Reefkeeping South Africa » Marine Aquariums of South Africa

Marine Aquariums of South Africa

Cold fish

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 6:17am CDT by ZaxXx

Woke up thinking why did my tank plug system trip . . . And then when I switched it back on I sor my heater sparking, what happened was that the glass on it cracked and split! So my fishies and corals gotta freeze until I get another heater after work. DAMN!!!
How to treat newly delivered corals & how to get them off the discs?

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 3:26am CDT by Dlaria

When I get my corals, I need to slowly get them used to the water; like with fish? I need to 'dip' them in fresh water-ro-or saltwater & Iodine mix? Can I use Kent marine Iodide and water instead of Iodine mix? Iodide and Iodine are not the same thing, but do they work the same? Keep them in a separate bucket for a bit first? How do you get them off of the little discs they sometimes come on?
Anyone running a tank with black sand?

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 2:13am CDT by Dlaria

Anyone running a tank with black sand? I wish I would have done mine with black sand. I bet it would look so Awesome! If you have pictures, please link. I bet a jet black sandbed with black background would be so kewl. If you've used black sand, can you advise which is the darkest black, and what problems have you had - if any.
Boyu TL-450 : Adding Livestock?

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 12:09am CDT by BoyuNano

So I've got the TL-450 up and running.

Water Parameters:
Specific Gravity (Hydrometer Reading): 1.022
PH: 8.4
KH: 10

I've been noticing plenty of interesting critters on my live rock that come out at night. Stomatella Varia snails, brittle stars (tiny), worms. If my eyes haven't fooled me I spotted what could have been a crab and also some tiny fast moving shrimp like creatures.

The question every beginner wants to know:
What sort of limitations does the TL-450 have in terms of livestock? and what should come first - some coral? or an anemone and a clown? can I add both at the same time?

Are there any other water params I should be checking before introducing the livestock?

*promise to post pics as soon as it looks a little more appealing than my 3 pieces of live rock.*
PICOdillys first Pico build

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 8:23pm CDT by PICOdilly

So I decided to go with a Pico build. My setup has been running for 3 weeks now.

Here are the specs

DT
Aqua box pico tank 5.5 lt
Aragonite base
+- 1.5kg live rock
Standard single HP white LED with Single blue moonlight
2 x Rio Mini Sun Led combonation of 5 white and 5 blue LED's each

Sump
4.5lt tank fitted with 3 chambers
Original flow/filter pump removed from DT and filled with Seagel
50 watt Via Aqua heater
Resun SK05 mini protien skimmer
Via aqua 100a return pump
Aragonite DSB

ATO
Air pump conected to a 750ml Jack Daniels single barrel whiskey bottle with a non return vavle on water supply pipe

original tank

modded tank and sump
Corals only

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 8:20pm CDT by xtreme

guys do you need a skimmer when you only want a coral only setup?
What will you recommend for a 120cmLx55cmH (water level at 50cm)x 55cmW coral only tank housing LPS and SPS

Lights?
Hardware?
Flow pumps?
Return Pumps
Sump size?

NO fish, only hermits and snails and shrimps
:whistling:
MH globe repair project

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 7:29pm CDT by herkie

My MH light did not come on the last 2 days and I have found the metal running from inside the globe to the connector has corroded away. I think I can grind a bit of glass around the metal connector off and if I can do it the plan is as follows: I can drill a small hole through the blue part and then solder a piece of wire to the metal stub that was opened with the Dremel and then run the wire to the outside of the connector. I am fairly confident I will be able to do this but the problem I see is the heat the globe generates. Will it be enough to melt the solder?

I will order a new globe tomorrow but the coral also needs light in the meantime, do you think it is worthwhile to spend time on this globe?
Urgent help needed Diamond Back Goby's Just don't survive...?

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 7:05pm CDT by Braco

I recently for the second time now purchased a pair of diamond back gobies..for the purpose to sifting my sand in the DT...however my finding is that come day 3..i find them dead..and for the first 2 days they were sifting the sand no problems...my tank has been running for the last almost 5yrs water parameters are stable...i am at lost end i cannot find anything wrong other than that my DT is not Sand Sifting Goby safe...

Please guys any advise...? I am not giving on the sand sifters just yet...so i need all the advise and help i can get..please...i am open to suggestions...i was thinking even as far as taking out my substrate and cleaning it maybe something toxin is in there..but that would be dire-straits...

Any advise...:(:blush::whistling:
Full Marine setup for beginner

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 6:31pm CDT by Silvrav

Hi

please Pm me what you have.

regards
Perspex Overflow

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 6:07pm CDT by Robgurr

I have bought perspex to cover my overflow box and I wanna cut slots into it to stop fish ending up in the sump...Does anyone have any idea how wide these slots should be??

5 - 10mm??

Thanks
Rob
New to all of this :)

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 5:39pm CDT by Silvrav

Hi Gents

I am new to all of this, well new to keeping and building knowledge.

My Wife's best friend has a sea water tank and it got me hooked.

