For people living out of the country

[Natura]

Hi, I've been really thinking about getting started on a reef tank, and this will also be my first saltwater aquarium. I have started gathering a lot of info's from youtube videos and research and mostly take the advice from people who seem to have a lot of success. My biggest concern, and also to get straight to the point is that I live in Senegal, in Africa. My main concern is not only shipment of the fish I will get in the near future, but MOSTLY for the corals. I really want to start simple with soft corals, and probably want corals such as zoanthids and Xenia (pulsating ones) that seem to be easier and more tolerant than the rest, but I don't want to pay a lot of money just to receive some dead stuff. Sorry for the long post, but I would like to know if there is any way to get them alive and well, even If I have to pay a little more. I know it is kind of off topic because most of you guys probably live in the US, but I'll take any smart advice I can get.
Thanks!!

 

[clsanchez77]

No doubt, this will be difficult, but challenges make the hobby that much more rewarding.

Without sounding condescending, will you be able to provide water and electricity? I have never been to Africa so I will disclose my ignorance upfront. I have had several friends work in various nations in Africa (granted not Senegal) and they all tell me power and water are not always available. If this is an issue where you live, you will need to plan for these provisions up front. With LED lighting and DC pumps, battery power is much more reasonable now than it was a few years ago. Regarding water, you will ideally need access to enough pressure to run RO/DI, which in itself is very wasteful of water. There are ways to recapture this water for re-use or even double on the RO membranes so you cut the waste down.

Regarding fish and corals, you appear closer to Europe than the US and the reef aquarium trade thrives over there more so than here from what I could always tell online. I would advise contacting several vendors on both continents to see who can arrange more favorable shipping. I do know the east coast of africa has some beautiful corals and fish that we typically do not see in the hobby, but I have no idea if there is any sustainable collection in those areas that will result in healthy specimens. May be worth checking that out. If this is not feasible, then focus on specimens found in the Mediterranean. I am confident you will find some sources closer to you than the US.

Living half a world away from you, I don't know if it is feasible or not but there does appear to be a strong reef keeping community is South Africa. Perhaps you can find some (relatively speaking) local information there: https://www.marineaquariumsa.com/

I know it is kind of off topic because most of you guys probably live in the US

Don't discredit the strength of this hobby in Europe and Asia, I think you may find some more favorable options there. We are an international hobby!

I'll take any smart advice I can get

Sometimes this is hard to parse from the non-smart

Good luck!

 

[jsker]

Welcome to R2R and reefing.

Great post above from @clsanchez77 there are some members that run some great systems over there. I with suggest starting a thread Senegal reefers or near by to source reefers close to you to see how they are getting there products.

 

[Natura]

No doubt, this will be difficult, but challenges make the hobby that much more rewarding.


Hahaha thanks for the laugh, don't worry not mocking you it's just that people in Canada used to always ask me that, and I would make them beleive that we lived in huts and stuff just for laughs But yeah we have cars, electricity, some nice buildings, roads in all the country for the most part and everyone is up to date with technology and stuff, (and also access to water like anyone in Europe for most of the country). I would say we're catching up to the rest pretty quickly, but it's awesome here, I often go snorkling with my family and I see some really nice fish right there in front of my face Power outages were really bad a few years back but now they're not frequent at all but besides I have a generator so it's ok. But would I really need an RO/DI? Would tap water with a good water conditioner do the trick?
As for corals I will definitively look into possible places in Europe, I was just worried that they might not have as many variations as you guys in North america, but I won't under estimate them.
By the way, me and my brother own one of the very few pet shops in the country, and we're trying to learn as much as possible, me especially with the reef hobby, since not a single person has one in the country, although plenty have freshwater tanks, so I think it would make a great addition in the hobby, especially since most are so scared of failing with saltwater aquariums. We try to encourage everyone to do a good job at keeping their fish, because some few people here do crazy things like putting bleach in the aquarium because some maintenance guy told them it would make the fish grow faster... And most of all barely know anythings about aquariums. So the more I learn the more I can give good advice to the customers and have them be successfull.
I will look at the south africa reef community, it looks like I can get good advice from them!
Thanks for the advice.

And you're right, I didn't really think that through

 

[clsanchez77]

and I would make them beleive that we lived in huts and stuff just for laughs But yeah we have cars, electricity, some nice buildings, roads in all the country for the most part and everyone is up to date with technology and stuff, (and also access to water like anyone in Europe for most of the country).

LOL. I've met enough people to know better! The biggest issue I had heard from most cities over there is that power was regularly interrupted. This is also common still in South America as well, at least where my wife is from. Yet people have reef tanks there too. I have heard that pretty much everybody has a generator - power goes out and the town get deafening. Good luck, its a hobby of great frustration also at times but highly rewarding if you stick through it.