About Us
About the Store: Kona Reef opened in Feb. 2014 as The Pet Kona with dog & cat products as well as saltwater livestock. With time, the saltwater section became the most popular part of the store and the owners, Mike & Alex, made the decision to convert the store to full aquatics, expanding their pre-existing saltwater section and adding a freshwater section. Re-opening as Kona Reef after 6 short weeks of remodeling, the store was transformed into an aquatic experience.
In August 2018, Kona acquired Studio Blue, another LFS located in Surprise who's owners were looking to get out of the industry. After a short closure to remodel saltwater and add freshwater, we re-opened that location as part of Kona Reef.
In April 2021, Kona opened the long awaited Chandler location which had been about three years in the making. Chandler is the largest and flagship location after which any additional moves, remodels, or new locations will be modeled. It also houses our very own private aquaculture facility - the largest in the southwest. The aquaculture facility is currently not open to the public, but we will be offering private tours in the near future.
In mid 2021, Kona moved the Surprise location to the corner of Bell & El Mirage to re-open in late 2021. Due to staffing shortages, much of the Surprise location was not completed until 2022, but it now boasts the largest showroom and overall square footage of the three locations.
Caring for New Livestock: It is a top priority to have quality and healthy livestock at Kona Reef. That is why all specimens are handled with extreme care from the day they enter our doors. All coral specimens are dipped from a selection of several different coral dips depending on their needs. They are then individually examined for any parasites, injuries, or signs of poor health. This assessment ensures that proper future care is planned for each individual piece. After their assessment and cleaning, corals, fish, and inverts are carefully placed to ensure appropriate lighting, flow, and aggression requirements are met.
Ongoing Care for Livestock: Fish are continuously monitored for behavioral compatibility and eating habits. Our saltwater fish systems are continuously medicated to ensure all fish are as healthy as possible when they go to their new homes. Fish are fed 2-4 times a day with a variety of foods including vitamin enriched flake, brine, mysis, krill, and silversides. Some fish may have supplemental feeding of sponge, seaweed, or live pods depending on their dietary needs. All corals and fish are assessed daily for any additional care needs. If a coral colony is in good health and is large enough, we may frag several pieces to add to our frag system. If individual inspections of livestock indicate any health issues such as underfeeding, overfeeding, parasites, or infection, that specimen is treated accordingly and monitored daily until it has fully recovered. All corals are target fed with appropriate foods two to three times a week to ensure best health. Systems are thoroughly cleaned at least biweekly. We will happily discuss the health history of any livestock item with our customers as well.