Red Sea Max S-Series

Red Sea has just unveiled their MAX S-Series aquariums which are an all-in-one tank similar to their max aquarium series. The original max aquarium series come in three flavors either the Red Sea Max 130D, Max 250, or yet to be shipping: Max 500. The new Red Sea Max S series aims to raise the bar higher in terms of water volume. The new S-Series Aquariums will increase the water volume significantly with three models including: S400 (400 liters or 106 gallons, S500 (500 liters or 132 gallons), and S650 (650 liters or 172 gallons). But that is not all that Red Sea is adding, check out the rest below to read all the details.

Max S-Series by Red Sea

While the Max 250, and 500 were impressive in their own right, the differences between the new Max S series are significant. Red Sea is adding popular reef aquarium features with aquarium receiving a full sized sump including overflow pluming and return pump. This is completely different than the Max series which included the filtration behind the tank in an easy to manufacture way. Plus, Red Sea is adding on the Max S Series a spot for your chiller including plumbing connections. Protein skimming will be accomplished by Red Sea’s own C-Skim protein skimmer located in the sump below the tank. Included lighting is stated to be a very powerful 10 lamp T5 combination (5 x 10K + 5 x actinic) plus LED moonlights to get your fish and corals in the proper mood. The aquarium itself is being marketed as an “HD optically clear glass aquarium” which we are assuming to mean low-iron glass. If it is low iron then score a big win for the reef keeping hobby in general.

Folks that live in the UK will receive these units first, with an availability date of September 2011. Red Sea’s Max S Series will receive an international launch with dates and prices to follow in the months ahead. Prices at the Pet Shanty are as follows:

$3799.00 for the 400
$4299.00 for the 500
$4799.00 for the 650

All should be available 2nd week of December 2011, so please PRE-ORDER now to be the first on your block with this amazing system!

Aquarium: Power and Elegance Combined

MAX S-Series aquariums are constructed from 12 mm of HD optically clear, (low iron) glass with a surface skimmer along the entire rear wall. The aquarium includes a discreet rear chamber housing powerful circulation pumps and a flow controlled down pipe to the in-cabinet sump. The positioning of the circulation pumps guarantees complete water circulation throughout the entire aquarium. The saltwater-resistant color trim around the top and bottom of the aquarium is long-lasting and can be replaced at any time should a different color scheme be preferred.

Sophisticated, Upgradeable Lighting System.

The unique MAX S-Series slide & swivel lighting system consists of three individually switched lighting units. The identical front and rear 4 x T5 units are hinged to the lighting chassis that slides across the top of the aquarium providing total access for all maintenance and reef scape tasks. The center unit has an additional 2 x T5 lights and 12 LED moonlights. Additional configurations for the center unit will be available in the future. Changeable front and side color trim panels match the aquarium and cabinet. A dual timer lighting controller is included as part of the complete system controller in the cabinet.

Total Reef Filtration

The complete reef filtration system starts with the surface skimmer that feeds the water via a flow regulated down pipe to the in-cabinet sump filtration system. The filtered water is returned to the aquarium by a main system pump that also supplies water to all of the filtration systems such as the protein skimmer, an optional chiller and/or reactors. Connection between the aquarium and sump is via standard union connectors so no gluing is required. The MAX S-System is supplied with the main system pump, C-Skim 1800 protein skimmer, mechanical and carbon filtration media and all piping including preparation to connect a chiller and auxiliary reactors.

Reef Spec Customizable Cabinet

Internal: The aquarium is supported by a marine-spec anodized aluminum profile frame and adjustable feet to ensure perfect alignment in all locations. The sump compartment is lined to ensure a durable splash proof environment.

External style: Make your Max S unique by choosing from a variety of six body colors. The trims and the cabinet colors can be customized in no fewer than 36 combinations. The oven-painted panels and doors are attached to the frame and since they are not load-bearing they can be replaced at any time allowing renovation or a complete color change on a functioning aquarium. This feature combined with the replaceable trim on the light and aquarium will add a significant resale value to the MAX S-Series.

Integrated Power Center

The MAX S-Series follows the one-plug MAX concept and features a power control center with easy access to 10 individually switched power sockets for all pumps, heaters, skimmer, reactors etc. in addition to the lighting controller module.

Read the full Max S brochure via Red Sea!

Oxbow Animal Health

Welcome to the home of Oxbow Animal Health, a leader in providing ultra-premium food and nutritional products for exotic and small animals the world over.

