Reefkeeping South Africa » Marine Aquariums of South Africa

Marine Aquariums of South Africa

New Cummer!!

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 12:51am CDT by Qaiser

Jst popin in to say hi.Im new to the hobbie and need help.hope u guyz can assist me as to the equipment i require and wher to start
tank base thickness

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 9:36pm CDT by Neil H

Hi Hennie,

Could you give me some sort of indication as to why we double up on the base thickness of a tank?

My gut feel is that this is because we pile a whole bunch of rock on the bottom of the tank and the extra sheet helps if there is a rock fall of some sort??? given these sheets are usually joined with silicone, is there additional strength in the double base??
Ammonia Problem

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 7:24pm CDT by Fishfood

Please someone help me out here.
I have never had a problem with Ammonia b4 so this is really frustrating.
For those that don't know we had a power failure about 4 weeks ago.
Luckily everything survived.My water quality seemed perfect before hand and everything I put it seemed to thrive
Then the power failure and ever since I have struggled with £"£$$"£ ammonia!
I was half expecting a mini cycle but I mean come on this is 4 weeks later already.
I have obviously been doing lots of water changes but honestly if the ammonia isn't getting converted you will have high ammonia by the very next day.
Obviously I cannot do water changes every day until who knows when.
I also started to wonder if I wasn't prolonging this mini cycle by doing the water changes just as you would if you did water changes at start up.
Recently I started using Prime to get rid of the ammonia (apparently it converts it to a less toxic form that gets used easier by the biological filter.
Perhaps this is the better way to go.
Surely if I do water changes every day then sufficient bacteria to convert the ammonia will never grow because I am always taking out it's food source.
Checked my ammonia again today.Got a reading between 0 and 0.25 (not good seeing as though even 0.1 can be toxic)
Fish are all doing fine - as if nothing is wrong
Corals - some (softies unsurprisingly) and birds nest (surprisingly) doing fine but things like frog spawn (which I know can be sensitive) don't look sick but don't look happy like they used to.
No recession which is a plus but for e.g. frogspawn used to eat pieces of squid in minutes - now it hasn't eaten since the incident.
It's definitely not overfeeding - which I've never done before - I've cut back to feeding the fish once a day.
I haven't really been feeding the corals much at all - the only thing I have which needs regular feeding is my sun coral but lately he has been eating less than in the past so it's not that.
So what is this? - is this a mini cycle?
If so why am I still getting ammonia readings after 4 weeks - surely by now I would be getting high nitrite reading (zero!)? as the next stage.
Four weeks into my original cycle ammonia and nitrite were already at zero.
Perhaps some sponges etc are dying in the live rock from the outtage?
Could things like a leather coral release toxins that show up on ammonia readings (far fetched maybe but I have to consider everything)?
Apart from that I have stuck to all the advice given to me - I have done water changes,added ammonia absorbers,I have an abundance of macro algae growing in the hopes of absorbing nutrients,put in an airstone etc)
Only plus side is it has seemed to come down slightly (shrimps weren't even moving or eating at one stage)
Also have used different test kits to same result.
Parameters
Ammonia - 0.1 (approximately)
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
P.H - 8.3
S.G. - 1.025
Temp - 28
KH - 8
Calcium - +-420
Phosphate - 0

All I want is my tank back how it was -
so please if you have some explanations or advice it will be most appreciated
remove siliconed glass panes??

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 6:55pm CDT by Furbz

hi guys
i have a unique problem.
i bought tobes old nano for my boet to get into the hobby.
great tank this!

however, the CLS holes were closed off by siliconing a small pane of glass to over the holes.
now my problem is i want to remove these panes and plumb in a CLS. how can i remove these panes without cracking the back glass??

here is a pic. you can see the holes that have been sealed. i only want to remove the back 2 panes. but i am scared of cracking the back glass.
please help!!
Display tank gravel

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 6:39pm CDT by caddy

Quick question. Is it better to have gravel or just a bare bottom tank?
Cleaning of 1000L flow bins

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 5:57pm CDT by Pete

Hi all need some quick advice. Got myself 1000L flow bins. Just need to know what I can throw in then to clean them out as they had balsamic vinager in and some of it has dried on the sides and the bottom. Have got a hard broom and water but not all comming of. Would it be safe to put pool acid in them and once cleen rinse them out a couple of times with water?
Fat Albert

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 4:20pm CDT by Easy Tiger

Thought you guys might enjoy these pictures of "Fat Albert", the Frankenstein of my tank. :yeahdude:

Yes, I do feed him. Yes, that cigarette was smoked shortly afterwards.

Also, have an excuse for the algae - rugby the last 3 Saturdays!

Enjoy!
Live Rock turning white

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 4:19pm CDT by Zuna

Hey Guys

my live rock is turning white from being red and purple.
is that normal or is something wrong
Message to MJ fans

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 3:18pm CDT by Tobes

Powerful Message from Stevie Wonderto Michael Jackson Fans

..... . .. . . . ...
.. . . . . . . . . .. . .. .. .. .. . . ..
... ... .. ... ... ... ... ... ...... ... ... ... .... ..... .. .
.. . . . .. . . . ..
... . .... ... .... .... ...
...... .... .... .... ..... .... ..... .. . . .... ....
. .. .
. . .. . . . ...
....... ... ... ... .. ... ...... ... .. .... ... ... .... ....
. .. .. .
.. ....
.. . . . . . .. .. . ..
.. .... .. ... ... ....... ..... .....

