Do Bimacs need...

[Rockthis11]

What kind of aquarium subsrate do bimacs need? Does it need to be fine sand about 1 inch? And do they need a heater or a chiller?

 

[Nancy]

Hi Rockthis,

The Equipment List suggests fine sand to the depth of 1 inch - that's a good recommendation for a bimac.

It's best to bring the temperature down to at least the lower seventies. You usually don't need a heater with a bimac, but may have to cool down the tank in the summer, with a fan or chiller or other method.

Some of this will depend on where you live, how much you air condition your home, and so forth.

Nancy

 

[Cortum]

Another question

HI!! First time poster, long time lurker, short time member.

I was wondering (for a bimac).. live sand or not? Does it depend on whether or not there is live rock? My guess is live sand wouldn't do enough and you would need live rock anyways - or is this overdoing it?

I'm basically trying to figure out filtration, I guess...

thanks!

 

[Nancy]

Hi Cortum,

Welcome to TONMO.com.

Most people are using live rock, both for filtration and to provide lots of hiding places for their octopuses. A third thing in its favor is that live rock looks so good.

If you have live rock, is isn't necessary to buy live sand (although I did that for my smaller aquarium because I got better looking sand that way).

Nancy

 

[joel_ang]

Hi and to TONMO.com Cortum!

It really isnt necessary to get live sand as a sufficient amount of live rock will do the job. However, you can use it to decorate your tank like nancy.

 

[Cortum]

thanks!

thanks for the input!

 

[corw314]

Rockthis11-

Love your choice of Avatar!!!

Carol

 

[Rockthis11]

thanks alot

 

[Colin]

I dont think that a live sand bed would keep up with the waste from an octopus unless it was a huge tank to begin with... and a bimac doesnt seem to dig so much so I just have a very fine scattering of sand and that's the easiest to keep clean and makes sure no waste gets missed

 

[Nancy]

A couple more observations about sand and my bimac:

Ollie often looks for fiddler crabs buried in the sand, so there is a remendous blowing of sand and shifting its position. Because of this, there is sand on all my live rock, and I just get it cleaned off when he Ollie goes at it again.

And, something I didn't expect - there are a couple of places in the tank where Ollie likes to stay, and there he's gotten rid of most or all of the sand on the bottom. He's a very tidy housekeeper, too

Nancy