AndrewB August 8, 2006 August 8, 2006 Welcome to SCALES Tropical Fish Warehouse! We are a new aquarium shop serving to Washington, DC metro and Central Maryland regions. The critical info: SCALES Tropical Fish Warehouse 744 Cloverly Street Silver Spring, MD 20905 www.scales-tfw.com (301) 384-7839 The Business Plan: In early 2005 Andrew and Jim saw an opportunity in the aquarium market serving the Maryland Suburbs of DC. We began planning in earnest in February. We started construction on Septemeber 1 and on February 15, 2006 we opened our doors. Our most important goals were to provide the highest quality livestock and service while maintaining competitive prices on shelf goods. Our commitment to the animals that we keep in aquaria is evidenced by our inclusion of quarantine facilities in the backup areas of the store. Of the more than 600 tanks in the store, 400 are retail sales floor, 200 are in the backup areas for quarantine and receiving large orders. Fish are quarantined for at least 3 days. Any stock exhibiting stress or disease are treated and not released until we can certify that they are healthy and ready to sell. Where appropriate, specimens are treated prophylactically. In addition to the quality of livestock, we wanted to make sure that our store was comfortable for our customers. The store is lit, open and clean throughout. No dark, smelly fish room here! Now what you really want to hear: WAMAS members get 10% off livestock. So do any members of any aquarium club from anywhere. Just show your membership card to the cashier when you buy a fish or coral. We maintain memberships in many aquarium societies, both local local and national, and understand the value of the relationship between hobbyist and industry. We're looking forward to working with WAMAS and its members. I hope to be able to regularly post here when we have new stock, sales, etc. so that WAMAS members be the first to know. Current specials: Oceanic 200gal salt buckets, $34.99 while supplies last. Instant Ocean 160gal buckets, $34.99; out of stock at the moment but more's coming on Thursday. We'll do our best to have at least one salt mix bucket on sale at any time. We regularly have sales when they are offered by our manufacturers and distributors. We are adding specialty marine products all the time. If you have something in particular that you want us to stock, let us know. Pre-orders may be discounted, depending on the specific product and availability. Marine Livestock: Once our systems are completed, we'll have over 4,000 gallons of marine systems. Right now we have a coral system up and running with three 120gal tanks out of seven lit. We primarily feature soft and LPS corals until our system is a bit more mature and we've refined the engineering. We have a critter system up and running with cleanup crews and small ornamentals like cleaner shrimp and serpent stars. We have a limited selection of small fish. The next projects are to finish the filtration on the critter system and to start building the marine fish retail and quarantine systems. The best pieces of coral in stock right now: Green heliofungia that extends more than 10" when fully puffed. Amazing creature. Big red lobo, maybe 6" by 4". Cat-eye Physogyra 6" across with nice green color. Plate Scolymia, bright orange polyp. Pagoda coral with great formation and tight polyps (looks like a zo rock when extended), 8-9" across its widest point. Green Leptoria Maze Brain with great color, 5" across. Yellow tip torch color with nice big polyps and great color. We have a bunch more stuff including zo rocks, corallimorphs, marcoalgae rocks and other LPS and soft corals. Come and see if you haven't been here yet. That's enough rambling. Thanks for reading and we look forward to meeting everyone. Andrew and Jim
BeltwayBandit August 8, 2006 August 8, 2006 Guess I'll just have to make a road trip to the other side of the Beltway soon....
rsaavedra August 8, 2006 August 8, 2006 Andrew and Jim welcome! And THANKS for the GREAT DEAL on my 90G Tank last month!!! Working on getting it setup soon. Again thanks and welcome to WAMAS! http://www.wamas.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=8699 Raf
dhoch August 8, 2006 August 8, 2006 Glad to see we got it going Andrew (again sorry for the delay on my part)... Dave
Caribbean Jake August 8, 2006 August 8, 2006 Anyone in Herndon/Reston and vicinity areas wants to join me on a trip to this store?
jamesbuf August 8, 2006 August 8, 2006 I definitly expect good things from this store in the future. I was just there today and Andrew is awesome. Spent some time explaining different setups and such. I think we Marylanders finally have OUR BRK or F&F. The customer service is great and prices are very good. Can't wait till thier saltwater setup if at 100% compacity.
dhoch August 8, 2006 August 8, 2006 I must say I was quite inpressed with the facility, as well as what these guys are setting out to try to accomplish. Once the saltwater gets going in full I think it'll be an awesome store for livestock. Dave
AndrewB August 9, 2006 Author August 9, 2006 Thanks for the kind words, Dave, Raf and James! I'm glad you can see the potential that we think we have for our marine systems. We can't wait to get it all done and stocked.
Guest Lles August 9, 2006 August 9, 2006 (edited) Can't wait till Sat! My wife and I will be heading your way Sat. Andrew. Nothing like having a new store to get your reeffix while your setting up a new tank! Still looking for more liverock if you have any! I have almost 100lbs in my 90 gallon now and there is still alot more empty space then i'd like. (wonder if my Wamas card will come by Sat :wink: ) Edited August 9, 2006 by Lles
PupChow August 9, 2006 August 9, 2006 I've been to Scale... it is a really nice LFS with reasonablly priced items and friendly staffs. Once the other row of tanks are stocked, it will probably be one of my favorite LFS along with F&F.
AndrewB August 9, 2006 Author August 9, 2006 We'll see you Saturday! I've got some cured Tonga Specialty in right now for $5.99/pound.
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