• Looking to buy a cephalopod? Check out Tomh's Cephs Forum, and this post in particular shares important info about our policies as it relates to responsible ceph-keeping.

just a few ?'s

Joined
Dec 20, 2003
Messages
27
I have been designing a octo tank for some time now, trying to perfect a design thats unescapable. Now that the tanks figured out, Im left with few options. Seeing as how I live in Fl, I have the ability to collect my own live sand and possibly rock. Is this a bad idea? I have used the sand in my 75 and 29 with no problems. There is also the possibility of harvesting my own octo. Another bad idea? Can lace rock easily be converted to live rock? This stuff is awsome, and gave my ciclids a perfect home.
 
Always a bad idea to collect your own sand. From a beach it could hold all sorts of nasties like pollutants and even bits of metal from ship wrecks etc. In fact, we should all probably run an algae magnet in a poly bag through our LFS gravel before using it.

You might be able to catch your own octopus but then you have no guarantees of its age and I am also trying to encourage buying captive bred stock.

No idea on the lace rock except that on another forum they claimed it had traces of iron in it so that would be a bad idea.

Welcome to TONMO.com keep us up to date on your progress!

Colin
 
Cool. Thanks from the info. The sand would be from near a reef, not the beach so I dont know if that makes a difference. I thought it would be nice catching my own octo, but I know theres going to be age and species issues. And I had no clue about the lacerock! If I knew that, it would have never seen the inside of my cichlid tank!

As far as the tank goes, Im having a custom tank built by a local company called Ocea. The back will be drilled near the top for the intake of my filter and near the opposite bottom for the exhaust with a one way valve to prevent flooding my sump in the event of a power outage. The bulkheads will be flush mounted so in the event that the octo tries to pry, he will have a much harder time trying. I have seen some that only stick out a few inches, but I believ that would give him enough leverage to crack the glass. The top will be glass with velcro keeping it in place. The lighting will probably be a dual florescent setup with a white and actinic bulb. Now the filtration has been the big stump for me. Trying to get a good filter and protien skimmer, without giving that much leway for him to bypass any openings. Which is why I opted for an overflowless tank with a wet dry. The tank is a bit more expensive, but well worth it for an animal as inteligent and unique as a octo. The stand and canopy will be made by myself and my father out of oak using a light colored stain and gloss black for accent, all covered with a laqure clear.

Now heres where I need help again. I was going to use the classic sump with a PS in the reservior, but wanted the PS first. I found one for a decent price. Its an aquaclear pro 150. It handles up to 600 gph and up to a 150 gallon tank, doubling the "required" filtration needed for the tank and the some. Have any of you had expierience with this filter? Is the PS first a good idea for a octo. I figured it would be as if the little guy inked, very little ink would get to the rest of the filter, leaving a much less demanding job for the carbon. Every one Ive talked to said they prefer to just have the skimmer in the sump. Would that be more ideal? Please, Any input on ANY of this will be greatly appreciated, as I want the best expierience for me and my future (other) eight legged friend.(my current one, a cobalt blue tarantula, is a "little" ornery and not quite personable. Cant wait to get a goliath birdeater!).

One last thing. Would a UV sterilzer be beneficial to an octo tank? I have heared conflicting views on this, so, once again, any input is more than welcome!
 
yes, go for a refugium sump if you can.. just a deep layer of mud (from lfs) and some live rock and caulerpa.

PS is a great thing for a ceph tank and not to be without.... some skimmers will take the outflow from your overflow... is the one you mentioned big enough for that? i did with an aquamedic 5000.

also used to have a cobalt blue!!!!!!!! arnt they mental?!

if you can get a uv use it!
 
Once again, Thanks! The wetdry is a one piece unit with a built in PS that comes as the first stage in filtration. The unit is supposedly awsome at eliminating nitrates as well as nitrites and amonia. I will be getting one that will double or tripple the recomended filtration rate for the safety of my soon-to-be octo.

And yes, the cobalt is mental! hes was "sleeping" the other day when I fed him and my wife thought he was dead. Trying to reassure her i used a probing stick (.......an absolute MUST! :biggrin2: ) to get him moving.......he resisted for a minute, only adding to my wifes worry............Boy did she get a start! Within a split second he had backed out of his burrow, turned around and stuck the stick several times with very audible hits!......Love the spider, but it freaks my wife out. :lol:
 
that's a bit like my trinidad chevron too, she'll nail anything that comes near her... not ideal for winning people over to arachnids LOL
 
Now Im jelous! Ive wanted a cheveron for a while now! They can be a bit much for some, but there too fascinating for me to pass up (arachnids in general). If I dont get a goliath next, I will try to get a wind scorpion. Those are awsome, but dont live too long.

What are the advantages of mud over sand? Ive heard nothing of mud, but have seen it for sale. Also, are all day octos venomous? And if not, are there any available in the pet trade?
 
My wife has a severe phobia attached to spiders...so of course, I had to get a cobalt a couple of years ago...pretty thing. What a bitch though! Ended up giving her to a friend...too much to handle. Dig the wind scorpions...we are lucky enough to have them here!
Octo-wise, I would get a captive bimac...everyone who has gotten one is happier than get out !
Greg
 
Wind scorpions is something i have only seen in the flesh once, and just for a few seconds down in a shop in london. I think they really are underexploited as far as basing horror films on them is concerned! LOL

I think taht the main advantages of mud would be that it is easier for animals to move through it, the worms and so on. And that you could even plant a mangrove or two in it. Sand can get compacted and the last thing you want is a deep sand bed.

ALL octopuses are venemous to a degree, some more than others. But it is a rare thing to be bitten. If you intend to hand feed get it used to you at an early stage :smile: Whatever, it wont be as bad as a bite from a cobalt!
 
Remember "Starship Troopers"? :biggrin2: Those nasty little things were based on sulfugids (spelling?)! They are no where near recognized enough in almost any way.

I will definatley be getting a CB octo, if for anything else, so Im sure of the age and spiecies. Would the mud wor in the tank as well? Keep the awsome info rolling!
 

Shop Amazon

Shop Amazon
Shop Amazon; support TONMO!
Shop Amazon
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Back
Top