New member Shaheed (aka struggles )

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struggles

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Hi Everybody,

My name is Shaheed (aka struggles) from Athlone Cape Town, Thank you for a great site. I have always been fascinated by a marine aquarium could never afford it seems like a very expencive hobby only for the wealthy untill I came across your site. Ps. I'm new to this please be patient here goes!!!

Tank size: 1600 x 500 x 600
Sump: 1200 x 450 x 450
Skimmer Not sure What the name is bought it from someone running a 1500 tank
Uplift pump: lifetech AP 3500
Heater: 3609 aquarium heater 300 w ( Jager)

The location of the tank will be close to a window where i will get morning sun (not directly on the tank on the side) pls. advise.
Question: 1) What else do I need
2) What kind of material do I need to build a cabinet
3) What goes where in the sump ( 4 compartments)

Thanx

Shaheed
 
Hi Shaheed welcometomasa SA premier marine site:wave2:

OK pictures of everything would help, but you would need some flow pumps with that, lighting, the rest you seem to have to start in terms of equipment.

Cabinet could be wood, or a steel fram clad with wood, how and with what would depend on budget and personal preference.

What size are the compartments does the sump have? would be return pump, skimmer DSB (will get to that) and algae scrubber.

OK good luck, ask as many questions as you like:thumbup:
 
I will only getting the sump on Friday dont have any sizes yet. I do have a stand 40mm tubing.
As far as pics is concerned how do i do that computer illaterate old school
 
Welcome to MASA Shaheed!
yip pics will be appreciated,maybe we will beable to ID your skimmer that way aswell.
cabinet as per what kanga mentioned.
your sumps sounds like mines with 4 chambers.
compartment 1,overflow from tank and skimmer
compartment 2 ,macroalgea eg.Chaetomorpha
compartment 3, DSB
compartment 4, return to tank
 
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Posting Pics
Step1.jpg

step2.jpg

Step3.jpg

Then look for your pic in your Documents and click HOST IT

 
Hey Struggles - if i could post piccies, believe me, anyone can, i am Mr Technothick:thumbup:
 
If it gets direct sunlight you'll need a chiller to keep the temp stable
 
Welcome to the forum Shaheed, sounds like you're off to a fairly decent start. :)
 
Hi there !
Do you guys know of anybody in Cape town I can go to to chat face to face
 
Hi Shaheed welcome to MASA, nice to have you on board. First off before you decide on anymore equipment, have you decided what you want to keep in the system? What i mean by this, is it going to be a fish only or are you going full blown reef? This will make a difference into what purchases you should be making.
BTW Jacques B is also from CT, very helpful chap.
 
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Alan said:
Hi Shaheed welcome to MASA, nice to have you on board. First off before you decide on anymore equipment, have you decided wj=hat you want to keep in the system? What i mean by this, is it going to be a fish inly or are you going full blown reef? This will make a difference into what purcheses you should be making.
BTW Jacques B is also from CT, very helpful chap.
Click to expand...



Thanx Alan, you sound like the main man how do i get hold of Jacques B
By the way I'm going full blown reef
 
Hi Shaheed & WELCOME to MASA! Hope you enjoy our company! Shaheed - you say you stay in Athlone? I am out in Table View. BUT I work in the CT CBD.

I will PM you the name of a LFS that I go and visit regularly - and if you like we could meet up there.

Everyone has given you great advice. Please go and have a look at the links in the thread below:
Handy links - Marine Aquariums of South Africa

There are some GREAT links/info there.

OK - my personal experience started off and went as follows (from a newbie reefkeeper to - still being a newbie reefkeeper ;-) - there is just TOO much to learn - one only become slightly more experienced but stay a noob ;-)
1) have fresh water tank - start marine tank
2) started off with in-tank sponge-filter and one power-head - 2 Normal Output Flourescents
3) added more and more flourescents until I had 8 globes over my 300 litre tank (no sump yet)
4) added fish only and some live rock in the beginning - had a +-5cm layer of sea-sand as substrate - no skimmer, no sump
5) got a tiny in-tank air-stone driven Red Sea skimmer
6) got a tiny extra tank I used as a sump - kept on having hassles with overflowing of the water
7) added about 5 extra power-heads in-tank
8) upgraded to a 2 metre tank, with a 1.2 metre sump and a Red Sea Prizm Pro skimmer
9) got a lot more fish and corals - got my 1st anemone and clownfish
10) 2 metre tank crashed in January 2007, and I lost nearly ALL my live stock (power-failures and auto-topup keeping on topping up - ended up with a 100% fresh-water tank)
11) got another "cheap" skimmer (WeiPro 2013) because I had problems with the impeller of the pump of my Prizm Pro
12) Got 2 x 150 watt Metal halides
13) Later on got a decent skimmer - ReefTek TS2, still running together with my Prizm Pro
14) upgraded my lighting (normal output flourescents) to T5 flourescents (high output)
15) got more and more corals and coral frags
16) got new fish - lost some fish (marine white spot)
etc...
etc..

So - not all, but many reefers share a very similar story - IF they do not follow advice or if they get the wrong advice.

I am so glad you started off right by coming to a site like MASA for advice.

Please ask a LOT of questions.... we don't mind explaining.
 
Thanx Alan, you sound like the main man
Click to expand...
:blushing: By no means, there are plenty folk on the board with far more experiance than i have.
 
struggles said:
Thanx Alan, you sound like the main man how do i get hold of Jacques B
By the way I'm going full blown reef
Click to expand...

Cor full blown reef, :thumbup: all marine aquarist end up there (exept Viper) good place be

Alan said:
:blushing: By no means, there are plenty folk on the board with far more experiance than i have.
Click to expand...

Struggles, for the record, Alan is an amazing aquarist, his system brought tears to my eyes, my wife had to tell me to stop telling her about it a month after I saw it.

Have a look
Alans poison - Marine Aquariums of South Africa
 
welcometomasa

Alan is a guru in his own right. Has one of the best tanks I have seen. Even though he has not got the years experience behind him.
 
Kanga said:
Hi Shaheed welcometomasa SA premier marine site:wave2:

OK pictures of everything would help, but you would need some flow pumps with that, lighting, the rest you seem to have to start in terms of equipment.

Cabinet could be wood, or a steel fram clad with wood, how and with what would depend on budget and personal preference.

What size are the compartments does the sump have? would be return pump, skimmer DSB (will get to that) and algae scrubber.

OK good luck, ask as many questions as you like:thumbup:
Click to expand...

Hi Kanga,

Ihave done everything you said sill cant get the pics on is there any other way when I try to hoist nothing happens.:nono: (Shaheed)
 
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