more cage ?s

[octomania]

my cage will fit in a noce asian cabniet i have my room. I was wondering if shuting and opening the doors will startle the octopus(making ink). I was also wondering if a wave making machine would help with oxygen and anything else. Also if someone could give me a good web site to build a sump.

thanks

 

[rrtanton]

Dumb question here... :? ...I'm not entirely furniture knowledgeable but...what exactly is a "nice asian cabinet?" If it's a nice piece of furniture, expensive and/or antique, maybe you'd rather not put it there? You're guaranteed to spill saltwater from the tank, plus it generates a lot of general humidity just by sitting there, PLUS salt creep would probably bring salt into the cabinet somehow even if you managed to never spill...which you won't.

That's not to say wood and aquariums don't mix, but I think it needs to be properly prepared wood, such as the polyurethane-slathered lightboxes I built for my tank. I'd be worried about your average cabinet getting warped and cracked, and maybe even some sort of wood rot.

If this cabinet isn't so precious, then also be sure that it can support the weight of this aquarium when full. They're VERY heavy.

I dunno about startling him...maybe if the doors can be gently opened?

rusty

 

[Nancy]

Hello Octomania,

I think Rusty's on the right track here. It's unusual to shut up an aquarium in a piece of furniture - even the stands sold for aquariums allow for plenty of ventilation (mine has a large opening in the back of the lower cabinet part). And since water weighs about 8 pounds per gallon, you can figure out how heavy your tank is going to be.

Don't think you need a wave machine for aeration - a simple, inexpensive powerhead will do.

For the sump, check out the article on sumps recommended by Colin:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/gt/index.htm

Some people use a smaller aquarium for a sump, so that gives you an idea of what you'll have to build.

Cheers,
Nancy