Reefkeeping South Africa » Marine Aquariums of South Africa

Marine Aquariums of South Africa

collecting fish

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 7:06am CST by johannes rall

any of the P.E guys going to dive today want to try it out
I took a Video

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 1:02am CST by Paul B

I am learning on this camera. I never took a video with it so I tried again with the focus locked. It doesn't get me as dizzy, but still not perfect.:(
Salt residue when mixing

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 10:57pm CST by rakabos
So Ive had the issue myself along with a few other people. When you mix salt for a waterchange there may be left over residue in the container or on the heater or pump in the mixing container. Found this over on RC. The post was from a Red Sea representative.

Coral-Pro salt has elevated levels of Foundation Elements in order to allow accelerated growth in corals.
Therefore when it is not properly mixed it might cause precipitation.
There are a few reasons I can think of that might cause that phenomenon:
1. Stratification of the salt- sometimes when a bucket of salt travels a lot, the shaking and vibrating causes the mix to separate according to grain size.
  Dry mixing the salt, by rolling the bucket on the floor for a few minutes, or pouring the dry salt from one bucket to another a few times, will solve this issue.
2. Mixing the salt with pre warmed water.
  I recommend mixing at ambient temperature, and then bring the temp. up.
3. The pump you are using might not be strong enough, because of the elevated levels of elements in the salt, it requires a vigorous mixing.
4. Adding water to salt and not salt to water- always add the salt slowly to the water.(I think that’s what you are already doing, but just in case)
Cleaning JoJo drums

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 8:28pm CST by mytank

I want to buy a two JoJo drums, how do you clean the drums before using them. Just rinse them out with water and you good to go?

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Vertex Vectra - Skimmer Neck Cleaner

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 7:50pm CST by Jamie@Vertex

This is great! We have the Vertex Vectra ready to go and the price is totally cool! About half of the competitors. I guess it was worth the wait.

The product consists of an motor, the Vectra Engine, plus a sold seperately cover, available in various millimeter diameters for most standard neck sizes. We offer 150, 160, 180, 200, 250, 300mm diameters. These last 4 correspond directly to the Vertex Alpha Skimmer series, the 170, 200, 250, 300. It will fit the Royal Exclusiv skimmers, as well as most other brands. Just measure the diameter of your skimmer neck and Bob's your uncle...... or somtin' like that.

Here is a link where you can get a good look at it!

http://reefbuilders.com/2011/09/12/vert ... k-cleaner/

OK, go run to your nearest Vertex dealer and demand your cleaning team!
Marine cat fish

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 7:23pm CST by mytank

Again during my visit to the lifestyle garden shop along with quite a few copperbands, they have marine cat fish :) don't think they reef safe.

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Copperband

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 7:21pm CST by mytank

Was at lifestyle garden center yesterday they have like 15 Copperbands from huge to small.

I know everyone is always looking for Copperbands.

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Warning about Reef Crystals

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 7:01pm CST by sihaya

I recently lost 3 fish after a routine 25% water change. When I tested my water immediately, my alkalinity had dropped in half (from what it had been right before the water change). Calcium was literally off the charts (higher than what my test kit could measure). There was nothing else note worthy about my water parameters. No nitrites or nitrates. No ammonia. Normal pH, salinity, etc.

I recently did a Google search and talked to some friends and apparently, this isn't all that uncommon for Reef Crystals. Sometimes it's the other way around (with the alkalinity going through the roof).

My buddy at the LFS said that sometimes the different components of the salt mix "settles out" in the bucket if the bucket has been sitting in one place for too long. I don't know if I believe that or not, but either way, if you use Reef Crystals, be sure to test it in a small batch of newly mixed water.

Cheers
Saltwater Mollies

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 4:48pm CST by dallasg

So i often visit garf.org and on their frontpage they have a write up on them using mollies to control algae etc in their tanks, now GARF i assume is quite reputable in the marine trade, they even selling them.

Are certain molly species found in SW as apposed to brackish water?

