small as 10 gallons! TUNZE is German made for precision and long term service. Powerheads by Tunze can generate flow from a few hundred gph all the way up to a staggering 7,925 gph boasted by the Turbelle 6305. If you have need of serious flow in your reef tank, give us a call. We are the area only "Authorized Tunze dealer" so drop by and let us see what we can do for you.

Lighting solutions for any tank

Every tank needs lighting, and we have gone out of our way to get the best lighting options under one roof here locally. You can find the same great fixtures and bulbs that you will find on other big box web sites. The difference is that you can come in and actually see what some of these lighting options look like and get professional advice before you decide which is best for you.

Project 66

P-66 started modestly from a handful of home grown coral and some small holding tanks. Today it is a small scale coral propagation and research facility designed to maximize the growth of healthy coral to supply today's hobbyists with zero impact coral. The system allows the shop to have an almost un-ending supply of coral.

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Can we match competitor's 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 competitor's ad and see what we can do for you, what do you have to loose?