- Joined
- 30 Sep 2017
- Posts
- 93
- Reaction score
- 18
New to the Marine world
- Thread starter CJB
- Start date
- Joined
- 30 Sep 2017
- Posts
- 93
- Reaction score
- 18
So I started my leak test while waiting for the rest of my Equipment but, living in Cape Town now and having our water restriction I had to use my borehole water and look how pretty my tank looks like now
Originally it was a light lime colour and today it looks like this.
Originally it was a light lime colour and today it looks like this.
Just want to get so views on the sand bed. I have seen a few post on the internet and around where they say don't go for a deep sand bed, is there any reason for this?
What is the ideal depth of a sand bed?
What is the ideal depth of a sand bed?
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I’m so 
pissed off rigth now, I filled my main tank to check for any leaks and found none so far. So today I thought why not test my plumbing as well. So I filled my new sump that I had build for me by an LFS and I noticed that my second panel was not sealed properly, but did not bother me because I would just seal it again after the test. Then once the sump was full I notices some water on the side of the sump and initially though it was were my son messed water because he helped me. Upon investigation, I found that my actual sump was leaking, never thought of testing the sump for leaks as I bought it directly form the shop, I mean its not like it was a old sump or I build it myself! I’m just very annoyed rigth now 
pissed off rigth now, I filled my main tank to check for any leaks and found none so far. So today I thought why not test my plumbing as well. So I filled my new sump that I had build for me by an LFS and I noticed that my second panel was not sealed properly, but did not bother me because I would just seal it again after the test. Then once the sump was full I notices some water on the side of the sump and initially though it was were my son messed water because he helped me. Upon investigation, I found that my actual sump was leaking, never thought of testing the sump for leaks as I bought it directly form the shop, I mean its not like it was a old sump or I build it myself! I’m just very annoyed rigth now 
Thankfully it happened now but, still I was so irritated with myself yesterday. Quickest dry up session I had in a long time
Quick question for the gurus, I still need to buy the skimmer for my tank, what size skimmer should I get?
By size I mean litres per hour.
By size I mean litres per hour.
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Thanks @RiaanP, now I can at least start looking for one.
Hi all, its been a while since I posted anything 
thought I will take off again where I stopped.
So, after my last post I finally got everything sorted and filled up the tank with aquarium water before just before leaving for holiday back to JHB to visit friends and family.
here goes the progress.
Tank Plumbing:
Filling the Tank:
Finally Full, quite a few trips to the Aquarium
thought I will take off again where I stopped.So, after my last post I finally got everything sorted and filled up the tank with aquarium water before just before leaving for holiday back to JHB to visit friends and family.
here goes the progress.
Tank Plumbing:
Filling the Tank:
Finally Full, quite a few trips to the Aquarium
On my return from Holiday the hunt for rock started.
1st lot of rocks
Then second lot arrived and scapping was created
after a good few weeks I had some good coralline algae growth and I added some softies and 2 fishies a Regal Tang and a Yellow Tang.
1st lot of rocks
Then second lot arrived and scapping was created
after a good few weeks I had some good coralline algae growth and I added some softies and 2 fishies a Regal Tang and a Yellow Tang.
My tank was coming along nicely but, then I saw a nice light for sale 
and I just had to buy it 
but, then with the light I also organised a new tank that the light fits on perfectly 
. So I did a swap and sold the old tank, new tank is 1250x1000x700 and the light is a ZetLight 6600.
New Tank after the swap.
and then after a while I got some more rock to add to the tank so here is the latest pics of the tank
and I just had to buy it but, then with the light I also organised a new tank that the light fits on perfectly . So I did a swap and sold the old tank, new tank is 1250x1000x700 and the light is a ZetLight 6600.New Tank after the swap.
and then after a while I got some more rock to add to the tank so here is the latest pics of the tank
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So, all in all my tank has progressed nicely from where I started with nothing to where it is now, all thanks to quite a few reefers here in Cape Town that has help me along the way.
My tank content currently is
Fish:
1x Yellow Tang
1x Regal Tang
1x Lawnmower Blenny
4x Blue Chromis
3x Damsels
2x Clown Fish
1x Cleaner Wrasse
CUC:
a few Hermits
a few Snails
1x Pink Brittle Star Fish
2x Sand sifter Star Fish
2x Cleaner Shrimps
2x Peppermint Shrimps
1x Ghost Shrimp
Corals:
3x Green Star Polyps
2x Hammer Coral
2x Torch Coral
a few Zoanthids
1x Open Brain Coral
1x Purple Goniopora
1x Lobo
1x Green Bubble Tip Anemone
3x Candy Canes
and a few Sponges
My tank content currently is
Fish:
1x Yellow Tang
1x Regal Tang
1x Lawnmower Blenny
4x Blue Chromis
3x Damsels
2x Clown Fish
1x Cleaner Wrasse
CUC:
a few Hermits
a few Snails
1x Pink Brittle Star Fish
2x Sand sifter Star Fish
2x Cleaner Shrimps
2x Peppermint Shrimps
1x Ghost Shrimp
Corals:
3x Green Star Polyps
2x Hammer Coral
2x Torch Coral
a few Zoanthids
1x Open Brain Coral
1x Purple Goniopora
1x Lobo
1x Green Bubble Tip Anemone
3x Candy Canes
and a few Sponges
it has been a while so here a a quick update on the progress of my tank.
