Reefin' in Dubai

[maroun.c]

Thank you so much. I will be some time before adding fish.. I went and drove for 3 hours.. and didnt find one of the places I 'thought' I could find. So, not even a tank or the decision if I am just having one sent over... I get lost here alot, very easily.

I lived in Dubai for close to 3 years and still got lost very frequently (if that makes you feel better) I'm still on GPS every time I'm in Dubai.
which store did you try going to?

 

[JillNairn]

I wanted to find the one in sharjah and the pet zone. I tried to find pet zone, because it suppose to be off sheik zayed road, next to Al Mazaya Center. Didnt work either. I was going to find the other pet land that is next to an international school, but I gave up.

 

[prawdzwr]

Hey
I am in Saudi working for aramco. I get all my fish and food from Aqualife Centre in Bahrain. I don't know if the drive is feesible for you but they are a great store and when they do bring in stock - maybe every 3 months or so, they bring lots and a great variety. Aqualife Center(info@bahrainaqualife.com) Andy E. Arendtsz(andy@baqualife.com) Here's a couple of emails. if you do decide to make the trip touch base with them to make sure you are getting here when they are stocked up.

 

[argileh]

I live in Abu Dhabi and set up my 120g last March. As many already mentioned, equipment are of very bad quality here. I ordered ALL equipment and stuff online from Germany (skimmer, pumps, power heads, MHI's, RO/DI, additives, etcc). The only thing I got locally is the tank and stand. I even ordered Tropic Marine Pro Reef salt online from Germany. Paid dearly for shipping but the best option here is Instant Ocean (good for fish only tanks).

There is a good variety of livestock, two reliable shops. Others have some but do not know what they are selling.

Let me know if you want details of the shops.

 

[maroun.c]

I wanted to find the one in sharjah and the pet zone. I tried to find pet zone, because it suppose to be off sheik zayed road, next to Al Mazaya Center. Didnt work either. I was going to find the other pet land that is next to an international school, but I gave up.

Pet zone shuldn't be that difficult to find as it's just on the service road on Sheikh zayed just take the serive road and kep driving on it till you pass it by. Pet land is close to an international school but it's like in the mid of no where you could drive just next to it without seeing it as it's separated fromt eh road by around 10-15 meters of sand you have to drive through...

 

[maroun.c]

I live in Abu Dhabi and set up my 120g last March. As many already mentioned, equipment are of very bad quality here. I ordered ALL equipment and stuff online from Germany (skimmer, pumps, power heads, MHI's, RO/DI, additives, etcc). The only thing I got locally is the tank and stand. I even ordered Tropic Marine Pro Reef salt online from Germany. Paid dearly for shipping but the best option here is Instant Ocean (good for fish only tanks).

There is a good variety of livestock, two reliable shops. Others have some but do not know what they are selling.

Let me know if you want details of the shops.

Can you please send me the details of those shops?
Would have used Instant ocean and supplemented with some Ca and Mg as that's all it misses...

 

[Haksar]

Hey
I am in Saudi working for aramco. I get all my fish and food from Aqualife Centre in Bahrain. I don't know if the drive is feesible for you but they are a great store and when they do bring in stock - maybe every 3 months or so, they bring lots and a great variety. Aqualife Center(info@bahrainaqualife.com) Andy E. Arendtsz(andy@baqualife.com) Here's a couple of emails. if you do decide to make the trip touch base with them to make sure you are getting here when they are stocked up.

prawdzwr..do they sell SPS,if so then don't mind travelling to BAH.

 

[argileh]

Can you please send me the details of those shops?
Would have used Instant ocean and supplemented with some Ca and Mg as that's all it misses...

- Reef of Fish (you already know)
- Wonder Sea Fish in Khalidiya (recently renovated)
- Sea Secrets in Mina area (good variety but not knowlegable staff)

I was using IO salt and adding Ca and Mg, but given that IO has Ca at 300 and Mg at 1050, I needed a LOT of supplement. Besides, after using TM Pro Reef and seeing how quick it dissolves without any residue, I wont turn back.

 

[kkil4life]

argileh, could you give a little more details of locations of the shops or if possible the tel numbers?

btw, wonder sea fish is a dealer for aquac. Thats what steve from aquac told me, but I just could not get their right nubmer, so I ended up ordering directly from aquac.

btw, for salt we don't get much, but you can try marinium the ca is about 400, mg I didn't test
theres also SERA REEF, not the sera normal, but I haven't found it so far.
The next best seems to be HW salt from world of fishes, apparently its the TUNZE salt rebranded.


