Salty Supply - Aquarium Blog, Reef Tanks, Fish Tanks and Industry News.

Purpose And Working Basics Of A Protein Skimmer In Aquarium Tanks

2014-08-14T06:50:00.002-04:00

The waste that is collected in a fish aquarium includes fish waste, decomposing particles such as unconsumed food and other particles. This is the reason why aquarium tanks in the absence of a filtering system tends to get cloudy and deposited with organic waste. Skimming is a popular method of removing residue from a tank. They are also known as foam separators, foam fractionators, or air-strippers.

The protein skimmers were originally used in the water treatment industries to remove residue and organic particles before water supply reached into factories. The technicality in the skimmer uses the mechanism of organic particles being attracted to water bubbles.

Particles that usually settle as residue:

Primary and secondary amines
Amino based sugars
Alcohols and fatty acids
Lipids or fats

A much more generalized term for all that is generated as waste in an aquarium is classified as Dissolved Organic Compounds (DOCs). It is generated basically due to breaking down of biological materials in the tank. They have a high composition of bacteria, algae and other solvents.

Process:

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Basic parts of a skimmer:

The body: The body of the skimmer is where contact between the DOCs and water takes place.
The foam separation area: This is where the organic laden foam is separated from the water.
The collection cup: Collects the foam that spills over and collected as residue.

Get high quality aquarium filters and protein skimmers at www.saltysupply.com

Brief guide to set up your first salt water aquarium

2014-08-08T01:20:00.000-04:00

Find the right spot:

Firstly figure out the spot where you are going to place it based on the size of the tank. Ideally the tank should be away from the windows, vents and air conditioners. Sudden changes in temperature can have a dire effect on the fish, this is more important when it comes to salt water fish. Make sure your floor is strong enough to hold the weight of the tank. Approximately the tank will weigh around 10 lbs. per gallon. Place aquariums where they can get ample sunlight. Check for accessible power outlets nearby for aquarium pumps and illumination.

Prepare the tank:

Rinse thoroughly and place it in its spot
Check for any off-balance in the table or the tank itself so they are stable
(Note: An unsteady tank can be hazardous as there is risk of cracks developing and you getting injured in the process)
Fill it up with a few inches of water; see if they are level all around the circumference of the tank
Place the background image on to the tank
Fill up the tank to half, now check for any leakages

Aquarium Filters & Protein Skimmers:

Rinse the filter and place it in position in the tank. While attaching skimmers be sure to check all the tubes are secured into valves. Check the air pumps. The check valves can be placed from 3-4 inches away from the air pump for accurate functioning

Salts, minerals and substrate:

Place them in the tank evenly so they don’t clutter. Add the required amount of salts/minerals to the tank. Check salinity levels after the stabilization period of 24 hours. Install the heater and thermometer based on manufacturer’s instructions.

Wait for Stabilizing of the aquarium:

The aquarium setup once fully installed let it be for 24-48 hours for the temperature to stabilize and water to get ready. There may be a murky look in your tank during the process which is natural. Wait for everything to settle. Now introduce your fish friends to their new home.

Buy saltwater aquarium kits from www.saltysupply.com

A short guide for choosing the best aquarium lighting

2014-07-21T02:14:00.000-04:00

Why is it needed?

The lighting enables us to observe and appreciate the beauty of the aquatic world.

Proper aquarium illumination elevates the aesthetic properties of the aquarium. When designing your aquarium lighting system, the goal should be to duplicate natural conditions. With recent advancements in lighting technology, this has become an easier task.

There are many types of lighting to consider in an aquarium.

Basic types of lighting:

LED
Fluorescent lighting (normal)
Fluorescent lighting (compact)
Metal Halide lighting

A common characteristic of lighting is normal or high intensity. Reef aquariums require high intensity lighting; the usual setup consists of single or multiple lamps of the same brand or technical specs. Color lamps are used in the aquarium depending on the needs of the customer.

The effect of lighting on the aquarium should be noted on a daily basis.

Specialty of LED lighting:

Although lights are designed for both day and night, LED lighting with lamps of 2 -4 watts can be an effective, alternate option. It will save money on energy bills and have an increased aesthetic sense. LED is preferred in many aquariums for hassle free lighting.