If this was anyway cruel or frowned upon wouldnt there be an up-roar somewhere on the web?
Discus

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 3:59pm CST by Grant Gietl

Hi Everyone

Looking to correspond with tropical fishkeepers who have experience in keeping and breeding Discus. Would also appreciate if I could get advice as where I can purchase juvenile discus in gauteng South Africa approx 4 inches, looking for 6-10
Maxspect mazzara on its way to s.a.

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 3:08pm CST by Submariner

WE HAVE MANAGED AFTER ALOT OF DISCUSSION EMAILS ETC TO BECOME THE AGENT FOR THIS FANTASTIC BRAND.

WILL HAVE STOCK MID TO LATE FEBUARY

THE FIRST THING YOU WILL PROBABLY NOTICE IS THE MOUNTING OPTIONS AVAILABLE WITH THE MAZZARA WHICH IS NOTHING SHORT OF SPECTACULAR.

USING THE BEST QUALITY LEDS AVAILABLE INCLUDING THE NEW CREE XM-L'S

SOME PICS AND INFO FOR YOU ALL.

SOME TANKS RUNNING MAZZARA
Almonst got a light stroke

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 2:53pm CST by Jake

Hi

Got home last night b4 heading to aries and when i looked in my tank there were pieces of my fire shrimp all over the place :eek: seemd he had died, the best looking and most expensive of my shrimps...

With the crapy feeling of my loss i went off to my bud. As we talked and he enlightened me a bit about corals and so on i mentioned my shrimp which had died.

He sad that the shrimp do loose their skin from time to time and that it almost looks like your shrimp had died and been torn to pieces.

After i went home i hoped it had been him only loosing his skin but couldnt find him anywhere, so again i felt like popo thinking again i lost him all over again lol.

Placing my new frags( Armand gave me wohoo!) in my tank felt something scraching my finger... Could you believe it, it was my shimp(Normin):yeahdude:.

Felt so relieved, dono if he tried eating my finger or just came to say awe or what, but glad hes alive!

Tank is starting to look better now, will post pics in bout a month to show what i got as their very small atm and dont look like much YET.

Tnx for the advice m8.

ps. why do the shrimp come to my hand? and if its coz he wants to eat me, does it bite hard?:whistling:
latex gloves

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 2:21pm CST by mytank

Hi all,

I bought some latex gloves to use in the tank, I noticed when I got home they have powder on them. Can I rinse them in RO and use them in the tank?

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Giveaway tank

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 2:15pm CST by maj

Hi

Have my old 2m tank that cracked in the one corner on the front pane
Any tank builders or good diy guys can maybe cut the glass,andf make a nice 1.6m tank or smaller tank from this.

Its all 10mm glass

if nobody takes im gona throw it away as i need to setup the gift i got from frans

thnks agen FransSny

its 2mx600x600

the right side cracked fof the front pane
Huge thanks to perky pets

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 1:06pm CST by mandrin

Hi just wana say i been looking for cheato in the Durban area for long time like 6 months none of the pets shops have it , and
David form Perky Pets in Capetown suggested , he send it down to me in the post well i just gave him the go ahead and wow next morning it was here.I am amm:lol::thumbup: ....was very impressed with the way he posted and packed it and i must say iThanks to David ...:peroni:
What HappenedTo Please Help Desperate !!

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 1:04pm CST by Nigel

What HappenedTo Please Help Desperate !!
I am the Author of the missing Thread and would also like to know what happened to my posting this morning ??
Does Fish Focus control the WEB Master when articles don't suit them ???
How does this system work can any one tell me.
Exciting new shipments

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 12:24pm CST by Rayhaan

Hi there all marine enthusiasts. We have just received a fantastic shipment of fish comprised of Dwarf Angels, Butterflys, Surgeons and many more little guys at prices so low you won't believe your eyes. We are also receiving a shipment of various corals today that include : Elegance, various Brain corals, Pagodas, Mushrooms and many more too numerous to mention. We also stock specialist marine equipment and supplements supplied by Aqua Medic, seachem & Kent. So, come on into Aquatic Vision and be blown away by our range of livestock & equipment.