So for the next few weeks I will be doing some research before taking the plunge and starting my first salt water aquarium

Any tips, help, links will be much appreciated.
Hi to all.

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 4:43pm CDT by johandelange

Hi everyone,
My name is Johan de Lange and curruntly living in Pretoria. I'm origanally from P.E, and a marine keeper for about 5 years. I currantly have a 1000L custom built tank with aragnite sand bed. Running a reef octapus de-nitrator, protein skimmer and fosfate reactor. Lighting is is aquiered by 2 14000 kalvin MH and 2 florecent tubes.
I will add some photos as soon as i get the chance.
New Design - Coast to Coast

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 4:20pm CDT by Express Reef
want to start

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 2:43pm CDT by waynemacd

Hi all im new to the forum.
I have a 410 L fresh water set up and im in the proces of converting to marine.
I have made my sump and it is running fine. The one problem i am having is getting my proten skimmer working wright. keep getting water in my top cup. Think i have to much bubbles coming up. (help)
One more thing were is the best place in JHB to get live rock from.
Thanks.
Beginner Q

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 2:41pm CDT by BoyuNano

Hi David

I recently purchased the Boyu Tl-450 Nano Reef Cube from your store.

I'm getting a bit concerned about the protein skimmer, it doesn't bubble/foam, make a noise - the water is kind of just resting in the neck. I removed the collection cup to see if anything is happening below and there's nothing happening below either.

All power to the tank is working.

Please advise.

Also. Did you manage to secure the resting arm that was damaged when we purchased?

Looking forward to visiting your store again and getting firmly stuck in to this new hobby.
Nice Little Book

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 2:37pm CDT by Jeann1

For anyone interrested, I bought a few books form Kalahari.net and received them today.

One of the books is "Algae A Problem Solver Guide" by Julian Sprung.

It has loads of info on CUC members and what each one does, like some crabs eat bubble algae and so on.

Here is the link to Kalahari.net

[www.kalahari.com]

Its reaaly a nice little book with loads of info about possible additives and CUC members and the Algae variations you get.
Anyone used Potassium Carbonate before

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 1:49pm CDT by Tremayn

Did anyone use potassium carbonate before? I read that this boosts your alk and this also doses some K. Seems better to use this instead of sodium carbonate because the sodium is not used (or so we think). So this could be a two part supplement.. Any input?
Peppemint Shrimp

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 1:25pm CDT by jumboswart

Looking for some peppermint shrimp to help with aptasia, anyone know where I can get some?
August Meeting

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 12:43pm CDT by Roadblock

The meeting will be on tuesday the 30th of august at DUC 6:30 pm.
It will be a Q & A evening.

Thanks
Dave :peroni::thumbup:
cheato anyone ???

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 12:03pm CDT by roderigo

Hi guys has anyone got some cheato for me I need some for my sump cape town Table view pls
Smallest Brittle Star

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 10:45am CDT by *Philip*

So I finally moved everything to my new tank, but left 3 rocks behind, because I know there are crabs in there. So in an effort to get the crabs out, I suspended the rocks above ice cream tubs with some food. To my surprise, I caught one crab and this little guy. The coolest hitch-hiker anyone could find. All and All, he is as big as a R2 coin and his body is about 3mm diameter. Any ideas on what type this is? The white spots on his body is some sand.
250W MH too much?

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 10:15am CDT by SliverZA

I am planning on upgrading to MH lighting, the amount fo T5 and T8 lighting I currently have to keep my tank happy is becoming excessive.

The tank dimensions are 700w x 450h x 450d.

Will a single 250W MH be too much for this depth? Should I rather go with a 150W setup?

Should I go for a 14k or 20k BLV globe?
Detailed form submitted: juan R

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 10:11am CDT by juan R

Detailed help requestAre you experiencing any problems in your tank?
Yes
Brief Description
increasing temp in tank
Tank size
1500mm 650mm 650mm
System Volume
600l
How long has your tank been running?
2 months
What livestock do you have?
2 foxface
2 sand sifters
Water Parameters
10.9
dont know
dont know
dont know
8.3
0.025
2.0
0
1.023
26
What lighting is over the tank?
4 by T5's at 54 watt each
Pumps and equipment
3 compartment sump with skimmer in 1st comp, mech filter in second and live rock with return pump in 3rd
Maintenance
i am currently doing a 15% water change weekly and i am buing synthetic salt water from my lfs. i have not changed any of my lights globes or tubes as they are still new.
Other info and photo's.
I have noticed a slow increase in temp and i am worried that it will go too high. i am sure that it is caused by the lighting because it seem to come down over night when the lights are off. my heater is se at 24 degrees but the display thermometer is showing a climb up to26.2 degrees and the it goes down to 25.5 over night. wiil the lights make it go beyond the safe 28 degrees? Please help.....:(
80W T5 reflectors needed

Posted: August 15th, 2011, 10:02am CDT by rakabos

Anyone have any stock? Anything over a meter will suffice

Thx