For example, the AL Hydra LED utilizes the latest technology. It uses 80 degree lenses to provide uniform light output and color blending. The latest lens design utilizes the same TIR (Total Internal Reflection) optical design while incorporating a diffuse exit surface to optimize color blending.

Buy aquarium LED lighting at http://www.saltysupply.com/

How to maintain an aquarium

2014-07-02T05:06:00.000-04:00

A basic checklist before bringing in your aquatic friends

Decide on the kind of fish:

Research the kind of fish you are planning to get, if they are adults or juveniles and the various fish that can survive in a tank environment. The tstrongperature is an important factor for fish to survive. It is advisable to examine the optimum tstrongperature range and salt water levels in the tank.

Size of Tank:

If you are planning on adding more fish in the future; be sure to get a tank that is big enough to fit the number you have in mind. Make sure there is enough room for the fish to move around the tank. An optimum level of a few gallons should be ideal for one fish as they consume oxygen dissolved in water.

Aquarium supplies:

Supplies such as aqua illumination, aquarium filters can be acquired at reasonable online prices. Be sure to check online before visiting your pet store. Sand pebbles can be added at one pound per gallon ratio.

Aquarium Filters:

There are a lot of different types of filter syststrongs that can be utilized for various type of aquariums based on a variety of factors. Get the right type of filter as salt water aquariums require special saltwater filters.

Other apparatus:

A thermometer is a handy tool to have for measuring the tstrongperature of the water. Live rock and water friendly aquarium ambience makes fish feel comfortable and a sense of a natural environment.

Best prices online for aquarium supplies at www.saltysupply.com

Ecotech Marine XR15wPro Coming Soon

2014-06-30T11:15:00.001-04:00

Ecotech Marine has announced their newest addition to the Radion Lighting lineup. The Radion XR15wPro boast’s some serious output but a smaller form.

View more information via www.saltysupply.com

How to Do Two-Part Dosing in the Marine Aquarium

2014-06-26T16:51:00.005-04:00

When considering a marine aquarium, you need to pay attention to the chemical balances within your aquarium, especially if you have a reef aquarium. Fortunately, when your calcium or alkalinity is out of whack, there are products available which can help return your tank to gold star status. Known as two-part dosing, this method allows you to add just the right amounts of supplements to maintain calcium and alkalinity levels that are correct for your marine aquarium.

What Chemicals Are Involved in Two-Part Dosing?

No matter what kinds of organisms reside in your seawater aquarium, the two most crucial parts of your water to watch for are the calcium levels and the alkalinity. While many kinds of fish probably get enough calcium with frequent small water changes, the corals and clams you might have in your tank need a great deal of calcium for day-to-day living requirements, perhaps more than they would normally receive with a simple water change.

Alkalinity is important in seawater because it helps the water resist too many changes which might cause the water to become more acidic. The alkalinity is a direct function of how much bicarbonate, carbonate and lesser amounts of other elements are available in your seawater. If your tank lacks the buffering abilities of carbonate, for example, the alkalinity of your water can fall below levels your organisms would normally experience in the ocean.

The Basic Equipment for Two-Part Dosing

Perhaps the most critical piece of equipment you need for two-part dosing is a really good test kit. Never guess whether your tank needs a certain chemical addition, since too much of even a good thing like calcium is harmful for your marine organisms. Two testing rules of thumb are to test your water frequently, and only test and dose for one supplement at a time, since seawater is a fine balancing act between various chemicals.

If you decide after testing your aquarium water that you need more calcium or alkalinity, a simple method for adding these elements is to follow a two-part dosing program, which includes a calcium supplement and usually a bicarbonate supplement that focuses on adjusting the alkalinity of aquarium seawater. Theoretically, the two supplements should be added in equal amounts as required, but sometimes you might need to add more calcium than alkalinity supplement, or vice versa. That’s where a good testing kit is critical.

The two supplements are delivered to your tank by means of peristaltic dispensing pumps, which release the supplements into the water in small doses daily.

How to Dose Your Marine Aquarium Tank

The two-dose supplements come in powder form in half gallon or one gallon bottles. When you decide to dose your aquarium, your first task is to mix up solutions of each supplement in separate jugs. Follow the mixing directions listed on the sides of your supplement containers. When mixing up your solutions, only use reverse osmosis water.