We aren’t just in the business of pet nutrition—we’re dedicated to it. Our company was built on hard work, compassion and Midwest values. We wake up every morning with the goal of being better than we were the previous day. We take pride in improving and prolonging the joy that pets bring into our lives and the lives of families everywhere. Put simply, we love what we do. We hope you and your furry friends do as well.

Bunny Basics – Young Rabbit Food

Young rabbits need lots of fiber, as well as a good balance of protein and amino acids to keep them healthy and growing properly. Bunny Basics – Young Rabbit Food, which includes energy-dense alfalfa hay, was designed specifically to provide stabilized nutrients to keep young rabbits thriving. This feed also can be used to boost the nutrition of older rabbits with weight loss due to age or illness. Offer Bunny Basics – Young Rabbit Food in combination with Oxbow grass hays to ensure a healthy, balanced diet for young or active rabbits. Sizes: 5 lb, 10 lb, 50 lb.

Western Timothy Hay

Looking for a good, basic grass hay with high quality nutrition, and a fresh fragrance that’s irresistible to small herbivores? Oxbow Western Timothy Hay is the ideal long-strand fiber source for keeping small animal digestive tracts functioning properly. Our most popular grass hay—with high fiber, low protein and low calcium content—is widely recommended by veterinarians. Oxbow Animal Health was the first pet food company to introduce timothy hay as a staple in the small animal diet. It is now an industry standard. Sizes: 15 oz, 40 oz, 9 lb, 25 lb, 50 lb.

Cavy Performance – Young Guinea Pig Food

Alfalfa-based Cavy Performance – Young Guinea Pig Food is specially designed to provide high fiber, protein, calcium and energy required for young guinea pigs to thrive. The optimized, balanced protein and stabilized vitamins also help nurture pregnant and lactating animals. Serve Cavy Performance – Young Guinea Pig Food with Oxbow grass hays and treats for complete nutrition. Sizes: 5 lb, 10 lb, 50 lb.

We partner closely with veterinarians, scientists, and other industry professionals to create our products; which are tested, retested, and tested again in order to meet the highest standards. We believe in going a step further in our dedication to small animal health. Our Oxbow Academy creates long-lasting programs that educate pet owners, supports small animal organizations, and works to inspire a dialogue between animal interest groups and associations.

In addition, we are heavily involved in various philanthropic pursuits and provide scholarships for those interested in working in the pet industry. Now that you’ve learned a little about us, click here to find out how we got here!

Texas Holey Stone

Just in, Texas Holey stone The absolute best rock for your African Cichlid aquarium. Buffers Ph and Hardness,and looks great too. We only get this stuff in about 3 times a year looking as good as this so act fast. Because Texas holey stone is soluble, meaning it will slowly dissolve over time, it can be a great addition to any African Cichlid aquarium.

The pH for these tanks are anywhere from 7.5 to 9.0. This is very alkaline for a freshwater aquarium, and almost as alkaline as saltwater aquariums. The Texas Holey stone helps, in effect, to raise the pH of soft water by donating Calcium, Magnesium, and Carbonate. And if you already have hard water, limestone can be helpful in buffering, or keeping your water at a pH no lower than 7.6.

Minerals don’t stay suspended in water for very long, and so the Texas Holey stone helps to keep your pH stable by continuously leaching calcium carbonate into the water. There are lots of rocks besides Texas Holey stone that will give you this effect, but we prefer Texas Holey stone over others.

Exo Terra Terrariums

The Exo Terra Terrarium is the ideal reptile or amphibian housing designed by European herpetologists. The front opening doors allow easy access for maintenance and feeding. A specially designed lock will prevent escape and the doors can be opened separately. The full screen top ventilation allows UVB and infrared penetration, and is completely removable for easy access while decorating or cleaning. In the back of the screen cover are 5 closeable wire or tube inlets on both sides to install Heat Wave Rocks, Waterfalls, sensors, etc. inside the terrarium. The bottom plate of the terrarium is raised to mount a substrate heater to heat a part of the extended ground surface. The extra high fixed front window is ideal for thick layers of substrates (burrowing reptiles), aquatic parts (paludarium) or to mount an Exo Terra reptile den. The natural background is in the same color like all other Exo Terra decoration items (Water Dishes, Waterfalls, Heat Wave Rocks, etc.) and provides an extra climbing dimension.