Right side: Feeding time so all the fish came to see what is for dinner
Front side:
Left side:
Right side: Feeding time so all the fish came to see what is for dinner
Front side:
Left side:
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Some individual shots of the left side.
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The GBTA was very happy, because it ate whatever was floating by after feeding the fish some shrimpies
The house that I'm renting now is on the market so, I'm dreading the tank move if the house sells but, kinda exited, as it will award me the opportunity to redo the scaping and change the angle of the tank as it is currently standing out in it's length.
The house that I'm renting now is on the market so, I'm dreading the tank move if the house sells but, kinda exited, as it will award me the opportunity to redo the scaping and change the angle of the tank as it is currently standing out in it's length.
So, I had a few busy weekends the last couple weeks. A while ago we packed up and sold my wife's nano tank and I moved some of her stock over into my tank and there the fun started 
I took 2 clowns and their home "Rocks with pulsating Xenia" and 2 cleaner shrimps into my tank.
My 2 bigger cleaner shrimps did not like these 2 smaller ones intruding in their tank as they where one of the 1st inhabitants in my tank so, they started pushing the new guys around when it came to feeding time and eventually anytime they crossed paths
and when I introduced the 2 new clowns into my tank, I've got 2 smaller clowns but did not think it would be a problem having 2 more as, I have a fairly large tank and my 2 small ones only stick to the one side of the tank so, as soon as the other 2 goes in mine was there and was like 
friends but, the other 2 wanted nothing to do with them. But my 2 smaller ones was like very persistent and the bigger ones eventually was happy with them being around their house just not in it and after about 3 or so days my 2 lost interest in the new guys and they went back to their side of the tank and the new guys stayed on their side, the new guys are a big female and a smaller male but bigger than my 2. Everything went all honky dory until around 3 weeks ago, got home one evening and found that the new male was investigating the possibility of hosting my GBTA and my nennie was not happy about this, it went into hiding for around 2 days and eventually I found 2 Then after a while the male went to the bigger one of the now two GBTA and was very aggressively yanking at the tips of the nennie because it was receding as the clown was rubbing against it. I moved it along and it lost interest in the nennie but the unwanted attention resulted in another split and now I had 3 so, I ended up trading one for a RBTA . Then not too long after I found the the bigger male was now intimidating my lager male of the 2 that I have 
.
Now I'm looking for a new home for the new 2 and their Rocks with the pulsating Xenia
I also ended up catching the 2 big cleaner shrimps and sold them but, in the effort of catching the shrimpies, I ended up doing a whole new rescape as I had to move and remove some rock to catch the last one
So, here is what my tank looks like now.
FTS
Some individual photos
Me attempting a Zoa garden
My 3 BTA
And then also I liked @Christo 's DIY T5's so much that I replicated the Idea and modified it to my specific needs.
I took 2 clowns and their home "Rocks with pulsating Xenia" and 2 cleaner shrimps into my tank.
My 2 bigger cleaner shrimps did not like these 2 smaller ones intruding in their tank as they where one of the 1st inhabitants in my tank so, they started pushing the new guys around when it came to feeding time and eventually anytime they crossed paths
and when I introduced the 2 new clowns into my tank, I've got 2 smaller clowns but did not think it would be a problem having 2 more as, I have a fairly large tank and my 2 small ones only stick to the one side of the tank so, as soon as the other 2 goes in mine was there and was like friends but, the other 2 wanted nothing to do with them. But my 2 smaller ones was like very persistent and the bigger ones eventually was happy with them being around their house just not in it and after about 3 or so days my 2 lost interest in the new guys and they went back to their side of the tank and the new guys stayed on their side, the new guys are a big female and a smaller male but bigger than my 2. Everything went all honky dory until around 3 weeks ago, got home one evening and found that the new male was investigating the possibility of hosting my GBTA and my nennie was not happy about this, it went into hiding for around 2 days and eventually I found 2 Then after a while the male went to the bigger one of the now two GBTA and was very aggressively yanking at the tips of the nennie because it was receding as the clown was rubbing against it. I moved it along and it lost interest in the nennie but the unwanted attention resulted in another split and now I had 3 so, I ended up trading one for a RBTA . Then not too long after I found the the bigger male was now intimidating my lager male of the 2 that I have .Now I'm looking for a new home for the new 2 and their Rocks with the pulsating Xenia
I also ended up catching the 2 big cleaner shrimps and sold them but, in the effort of catching the shrimpies, I ended up doing a whole new rescape as I had to move and remove some rock to catch the last one
So, here is what my tank looks like now.
FTS
Some individual photos
Me attempting a Zoa garden
My 3 BTA
And then also I liked @Christo 's DIY T5's so much that I replicated the Idea and modified it to my specific needs.