The best way to mix the supplement powders into the water is to add a little supplement at a time to the water in the jug, shake the jug, then add a bit more supplement, until all the powder is mixed in. This prevents the supplements from clumping on the bottom of your water jugs. If clumping occurs, put the jug in a sink of hot water for awhile to warm the water up, which should allow for easier mixing. Once you’ve mixed up your supplements, let the jugs sit for a couple of hours to allow them to finish dissolving.

To do two-part dosing, you need two dosing pumps, one for each supplement. The dosing pump pulls either calcium or alkalinity solution from your additive jug to your aquarium by way of your aquarium pump. Many dosing pumps can be set to automatically deliver a dose at a steady rate, which eliminates time consuming manual delivery.

When adding the two-dose calcium and alkalinity supplements to your aquarium, do not add the two doses at the same time. Instead add the calcium first, and then wait an hour to add the alkalinity dose. Also, when adding two-part dosing to your aquarium, start with small amounts and slowly build up until you reach the levels of calcium and alkalinity you desire.

Why You Need Reverse Osmosis for Your Aquarium

2014-06-26T16:50:00.004-04:00

As you get deeper into the world of marine aquariums, you quickly realize that the happiness of your organisms depends on the quality of their water. You might be tempted to pour tap water into your aquarium, since it’s convenient and cheap. But, depending on whether your water comes from a municipal source or from a well in the back yard, it can have too high of a pH, as well as harboring heavy metals, chlorine and other chemicals less than savory to your prize aquarium inhabitants. The answer to your water problems lies in owning your own reverse osmosis (RO) unit.

The Basics of Aquarium Reverse Osmosis Units

RO units purify the water by forcing tap water through a series of membranes and filters. The membrane lets the water molecules move through, but larger molecules, such as limestone and other minerals, and contaminants are stopped by the membrane. The end result is water that is up to 99 percent pure, depending on the type of membrane used.

The most basic membrane is a cellulose tri-acetate (CTA) membrane, which is manufactured from organic materials. Using a CTA will purify your water from 88 to 94 percent, but this membrane does not remove chlorine from the water. You’ll still have to have a dechlorinator for your aquarium, or you can set your water out for 24 hours before using it in order to let the chlorine gas dissipate.

A more advanced membrane is the thin film composite (TFC) membrane. Made of synthetic material, the TFC membrane in your reverse osmosis unit will remove 97.5 to 99 percent of water impurities.

Another membrane consisting of synthetic material is the high removal membrane. Like the TFC membrane, the high removal membrane purifies your water from 97.5 to 99 percent, with the added benefit of also removing silicates.

Along with the membrane, the RO unit also comes with a carbon block, a sediment filter, and deionization (DI) resin, if it is a four stage unit. If the RO device you’re looking to buy has less than four stages, it means the DI stage was left out. The DI resin is another method of purifying your tap water by means of an ion exchange. An RO unit without a DI stage can purify your water to 98 percent. A DI stage added to your RO unit purifies your water up to 99.9 percent. Sometimes all you need is 98 percent pure liquid, but if your fish are really finicky, the extra 1.9 percent purity provided by the addition of a DI stage can mean a great deal to your aquarium success.

Maintenance of a ReverseOsmosis Unit

Once installed, the maintenance of a reverse osmosis unit is reasonably simple. If your tap water comes from a city municipal source and is loaded with chlorine, a good rule of thumb is to change out the carbon and sediment portions of the RO unit about every six months. The membrane in your unit often lasts for years. However, the membrane can clog with time or even develop holes. The best way to monitor your unit is with a total dissolved solids (TDS) meter, which lets you keep track of the quality of your RO operations. For example, the DI resin should read between 0 and 1 using a TDS meter. If the resin reads above 1, it should be replaced.

Do Not Use Pure Reverse Osmosis Water

A reverse osmosis unit does a fantastic job purifying your tap water for aquarium use, but it can create a product that’s actually too pure for your saltwater livestock, by stripping essential minerals from the water. One way to avoid this problem is to mix some of the tap water back into the RO water. Or you can add store bought minerals to the water. Even with a good RO unit, you still need to test frequently for pH and mineral levels, and water quality.