Includes:

• Front window ventilation
• Dual doors for an escape-free access
• Waterproof bottom
• Raised bottom frame
• Stainless steel mesh cover
• Locks to prevent escape
• Easy-twist screen cover lock
• Closeable inlets for wires and/or tubing
• Cut out in the back for wires and/or tubing

Accessories (not included)

• Fits the Compact Top Medium PT2227, Dual Top Medium PT2232 and the Light Dome PT2055/PT2057
• Hygro-, Thermo- and Combometer PT2477/PT2472/PT2470
• Lock PT2620 to prevent access

Background included

The Rock Terrarium Background from Exo Terra is an easy to cut background with an incredible natural look. It creates a multi dimensional habitat ideal for climbing reptiles or can be simply used to beautify the natural terrarium. Its colour and texture is the same like all Exo Terra natural terrarium decoration to create a perfectly harmonized environment, humid or dry.

Natural Terrariums dimensions

• PT2599     Nano/Wide     20 x 20 x 20 cm     8” x 8” x 8” (WxDxH)
• PT2601     Nano/Tall     20 x 20 x 30 cm     8” x 8” x 12” (WxDxH)
• PT2600     Mini/Wide     30 x 30 x 30 cm     12” x 12” x 12” (WxDxH)
• PT2602     Mini/Tall     30 x 30 x 45 cm     12” x 12” x 18” (WxDxH)
• PT2605     Small/Wide     45 x 45 x 45 cm     18” x 18” x 18” (WxDxH)
• PT2607     Small/Tall     45 x 45 x 60 cm     18” x 18” x 24” (WxDxH)
• PT2610     Medium/Wide     60 x 45 x 45 cm     24” x 18” x 18” (WxDxH)
• PT2612     Medium/Tall     60 x 45 x 60 cm     24” x 18” x 24” (WxDxH)
• PT2608     Medium/X-Tall     60 x 45 x 90 cm     24” x 18” x 36” (WxDxH)
• PT2613     Large/Wide     90 x 45 x 45 cm     36” x 18” x 18” (WxDxH)
• PT2614     Large/Tall     90 x 45 x 60 cm     36” x 18” x 24” (WxDxH)
• PT2609     Large/X-Tall     90 x 45 x 90 cm     36” x 18” x 36” (WxDxH)

Monsoon

The Exo Terra Monsoon RS400 is a programmable rainfall system suitable for all types of terrariums and greenhouses. It helps maintain optimal humidity by generating precipitation at programmed intervals, the duration and frequency of which can be easily adjusted depending on the type of animal or plant housed. Frequent rainfall helps stimulate breeding behavior, and is a necessity when housing live tropical plants such as Bromeliads, orchids, mosses, etc.

• Programmable rainfall unit for terrariums and greenhouses
• Easy to install on any type of terrarium or greenhouse
• Multiple nozzle applications (up to 6!)
• Large 4 liter (1 gallon) reservoir

The system can be programmed to rain multiple times per 24-hour cycle, for time periods ranging from one second to two hours. The large 4 liter (1 gallon) reservoir ensures continuous operation for several days without the need for refilling (ideal for vacations!), and the reservoir can be easily replenished without needing to uninstall the entire system.

The Exo Terra Monsoon RS400 comes with two easy-to-install nozzles, but the system can be extended to accommodate up to 6 nozzles, making it ideal for multiple terrariums. The rain produced by these specially designed nozzles is extremely fine, creating a mist-like effect in the terrarium or greenhouse, and the extra long tubing makes it possible to conceal the unit in a storage area or under the terrarium in a cabinet.

• Flexible spray nozzles can be pointed in any direction.
• Easy to install tubing; fits through the closeable wire/tube inlets (featured on all Exo Terra Terrariums).
• Easy to connect and install.
• Sloping Top: makes filling water reservoir easier.

Optional Remote Control PT2496 (not included, sold separately)

Real Reef Rock!

Saving the World’s reefs one piece at a time!

REAL REEF; “a bio-active living rock” With the increasing demand and environmental impact of the Live Rock trade, FHI Coral Farms developed REAL REEF in response. Real Reef is a trademarked patent pending American aquacultured bio-active living reef aquarium rock.

Real Reef is a 100% environmentally friendly Live Rock substitute. It is a clean calcium carbonate rock with great buffering ability, shape, color and everything else you like in a great live reef rock. There is no curing required, as it is packed directly from the FHI farm’s grow out tanks and sent directly to you the retailer.

Real Reef doesn’t have unwanted hitch hikers such as crabs, aiptasia, sponge, flatworms, bristleworms and other nasty creepy crawlies! Real Reef looks, feels and aquascapes like real live rock. Most Aquarists think it’s better than the real thing!

It’s time as a hobby and industry we start looking into the future and protect this hobby we all love so much. Try aquascaping with Real Reef today.

Red Sea Max 250

The Red Sea Max 250:

system makes life easier if you want to set up a 65 gallon reef system in your home or office. This is a beautiful system that contains all the hardware and supplies that you need to get started. An all-inclusive system like this takes the guesswork out of selecting the right hardware, which can be great for beginners and advanced aquarists alike.