Jill, if u live in jebel ali and want to get to the fish stores, do this.
Get onto sheikh zayed road, just after you cross the barsha toll gate take the right heading towards mall of the emirates, don't enter mall of the emirates but keep on that road. Now you will see a petrol station, mcdonalds and pan emirates on your right. So now you know ur on the right road, keep going straight till u get to a signal. Make a U turn and after 100m park on your right. You've reached pets plus. congratulations

once you're done with that, get back on the road, you will need to take a right to get onto sheik zayed road, as soon as you are on the main highway, about 100m, take the right that goes into the service road. congratulations u've reached the dubai garden centre (aquarium concepts is inside).

again if ur done with that get onto sheikh zayed road goto mazaya centre, and between mazaya centre and safest way is pet zone.

If you want to find world of fishes (hes got good stock right now), wherever on sheikh zayed road you are, stay on your 3rd lane from the left. stay on this lane all the way till you reach trade centre. You will enter a 1st tunnel, stay on ur third lane.
As soon as you enter the second tunnel, shift to the left most lane. You will get to a signal. Take a left at the signal, and about 50m from the signal you will see baskin robbins and world of fishes. So far I've seen the best selection of fish with them, but they have ich ridden tanks.
I jsut got sweet lyretail anthias from him last week. he had a bamboo shark at the time as well IN THE SAME TANK. He is one of the only people who get mandarin fish regularly.
gets good angel fish, tangs, butterflys etc. But you definitely want to quarantine the fish.

I hope you now make it to ANY one of those shops.


btw, haksar, I don't mind making a quick trip to bahrain either?
lemme know if you find anything good there

 

[kkil4life]

oh, by the way guys, I'm currently looking to get an OVERFLOW box, and i'm stuck?
any ideas?

 

[maroun.c]

- Reef of Fish (you already know)
- Wonder Sea Fish in Khalidiya (recently renovated)
- Sea Secrets in Mina area (good variety but not knowlegable staff)

I was using IO salt and adding Ca and Mg, but given that IO has Ca at 300 and Mg at 1050, I needed a LOT of supplement. Besides, after using TM Pro Reef and seeing how quick it dissolves without any residue, I wont turn back.

Thanks for the info. Yes that is a lot to supplement but the question now is will you be able to ship salt repeatidly at that price. As I see on this thread there is a decent number of reefers in UAE so why not join in a group and do some group buy throgh one of the shops (decent salt, few skimmers, pumps, supplements, halides, T5s... ) just a one shot buy that allows everyone to startup and then maybe each will buy whatever he needs seperate...

Any stores in UAE selling some decent MH ballasts and reflectors? or T5s?

 

[kkil4life]

for lights your best bet is a diy
you can get all the parts you need here except for the bulbs, that u'll really have to look around

 

[JillNairn]

No one drills tanks here huh? I have drilling material at home... in storage. Its really not that hard to do.. Lots of water, flat surface, good drill, and go slow. Not hard at all. I practiced a bit on just spare ten gallon tanks before doing a real tank. I would rather crack a glass and have to replace and reseal then ever have to deal with an overflow again.

There is no extra fee for me to ship salt.. so I will get on that tonight ordering all supplies. I am waiting on ordering the nano until tommorrow.

Can I get something like a biocube here, with built in lighting that is suitable for a reef tank?

So, just an R/O unit is not good enough?

I will work on finding them in the morning Once I have a tank, this city dwelling life will be ALOT better.

 

[johnw32]

hai......searching for new products..i found so many products and gadgets in amazon site.

 

[JillNairn]

Does anyone know a supplier for acrylic here?

 

[Haksar]

Does anyone know a supplier for acrylic here?

No supplier but there many who sell Chinese tanks.This are found in mostly all LFS.

 

[JillNairn]

What do you guys do when you need custom sumps?

 

[Haksar]

Thanks for the info. Yes that is a lot to supplement but the question now is will you be able to ship salt repeatidly at that price. As I see on this thread there is a decent number of reefers in UAE so why not join in a group and do some group buy throgh one of the shops (decent salt, few skimmers, pumps, supplements, halides, T5s... ) just a one shot buy that allows everyone to startup and then maybe each will buy whatever he needs seperate...

Any stores in UAE selling some decent MH ballasts and reflectors? or T5s?

I am game,I need to buy an ATO plus a Kalk reactor and 6 or 8 tube light T5 fixture to replace my existing fixture and also a Calcium reactor to replace my Korallin reactor.The list goes on..on.

 

[Haksar]

oh, by the way guys, I'm currently looking to get an OVERFLOW box, and i'm stuck?
any ideas?

Best is DIY or try Petplus or Pet home.
I am in a fix whether to go for a 6 or 8 tube light T5 fixture or go for DIY fixture of 02 250W MH and 04 T5 fixture.T 5 can cut down bill during summer months and reduce heat as well.I need to get hold of a good carpenter for this. Do you know of any guys who make good DIY fixtures.

 

[JillNairn]

I dont know what size tank you have, but the smaller the tank, the bigger the issue with heat. I LOVE the shimmer halides give. I have halides over my big tank at home and supplement with vho's. I have tried t5's. Great lights, you can get stuff to grow under them but no shimmer. Have you looked at the new led lights?