Reverse osmosis water is available by the gallon at supermarkets and aquarium stores. The point that makes owning your own RO unit worthwhile is that you control the quality of the water, since you can monitor your own unit. Purchasing water from the store means you have no idea when the RO unit last saw maintenance.

Choosing the Right Water Pump for Your Saltwater Aquarium

2014-06-26T16:47:00.001-04:00

Aside from the aquarium itself, probably the next most important piece of equipment you need for your saltwater setup is a proper water pump. Without a quality pump, your saltwater aquarium lacks good water circulation that keeps the organisms happy and the filters working. Also, the water pump is used to give power to your filtration system, and possibly other devices, such as your protein skimmer. A good water pump makes life a lot more comfortable for your marine livestock.

Types of Fish Tank Pumps

The two most common marine water pumps in use today are the inline water pump and the submersible water pump. The inline water pump tends to be the more powerful of the two, and can move more gallons of water through your system per hour. Inline pumps are set up outside of the aquarium with inlet and outlet hoses.

The submersible water pump, goes directly into your aquarium, and therefore is easier to install, because you don’t have to worry about installing a bulkhead into your filtration system. Submersible pumps are also quieter to run, since the water around the pump absorbs much of the operating noise. These pumps draw water from the filter and then send the water back through the aquarium.

Whichever pump you choose, make sure it’s rated for the corrosive saltwater environment of your aquarium.

Choose the Pump That Fits Your Situation

One key item to consider when buying a marine water pump is heat dispersion. Because the submersible sits in the actual aquarium, the pump is water cooled, and the heat from the pump operations gets released directly into the water, which may make life uncomfortable for your aquarium residents. To combat this increase in water temperatures, you will probably need to install chillers to control water temperatures. The inline pump is air cooled, so operations generated heat dissipates outside of your tank of water.

If you decide on an inline pump, you need to consider which type of inline pump works best for your aquarium. The inline pressure configuration usually puts the pump in front of a canister filtration system. Because of the location, an aquarium pump in this situation can receive tremendous backwash from the filter. In this case make sure you buy an inline pump strong enough to handle the additional pressure.

The other inline pump configuration is referred to as the inline free-flow, whereby the pump is located behind the filtration device. Because inline pumps in this position receive very little pressure, they can transfer larger volumes of water with less effort than the inline pressure configuration.

Pay Attention to Gallons Per Hour (GPH) Rating

Regardless of whether you choose a submersible or an inline pump for your saltwater aquarium, you need to have a model that is powerful enough to both run some of your other equipment, like chillers and protein skimmers, as well as give you the proper amount of gallons per hour (GPH) for your aquarium and its residents.

To figure out the amount of GPH you need, multiply the total number of gallons your aquarium holds by five. This gives you the minimum GPH for your setup. Because the GPH rating listed on the side of every pump is based on the ideal situation of your head height located at zero feet, you should consider moving up to the next larger size of pump than your aquarium technically needs. With an oversized aquarium pump, you can always do some basic plumbing work to install ball valves that allow you to reduce water flow. However, if your pump is at the minimum GPH for your aquarium, and your setup requires more than your pump can give, your only alternative is to buy another, larger pump.

Where’s the Spare?

Because a water pump is such a critical piece of equipment for your marine aquarium, it helps to have a backup plan in case your pump ever stops working. Some people keep a spare pump on hand to pop into place, when things go wrong. Another alternative is to make sure the store or company you bought the pump from has an extra pump you can borrow immediately until yours returns from the manufacturer in a few weeks.

Shop our 4th of July Sale

2014-06-26T16:46:00.001-04:00

Today starts our 4th of July Sale. Save up to 40% on name brand such as RLSS, Aquafx and more. Earn 10x Rewards points on Reef Octopus Skimmers and Neptune Systems Controllers.

Why you need a Refractometer

2014-05-28T12:39:00.001-04:00

As a marine aquarium keeper, it’s your job to maintain an environment as close to what your organisms are accustomed to as possible. Unless your livestock came directly from Utah’s Great Salt Lake, too much salinity in your water can be harmful. However, not enough salinity also can make your fish or coral uncomfortable. This is where a piece of equipment called a refractometer comes in handy.

What Is a Refractometer?