It’s not 250 gallons:

This system is called the “250″ because it’s 250 liters, which is roughly 66 gallons. Red Sea says that this system has a total capacity of 65 gallons and the aquarium tank itself has a volume of 60 gallons (with  five gallons being the filtration volume). All of the components in this systems have been designed to work together, ensuring that this system provides the ideal environment for a reef.

The system has the right lighting, filtration, skimming and circulation required for a reef system, so you can be sure that this is a “reef spec” system right out of the box.

Water Circulation, Filtration and Skimming:

This system will fully circulate the water in the aquarium 3 times per hour. The integrated protein skimmer is Turbo injected and has a foam adjustment feature which let’s you adjust the foam volume as needed for varying conditions. There is also a surface skimmer that helps to pull water from the surface, where the majority of the proteins exist. This helps to make the protein skimmer very efficient in how it works.

The filtration utilizes biological media, filter bags and foam filters. The foam filters have been designed in the latest rendition of this system to provide more efficient water flow through the filters.

Expandability:

There is an accessory kit that allows you to attach any other aftermarket hardware, such as chillers and external filters as needed, without making the system look likes it’s been patched together.

The Lighting:

The included lighting is reef spec, at 4 watts per gallon, and can be controlled by an on-board light timer. The lights have a total output of 234 watts. The lighting fixture holds 6 T5 high output 39w lamps.

It’s easy to replace lamps when needed, and you can be sure that you have the correct lighting for a reef setup right out of the box.

The Stand:

When you buy this system, you will get to choose between a black cabinet and white. You should be able to match this up with the interior look of your home or office.

The cabinet is also designed to provide good air flow – so if you need to use a chiller you will find that it will be a little more efficient with this cabinet design, especially with the cabinet venting kit.

User Friendly Design:

The system has been designed so that it’s easy to maintain it.

The hood can be opened in 3 stages, and it can also be opened fully to give you easy access during aquarium cleaning. The main power cord runs out the back or the side of the aquarium. The system comes with a DVD that shows you the details on how to use this reef system, leaving you with no guesswork in regards to setup and maintenance.

Red Sea Pro Test Kits

The foundation elements:

A successful coral reef aquarium depends on how well you maintain the water parameters which are the key to a stable coral environment. All of the elements found in natural seawater play a role in providing optimal water parameters, but some are more significant than others. These elements, the foundation of the reef environment, include the three major elements: Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg) and Carbonates (CO3). All three have a major effect on water chemistry (pH stability, Alkalinity, ionic strength) and on many of the coral’s biological processes (skeleton formation, ions exchange, photosynthesis).

The foundation elements complement each other in the formation of coral skeleton. If not balanced correctly one of the elements will quickly limit healthy coral growth.

Algae Management:

Red Sea’s Nitrate & Phosphate Pro Test Kits, with their easy-to-use colorimetric comparator and high accuracy, allow you to dose NO₃ PO₄-X properly and control algae nutrient levels. The Algae Control kit combines the two individual tests in one convenient kit.

Reef Nutrition Program:

This program provides the carbohydrates, vitamins and amino acids that fuel coral’s metabolic processes.
Most of the corals in reef aquariums are considered to be photosynthetic as they receive the majority of their energy requirements from their photosynthetic, symbiotic zooxanthellae algae. In nature, these corals derive approximately 85% of their energy from the zooxanthellae, and produce the remaining 15% in their soft tissue by metabolizing nutrients that are available in the surrounding water.

It is therefore essential that you to provide a balanced mix of the carbohydrates, vitamins, and amino & fatty acids to meet the coral’s energy demands. The amount required depends on the type of corals stocked. The nutritional requirements of SPS corals, in particular, depend on the levels of algae nutrients (nitrate and phosphate) in the water. In reduced algae nutrient systems (e.g., when using Red Sea’s NO₃ PO₄-X), the amount of energy the corals receive from the zoxanthellae is significantly reduced; therefore, higher levels of coral nutrients are needed to meet the coral’s energy demands.

Reef Coloration Program:

Iodine Pro Test Kit: 50 highly accurate colorimetric tests, with an accuracy of 0.01 ppm, for the precise dosing of Reef Colors A supplement
Potassium Pro Test Kit: 40 highly accurate titration tests, with an accuracy of 3 ppm, for the precise dosing of Reef Colors B supplement
Reef Colors Test kit (I,K,Fe): combines 3 individual tests in one easy-to-use kit for the precise dosing of Reef Colors A, B & C supplements.