Beautiful hey?
It really touched my heart where he said: ". .. .... .. ..."
[FS] berlin skimmer

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 3:04pm CDT by mahan

HI GUYS BERLIN SKIMMER FOR SALE RATED 1200L BOUGHT AQUA MEDIC SO NO USE FOR IT COMES WITH 4000L PUMP GOOD CONDITION OLD PICTURE SO LOOKS MUCH NEATER
Softies touching SPS ?

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 1:50pm CDT by Apollo

Hi to all,

I have a small pink Pocillopora frag which I acquired about 2 weeks ago. From what I can see the frag is doing well and the coral exhibits full polyp extension at night.

Close to the Pocillopora I have a pulsing Xenia. I noticed about 2 days ago that the Xenia is expanding in such a way that certain "branches" are touching the Pocillopora.

Will this cause a problem for the Pocillopora and should I perhaps move the Xenia ?
Reef Meeting

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 1:42pm CDT by Midasblenny

Reefers interested in attending a meeting this weekend (Sunday 16th) in Greenside, JHB, please pm me for more info.
The tank is an Idol Marine masterpiece and look forward to catching up with you all!
Q's on building my sump

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 12:40pm CDT by Pads

Hey guys, I'm doing my sketches for my sump before I start putting it together.
I was wonder what spacing would you suggest between the compartments, baffles and what other than the skimmer/DSB/Return chamber should I try incorporate? The dimensions are 1200 x 400 x 400. Thx
20K Venture and 14K BLV

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 12:30pm CDT by Andreas

Hi Guys,

I'm thinking of changing my MH bulbs and was wondering what the best kelving rating bulbs would be.

How would 2 X 14K BLV on either side with a 20K Venture look?I know the 14K BLV bulbs are quite yellow so was thinking off off-setting it with the 20k venture bulb in the centre.

Or should I just get 20K BLV bulbs?:whistling:

Thanks
[FS] TUSA IQ-400 dive computer

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 10:56am CDT by gecco

Hi fellow marine addicts, I need to sell this in order to get myself a RO unit (hopefully a Waterboy special):) Please help so I can get going on my tank :thumbup:

This dive computer is brand new still in the box and never seen a dive. They retail at $316. Here are some specs:

The TUSA IQ-400 dive computer features:
· Built-in calendar clock
· Decompression capabilities
· Personal adjustment
· Adjustment for altitude
· Four step ascent rate indicator
· Reverse no-decompression time bar graph
· Battery power indicator and low battery warning
· Complete logbook memory capabilities including 9 most recent dives with average depth and minimum no-decompression time or maximum ascent time
· History memory up to 999 dives and 999 dive time hours + maximum depth ever recorded
· Visual alarms
· Color-coded graphics
· Phosphorescent LCD display
· Easily replaceable protective shield
· Wrist and console models
SPS Polyp extension

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 9:35am CDT by Boendoe

Hi all I hope some of the SPS guru's can help me, my SPS frags only extend their polyps about 30% during the day when the lights are on:(. But when I have a look in the morning before I go to work the light are still off and they are fully extended. Most of my frags are about 3 to 4 weeks old.

I tested my water last night and it was as follows:

PH 8.3
Cal 430
Phosphates 0.5
Nitrates 0
Nitrites 0
Temp 27
Sal 1.025

I do a 15% water change every weekend using Instant Ocean salt. My lighting is a 2x 150Watt 10000K MH plus 2x 54watt 6400K t5' and one 34 watt T8.

The T8 goes on at 10:00 am then the t5's at 11:00 and lastly the MH at 12:00, then the lights goes off form 21:00 the MH 21:30 the t5's and 22:00 the t8. I have also started feeing "Coral Frenzy", normally during lights on but in the last week during lights out when the polyps where extended.

All my SPS frags is placed high up in the the system to give them ample light, so please let me know if you see anything that I'm doing wrong so that I can sort it out. Thanks for the help.
Tank update

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 9:07am CDT by Snappy

Just a few quick pix to update on the new tank I set up in Jan 09.
FTS

Mandarins spawning

one of my 7 clams

chromis school
How many Bangaii Cardinals?

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 9:04am CDT by Mudshark

I've just bought 3 Bangaii Cardinals. One has been attacking another to the point that it is nearly dead. I've separated them now and hope that it recovers, but would love to know what the hell happened here??? I thought that they were totally peacefull, docile fish?
Blood Red Fire Shrimp

Posted: August 14th, 2009, 8:33am CDT by ZeroCool

Good morning everyone ...

Last week i bought a "Blood Red Fire Shrimp".

My question for the guy mentioned, is he "hermit" safe.

Reason for asking ... I had 3 hermits ... last night, checking the tank out, I saw just 2, and 1 empty shell.

:(