Because a refractometer can determine the salinity of your aquarium water, it is a tool worth having on hand, especially if you have a reef aquarium. A refractometer is a piece of equipment that measures the speed of light passing through a liquid, in this case through a sampling of seawater from your aquarium. The more particulates there are in the water, the slower light travels through the water. Depending on where the light falls on the refractometer’s built-in scale determines the salinity in your marine aquarium. This also allows you to measure the specific gravity of your seawater. The specific gravity is the density of salt in your aquarium water as compared to fresh water.
The determination of salinity is based on the index of refraction. For example, if you use your refractometer in a vacuum, such as in outer space, the device’s index scale should read 1.0000. The index for pure water is 1.3330. For seawater at 35 parts per thousand (ppt), the index reading should be 1.3394. If your refractometer reads higher or lower than 1.3394, then you may need to adjust the chemical composition of your aquarium water.

What to Look for When Purchasing a Refractometer

When buying a refractometer, make sure the one you choose is specifically for seawater use(Look into our Deepwater Refractometer). Many refractometers on the market are manufactured only to measure the salinity of sodium chloride solutions. These types are referred to as brine or salt refractometers. They are good for measuring the saltiness of Aunt Sally’s blue ribbon pickles, but, as you know, a marine aquarium contains more than just sodium chloride, such as trace elements, calcium, carbonates and magnesium. A seawater refractometer takes these into account.

You also want a refractometer that, once calibrated, automatically takes water temperature into consideration in the reading. Without this automatic temperature compensation (ATC), your reading can be misleading, since warmer water expands slightly, allowing light to pass through more easily. This means your tank of warm water may appear to have less salinity than is actually present.
Other handy aspects of a good refractometer include a dual scale that measures both specific gravity and parts per thousand, and an eyepiece you can adjust in order to clearly read the scale.

How to Read a Refractometer

First, open the cover to the refractometer’s prism. Using a clean pipette, take a sample of aquarium water and place a drop or two onto the prism plate, then close the cover. Hold the refractometer to the light and look through the eyepiece, adjusting the eyepiece until you can clearly see the scale. One side of the scale measures the salinity of the water in parts per thousand, which for seawater should read 35 ppt. The other side of the scale lets you know the specific gravity, which is 1.3394 for seawater.

As you look through the eyepiece, you will notice that the top part of the scale is blue, while the bottom portion of the scale looks white. Your reading should be taken at the spot where the blue and white meet on the scale.

For the serious marine aquarium person, a refractometer can be a great addition to your tool box, because you can receive more accurate readings than from the traditional hydrometer. But, the refractometer does need to be calibrated in order to give you an accurate reading. Follow manufacturer’s instructions to properly calibrate your particular refractometer.

Deepwater Aquatics HOB by JNS now IN Stock

2014-04-11T12:48:00.001-04:00

Deepwater Aquatics HOB

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Deepwater Aquatics HOB by JNS

Overview

The Deepwater HOB Skimmer by JNS utilizes the unique ConeS bubble chamber. The unique shape of the bubble chamber is designed for mixing of air and water to eliminate the turbulence in the skimmer. By eliminating turbulence you greatly enhance the efficiency of the protein skimmer.
The Deepwater HOB skimmer is rated for aquariums up to 75 gallons and is light enough to be used on smaller nanos or even rimless aquariums. All Deepwater Skimmers are made with high quality cell cast acrylic and engineered to outperform its competitors and deliver the performance you need for a reef or marine fish aquarium.

Functionality

Our unique larger slanted collection cup design ensures maximum removal of unwanted orgranics. Package the collection sup with our new ConeS designed bubble plate and Shark 1.0 pump, you now have one of the best performing HOB skimmers on the market.

Noise Cancellation

We know aquariums can be noisy, we combat this by mounting the pump within the skimmer and including an air silencer to keep noise to a minimum.

