• 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.

Serious about setting up my first ceph tank...

ul_ian

Hatchling
Registered
Joined
Jan 24, 2012
Messages
1
Hello everyone!!

I am getting ready to set up my first ceph tank. I would like some helpfull advice on what you would buy for a bimac. I would like to keep my tank between a 55-70 gallon.

1. what protein skimmer would you recommend?
2. Do you use a uv sterilizer?
3 .what sump?
4. can i have any type of polyps or coral
5. what light would you use
6. what tank would you buy


thats about all i could come up with so far

thanks for the help everyone!
 
:welcome: ul_ian.

Before talking about tanks and bimacs, can you let us know a little about your saltwater experience and ceph knowledge (the Introduce Yourself forum is a good place for this but you can add a little history here if it is easier). Bimacs are hard to come by and require a chiller (something I don't see on your list) but there are alternative animals that might be more appropriate.

A few quick notes on your questions.
1. skimmer, check the top of this forum for a sticky discussing skimmers
2. UV sterilizers are typically not used with ceph tanks. They are not needed and there is some anticdotal evidence that they may have a negative impact.
3. As big as you can fit and afford, the more volume the better and easier to place equipment.
4. Some. If you stay with the bimac requirement, then you will need to take that into consideration but generally speaking, leathers, low stinging polyps (not always easy to ID and I recommend fastening polyps to their own rock and observe. If the octopus reacts when it crawls over them, remove them) and mushrooms can all be used to enhance the tank. Brittle and serpent stars will also fare well with an octopus for clean up and visual attaction.
5. An octopus is fine with ambient light but most of us use some form of lighting for both esthetics and octopus viewing. For nocturnals, or night active animals, lighting part of the tank with a red light enhances viewing opportunities. We recommend staying away from halide lighting but lower wattage PC or T series lights are fine. Diurnal animals definitely need a dark period each day.
6. The question is too general. I suggest reviewing some of the buildouts shown in the Tank Buildouts sticky at the top of this forum as a starting point and then be more specific.
 

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