New Bimac Tank

[Fishfreak218]

^your water doesnt really 'cycle'
its the LR and LS that does the 'cycling'
from what I understand zeus is taking established LR from another one of his tanks..
i think it will work out fine...get the skimmer though.. (i didnt have one at first, you'd be surprised how much it pulls out!)

 

[Zeus Zoso]

OMG thank you for that response lol...that helped a ton
Where do you live? He is selling the bimacs already, they are 2.5mths old right now. If you are not in picking up area, pay for shipping and its yours. What do you think about a 60g cube? How would that work out? If not, I am going to set-up a 15g temporary, and then keep looking for something within a month. Thanks,
Alex

 

[AprylWillis]

Tank

I don't see why a 60 gallon cube wouldn't work. I've seen people put their octo's in that type of design before and everything seeme to work out just fine! Please, PLEASE get a skimmer! You can find them on eBay right now. You don't have to spend +$100!

We don't need a new octo right now, but I would like to keep your uncle in mind for when we do!

 

[AprylWillis]

Also, I used the term "water cycle" because that is what most people recognize when we are talking about cycling.

 

[Zeus Zoso]

LOl... im not a nubzor, i know all about the nitrogen cycle..i found a 55 gallon so thats what I have... for skimmer, what should I get? I can get a CSS65 for 60 or a AquaC Remora for 100ish? Any other opinions? I am going to get a canister filter as well, but I don't think it matters which.
Thanks alex

 

[DHyslop]

Thank you for the thought out response. Sooo...now I am somewhat confused lol. What is your response to my tank starting in a week. Thank you for the explanation of it all, but if I were to set up a 60g, put 60g of new SW in, 50lbs of LR, and a decent amount of bioballs, some sand, and let it sit for a week, what would happen? I mean I could do that and test the water, to see if there is an ammonia spike. I think that it would be okay, because we are dealing with an extremely small animal, 3" in length, and I think by the time it reaches a size of producing a bioload which is large, the lr and such can compensate, and become effective.

Theoretically correct. The octo is small and thus isn't a big bioload. The 50 pounds of live rock should be able to handle it and the filter colony will grow on the bioballs as the octo gets bigger. Keep in mind that this is assuming good-quality, cured and porous LR.

But as I alluded to earlier you probably will have some pH shifts and algae blooms typical of new tanks. Honestly, even though you can get away with it in that your octo will probably live; its not the best way to do things and we don't recommend it.

I hope you understood all of that. I wanted some more opinions on LR, and changing it from 78 degrees to 72 or whatever, and if I will experience a cycle because some animals can't handle that change living in the rocks.

I don't think this will be an issue, especially if you plan on bringing the temperature down over the course of a few days.

Dan

P.S - I own page 2 and 3!

 

[Zeus Zoso]

Theoretically correct. The octo is small and thus isn't a big bioload. The 50 pounds of live rock should be able to handle it and the filter colony will grow on the bioballs as the octo gets bigger. Keep in mind that this is assuming good-quality, cured and porous LR.

But as I alluded to earlier you probably will have some pH shifts and algae blooms typical of new tanks. Honestly, even though you can get away with it in that your octo will probably live; its not the best way to do things and we don't recommend it.



I don't think this will be an issue, especially if you plan on bringing the temperature down over the course of a few days.

Dan

P.S - I own page 2 and 3!

Do you have any tips on HOT skimmers? I can get a Remora for 120 or a CSS65 for 60...etc

 

[DHyslop]

I try to avoid hang-on-back equipment at all costs. Its all garbage compared to the in-sump models.

 

[Zeus Zoso]

Thanks? lol
I don't have a choice really. I am getting Aqua C Remora, which is the best HOT skimmer.

 

[AprylWillis]

DH--I guess it's all on how you experience taking care for your Octo. If one person says that a certain skimmer works great for them, than I guess that's their choice to use that product. I don't see a problem with hang-on-back skimmers. I use one and it's worked great up until now. It's just very old. It hasn't let me down yet. It might just need a simple repair.