Easy Setup

The Deepwater HOB is extremely easy to set up and maintain for beginners to advanced users. The collection cup is removable so it makes cleaning a breeze.
Specifications

Deepwater Aquatics HOB Skimmer by JNS

Dimensions
L7.9" x W4.2" H14.5"

Pump
Shark 1.0

Power Consumption
11 Watts

Outlet Size
3/4"

Volume Rating
up to 75 Gallons

Choosing LED Lighting for your aquarium

2014-04-04T13:19:00.001-04:00

Choosing LED Lighting for your aquarium

Whether you’ve had a saltwater aquarium for many years, or you are a newcomer to the world of aquariums, one critical aspect of your aquarium setup is the lighting. Not only does good lighting make your aquarium look outstanding, but it also can be crucial to the life and growth of any organisms you decide to raise.
The latest way to light up an aquarium is with LED bulbs, both because of their longevity and small carbon footprint, and because of the wide variety of spectrum options and intensity now available in LED bulbs. Below are some tips on how to choose the right LED lighting for your particular aquarium setting.

Consider the Organisms You Support

The types of organisms you raise in your saltwater aquarium can help you determine what kind of LED lighting you need. For example, if you have clams, coral or some types of plants that grow at somewhat deeper ocean depths, these organisms have adapted to the blue and white wavelengths of light, and the choice of LED bulbs should reflect this.
For aquarium setups with vast amounts of plants, blue and red wavelengths are the most crucial for the plants to effectively photosynthesize and live healthy lives. But with LEDs, you can also literally have your cake and eat it, too, because they allow you to create a natural looking light that mimics both sunlight and moonlight, while providing your organisms what they need for a proper environment.

Choose the Color for the Effect You’re Looking for

Once the light needs of your organisms are met, you get to play with a whole spectrum of colors, depending on the way you want to present your aquarium. Most advanced LED systems these days allow you to choose your spectrum and come with multiple colors installed from the factory such as the Aqua Illumination Hydra.
For example, if you want a true realistic water shimmer in your aquarium, concentrate more on white LED channels that give your setup an appearance of being in the sunlight.
LED lights in the blue spectrum, such as actinic LED bulbs, can really bring out the details and beauty of your living coral reef. LED lights that enhance the color of the water from the warmer end of the spectrum are very good for bringing out the best in livestock when all your aquarium holds is fish.

Other Considerations When Choosing LED Aquarium Lighting

In the case of LED lights for saltwater aquariums, the best rule of thumb is to buy the best system of lighting you can afford, and any LED lighting system you buy may have a hefty price tag. But the more expensive LED lighting systems from a well-known manufacturer will carry better custom support, features and warranties.
One important consideration when choosing the correct LED lights is to calculate the amount of heat given off by the bulbs. LED lights emit much lower amounts of heat than the traditional fluorescent or Metal Halide bulbs, which means that LEDs do not contribute to the heating of the water, which in turn may eliminate the need for a chiller. But the LED bulbs do release heat upward and out of the aquarium. The heat doesn’t harm your aquarium organisms, but it can reduce the lifespan of your LED bulbs, so consider adding a fan if you plan on having a large array of LED lights in your saltwater aquarium.
Below you can see a list of our best selling LED systems

Aqua Illumination – Click here for PreBuilt Packages for standard tanks
Ecotech Marine
Maxspect Razor

Vertex V6 Circulation Pump

2014-03-04T13:11:00.001-05:00

Vertex V6 Water Pump

The V6 Water pump from Vertex is powered by an Askoll motor black. The Askoll motor block is very high quality and exteremly quiet.

At 1585 Gallons Per Hour and only 65 watts of power makes this pump one of the top performers on the market.

Sound and vibration is dampened by quality rubber feet at the base of the pump. And all components are made using a state of the art CNC machine.

Each V6 impeller shaft is custom machined to perfection from special corrosion resistant alloy using state of the art equipment.

Length: 20cm/ 7.9” Width: 10.5cm / 4.15” Height: 17cm / 6.8”

Specifications:

Input-Power: 110V / 60Hz
Power Consumption: 65W
Input: 32mm / 1.25”
Output: 25mm / 1”
Flow: 6000LPH / 1584 US-Gallons
Pressure: 2.5meters / 8’

Now available at Salty Supply. Please see details below.

Ecobak PLUS Now Available at SaltySupply.com

2014-02-25T12:50:00.001-05:00

EcoBAK Plus biopellets are a unique multi-Polymer, multi-carbon media that reduces nitrate, phosphate, undesirable algae, and organic waste, EcoBAK Plus is a blend of biodegradable polymers that serve s a stable and consistent organic carbon source, food source, and substrate for bacterial strains that consume organic compounds. EcoBAK PLUS reduces nuisance algae, clarifies water, and supplies Planktonic bacteria as a food source for corals in the reef aquarium. EcoBAK PLUS works naturally with NO harmful chemical additives.
EcoBAK PLUS System Includes a single concentrated dose of EcoBAK SPARK to be added when starting EcoBAK PLUS use. Within 2 weeks EcoBAK PLUS will be sufficiently cononized with bacteria to begin reducing organic compounds.
Aquariums with a higher bioload may experience temporary water cloudiness.