Hope to see you all here soon.

Cheers.

Rayhaan.
what happed to Please Help Desperate!!

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 11:53am CST by shaunnorth

the thread just vnashed no reasion why ,it sounds fishy to me
Wanted 4ft tank

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 10:26am CST by Kender

looking for a 4 foot tank to buy or swap for a strawberry corn snake.
Transfers from Durban airport to Kozi bay and back to Durban airport.

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 9:59am CST by Starz

Hi, myself, cousins and friends will be going for a diving course in Moz (11 adults).
Everything is sorted thus far except we need transport to and from the border.

I got a website that does what i need but they do not answer the phone nor reply to emails.
Is there anyone that has experience or knows someone that can hook us up with transport.

thanks in advance for information. chuck me a pm with there number.

Cheers.
collection in umlanga

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 9:25am CST by oceans 22

Hi guys

Im staying at umhlanga....is there any other place close to umhlanga i can collect nice fish and coral
Wanted : Live Rock

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 9:14am CST by Triton

Hi all,

Im looking at adding alot more live rock to my 600L Marine tank, got alot of open space and wanna fill with live rock.

Anyone got any live rock for sale?
Newbie

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 8:56am CST by Paulbassanai

Hi, I have just bought a marine tank from a freind of mine, I have always wanted a Marine tank but just never got around to getting one till yesterday. It has live rock inside and snails no fish at the moment as he neglected it for the last sixz months and it is over run by Hair Algea:(, but I will get there. The tank has been setup for the last three years so it is a established tank.

Hope to read through the forum for a bit of help on the Algea
Skimmer project

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 8:54am CST by mupwi

Hi all I am planing a now monster skimmer for my tank.

I managed to organize a off cut of 250mm pipe about 600mm long from a water treatment plant that I did some work at last year I plan to use this as my reaction chamber.

what im trying to figure out now is what size pump I will need to fun this I am planing it to be a ventury skimmer at this point but may add recirculation at a later stage
The mystery of vanishing cleaner shrimps revealed

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 8:48am CST by FransSny

Over the last month or so I lost 3 cleaner shrimps for no apparent reason. As I couldn't find any bodies I was considering alien abduction until last night !

Doing the usual "before lights out" inspection , I noticed the mini carpet nennie's mouth had a odd coloration.....guess what there was a cleaner shrimp becoming supper :lol:

I tried to take a pic as proof but the nennie sits at an impossible angle
Please Help Desperate!!

Posted: January 12th, 2012, 8:18am CST by Nigel

Hi,
I have a Marine Tank 2.1m x 600 with some corals and various fish.
We bought the Tank 5 years ago from a company called Fish Focus based in JHB and a guy called Rob (Owner Of Fish Focus) after seeing a Marine Tank that he was showing at a House & Home show at the Dome North Gate JHB. I made the investment at that stage of approximately R 60,000.00.
Rob has never been able to get my Tank even after five years to the condition of the Tank I saw at the show despite years of reassurances and excuses that one day it will Mature and all will come rite.
For five years and thousands of rands paid to Fish Focus we have never been able to get remotely near the result that I was sold and have seen on other Tanks around the country in my travels. We have had Fish Focus servicing the Tank monthly from the day of installation at a cost of R1600.00 P/m and lots of other side costs also incurred such as lights, pumps, heaters etc.
Regrettably I am now thinking of getting rid of my Tank as no value in visual experience is being achieved despite enormous costs. I have no problem paying money as I love Marine Tanks but need a return on investment which Rob has not delivered.
However I thought this morning that I should make one last cry for help and picked this forum as my platform.
Fish Focus have failed me and for five years took my money and delivered no value.
Can some one recommend anybody in the JHB Roodepoort area who can visit my Tank and advise and possibly turn the situation around and save my Tank.
Please Please!!

Thank You
Nigel Atkinson 083-255-2221