I'm sure insumps work great, but not all people have that choice.

 

[Zeus Zoso]

Now, now, now, lets not argue.
So I will have:
55g Glass Tank
AquaC Remora
Fluval 304?
30lbs of LR
30lbs of LS
...?

 

[dutchcourage]

I try to avoid hang-on-back equipment at all costs. Its all garbage compared to the in-sump models.

No offense i run a aqua c remora pro bakpak unit on a 55g and it was one of the best bakpaks out there its rated for a 125g.It pulls the darkest Skimate i have seen on a skimmer give me a day ill get you a picture i just cleaned it out.i know you dont approve of the berlin method vs wetdry from your other post.I run all my tanks by the berlin method and it can be done with weekly water changes and at least 1.5lb's live rock to 1 gallon of water and a over sized skimmer.

If you are looking for a good bakpak unit i would go for the aqua c remoa pro for 55-65 gallon tank if you have the $300 bucks to spend on it.If you dont then i would go with the new Coralife superskimmer 125 it is rated for 125g and about half the price of the remora.I have the 65 on one of my 30 gallon tanks and its a great skimmer!Jump on some of the reef forums and you will see post on its perfomance.

This post is not to start any arguments with any one its just the way i have ran my tanks for over 3 years now.

Dutch

 

[Fishfreak218]

i have to agree
I have an Aqua C (not the remora. a larger model) on my 90g. and i have a CSS 65 that used to be on my Seahorse tank and is now on my octo tank..
anyway the CSS pulls out ALOT more then the Aqua C

 

[DHyslop]

i know you dont approve of the berlin method vs wetdry from your other post.I run all my tanks by the berlin method and it can be done with weekly water changes and at least 1.5lb's live rock to 1 gallon of water and a over sized skimmer.

I wholeheartedly approve of the Berlin method for reefs, just not for people who want an octopus that can grow to be over a kilogram as some bimacs and briareus have. Its just about having the right tool for the job. Even though live rock does a fine job as biological filter, a wet/dry does many times better: that's why the secret to a successful Berlin reef is not have a high bioload.

We often hear the number three used to describe the amount of waste a ceph generates as a rule-of-thumb. That is, three times as much waste as a fish of equal mass. That means if you have a bimac that's about a kilogram or roughly two pounds, its creating as much waste as a fish that weighs six pounds. I've never even seen a fish that big for sale for a saltwater aquarium--it would be about the volume of a milk jug (its dimensions would be actually much larger since fish are usually laterally compressed).

Now we're trying to keep that hypothetical giant fish in aquariums ranging from 30-70 gallons. If this fish existed experts would probably recommend 300 gallons. If you're keeping small octos the Berlin method is fine, but if you have a bimac and it gets big you'd better have a quarter ton of live rock!

I'm sure insumps work great, but not all people have that choice.

I take great exception to this. We all have a choice. I set up my sump for about the cost of two months of cuttlefish food. I scrounged used parts over the course of a few months so you could rightly say that setting up the tank cost me less than keeping the cephs.

We're not entitled to keep any animal. All the time people come on and post that they want to keep a bimac in a 20 or even sometimes a 10 gallon tank. They've got plenty of reasons, maybe they want to keep it in a dorm room that has a size limit. Whatever the reason is, they have a choice whether they put an animal in a substandard environment or whether they don't buy one in the first place. Anyone in the greater aquarium hobby who says they don't have a choice is lying to themself.

Dan

 

[Brock Fluharty]

At 2.5 months, the octo is still relatively small, and fragile. The pH swings will make the octopus suffer. You should really let the TANK (not the water, or rock, or sand) mature for a few months, preferably longer. Also, saying that "you're getting one in 2 weeks no matter what so don't try to stop me" isn't very clear thinking. If your uncle is willing to ship them to people who want them, why not wait and do this the correct way, and have him ship you one in a few months? Bad things happen really fast when you're impatient in this hobby...