Buy Live Rock at SaltySupply.com

2014-02-10T12:55:00.001-05:00

Fiji Live Rock is now available at SaltySupply.com . All live rock is brought in via refrigerated containers direct from overseas and the south pacific. All live rock is checked for quality and shipped directly from Los Angeles. Buy Live Rock online at www.saltysupply.com

Blue Life USA

2014-02-10T12:53:00.001-05:00

Blue Life USA Bulbs, Treatments and Aquarium Backgrounds are now available at SaltySupply.com.

Blue Life USA’s goal is to make easy to use products of extraordinary quality. We promote education and research to make the hobby more fulfilling.

Blue Life USA’s management team is comprised of Industry professionals and hobbyists, each with “hand’s on” experience with aquariums. We create products that we not only sell, but we use in our own aquariums. All products are extensively tested by scientist, veterinarians and marine biologists to ensure quality and safety.

Blue Life USA is committed to provide the aquarium industry with products you need, and products you can trust.

Announcing the Deepwater Aquatics HOB Skimmer by JNS

2014-01-09T11:40:00.001-05:00

We are proud to announce the release of our Deepwater Aquatics HOB manufactured and engineered the the acclaimed JNS. Check out the specs below.

Purchase Retail through Salty Supply

Buy Wholesale at Deepwater Aquatics

Deepwater Aquatics HOB by JNS

Overview

Functionality

Noise Cancellation

We know aquariums can be noisy, we combat this by mounting the pump within the skimmer and including an air silencer to keep noise to a minimum.

Easy Setup

The Deepwater HOB is extremely easy to set up and maintain for beginners to advanced users. The collection cup is removable so it makes cleaning a breeze.

Specifications

Deepwater Aquatics HOB Skimmer by JNS

Dimensions
L7.9" x W4.2" H14.5"

Pump
Shark 1.0

Power Consumption
11 Watts

Outlet Size
3/4"

Volume Rating
up to 75 Gallons

Deepwater Aquatics HOB

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Return Pumps for the Aquarium, Which One?

2013-11-26T17:15:00.001-05:00

Choosing the appropriate water pump or return pump for you aquarium will help your aquarium stay clean, while providing a healthy environment for your aquarium animals.

Most of the time we recommend that you turn over the total water volume in your aquarium roughly 5-7x. An easy way to figure out the correct flow rate is to multiply your systems volume by 5. So if you have a 60 gallon aquarium you would need to look for a pump that has a flow rate of around 300-500 Gallons per hour.

(Waveline DC Pump)

However keep in mind that the GPH (Gallon Per Hour) listing on pumps is the maximum flow rate. Meaning that if you have head pressure or elbow in the plumbing your will lose pressure progressively before the water arrives to its final destination. Generally speaking you should go for the next size up based on the calculation.

By using a larger pump than you calculated you can compensate for the loss of head pressure as well as sharp turns or elbows in your plumbing. Keep in mind that you can also use ball valves to adjust the amount of flow, an undersized pump will not be able to produce more flow than it was designed for. So it's always best to go with the larger version of your desired pump.

Types of Fish Tank Pumps

Internal Aquarium Pumps - Internal pumps are simply placed inside your sump or wet dry filter, they are very easy to set up and require little modification or plumbing. These are the most suitable for most aquariums under 200 gallons.
External/High Pressure Pumps - External pumps are great for aquariums with little space inside the actual sump or for very large tanks requiring a pump that needs to compensate for loss of head pressure or very high GPH.

Some of our favorite brands for internal pumps are made by Reef Octopus, the Water blaster pumps are very low wattage, very low heat transfer and provide the consumer a piece of mind with a 3 year warranty.

Choosing the right pump the first time will prevent many headaches down the road and ensure the health of your animals. Always be sure to research the brand or model to be sure you are buying a quality pump that will last for at least a few years. Having a backup pump is highly recommended in case of a failure.

Search our water pumps here http://www.saltysupply.com/Fish-Tank-Pumps-s/25.htm

Todays Doorbuster– Black Friday at SaltySupply.com

2013-11-26T17:12:00.001-05:00

Today we are featuring 20% off our new Kamoer Dosing pumps exclusively at SaltySupply.com

Find over 700+ Sale items During our Black Friday and Cyber Monday Event

Kamoer Dosing Pumps Exclusively available at SaltySupply.com

2013-11-21T11:29:00.001-05:00

We are proud to announce we have receive all the Kamoer Dosing Pump models and are now shipping.

The Kamoer 3 Channel dosing pump from Deepwater Aquatics makes dosing your most used additives such as Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium a breeze. Simply program the Kamoer dosing pump to your specified settings to auto dose your supplements using accurate peristaltic pumps.

3 Channel Kamoer Dosing Pump

Kamoer 4 Channel Dosing Pump

Kamoer 4 Channel Slave Doser

We also have great preconfigured dosing packages available online in our packages section

Aqua Illumination Directors

2013-11-21T11:25:00.001-05:00

The long awaiting AI Directors from Aqua Illumination are now in stock. We highly recommend upgrading your existing controllers today to utilize the enhanced controllability.

Director

The Ultimate Control Platform

Control your AI devices from anywhere in the world with our Director control platform. Whether it's on your phone, tablet or on the web you'll always be connected to your tank for total control.

Mobile

*Native apps for iOS and Android.

Web

Anywhere in the world!

Wireless

Control all your AI devices with complete freedom.

Features

The new standard in control platforms
Control any AI wirelessly enabled device
The AI Director can be connected via 802.11 Wifi (with included dongle) or Ethernet
Connect to the Director through the cloud with myAI
You may also access the AI Director via your local network
Manage 10 tanks with up to 30 lights with one Director

LED Controls

Weather
- Realistic cloud sweeps
- Lightning Storms
- *Provided an Internet connection, the Director can pull live weather from user configured locations on Earth
Lunar Cycle
Coral Acclimation
Test Run
- Plays your entire day's timer configuration in fast forward.
Dynamically recognize changes in LED configurations using PowerPuck™ technology.
Up to 100 control points per LED color per group for a given day.

myAI

myAI is AquaIllumination's cloud-based service that connects you to all your AI devices. Logging in to myAI connects you to your Director and gives you the power to control your lights from anywhere in the world!

Compatible with Mac and PC.

Reeftoberfest at SaltySupply.com

2013-10-10T12:26:00.001-04:00

Don’t miss out on this huge event to save big and accumlate some big rewards points. We are slashing prices and offering 2-5x rewards points sitewide on some of your favorite products and new product annoucements such as the Kamoer Dosing Pump

Aqua Illumination Hydra’s In Stock

2013-07-01T12:54:00.001-04:00

We now have the New AI Hydra In stock. Click the link below for a video and details regarding this great new modular led light.

Aqua Illumination Hydra

AI Hydra Comparison

Vertex Omega 150 Protein Skimmer

2013-01-24T12:04:00.001-05:00

We now have the anticipated Vertex Omega 150 Protein Skimmer in Stock. These things are sweet and built like tanks.

Each skimmer features a Sicce Syncra 1000 Pump with Cell Cast Acryilic and PVC contruction. All screws are titanium.

Features Included:

- Cast Acrylic & PVC Construction
- Hot Welded Seams
- Custom Sicce Pump & Pinwheel Impeller
- Fine Tuning Adjustable Venturi
- Ozone Injection Port
- Ultra Quiet Operation
- Low Power Consumption
- High Bioload Capacity

Specifications:
- 19w Power Consumption
- 850lph Air Draw
- 11" x 11" Footprint
- 21.75" Height
- 40g - 150g Heavy Bioload Capacity
- 200g Light Bioload Capacity

ADD TO CART

Fauna Marin Coral Foods Now In Stock

2013-01-21T13:11:00.001-05:00

We are proud to now offer the full line of Coral Foods from Fauna Marin. These foods truly are spectacular and will create amazing feeding responses from your corals. Pick some up today while the sale lasts until 1/24.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PRODUCTS