Tank Questions

[zekezero]

Hey everyone,
First off thank for all the great info on this site, it's amazing! I used to work at a LFS and keep several salt tanks over the years but haven't had anything for a while. Getting bit by the bug again and started looking into keeping octopus, quickly got discouraged but then found this site and am starting to do the real leg-work research to get one going! Great encouraging stories here. Okay now that's outta the way on to the questions...

I've poured over the articles here and still have a few questions I haven't been able to answer.

I'm looking at specing out a system for a bimac. I'm a little strapped for space in my apt so I'm trying to figure out the best way to go. I've been looking at a corner pentagon unit around 55 gal. I know that's the recommended minimum for water volume but what about surface area. Do the corner units give a bimac enough territory to roam around in or do they do better in a regular 55 setup?

I pretty set on doing a sump setup. I've never built one before, only maintained a few in the store I worked at so this is the bit I know the least about. I've seen I need to plan for 3x the tank size in filtration but what about water flow turnover? I've heard that they don't like a stiff current, any guidelines out there?

Finally what sort of feeder tank setup have people used? I'm not really sure what size I'll need to go with to give me enough food for the bimac. Ideally I'd love to keep a pretty stable feeder tank without overloading, but again I'm trying to conserve a little space if possible.

Anyway thanks again for the info and double thanks if you chime in here. I'm in no rush, I'd like to start the tank in a month or so and I've still got plenty of time afterwards to make adjustments as it cycles.

-Zeke

 

[DHyslop]

It sounds like you have a good understanding of what you need to do. I think the corner tank might be better than a straight-55. A sump is the best way to go, IMO. With a little bit of planning, you can integrate your feeder tank into the main system: split the drain or the return line and send it into the feeder, then have the overflow of the feeder go into the sump.

The most challenging thing about having a sump with an octo is finding a way to make the overflow escape-proof. A little bit of creativity and fiberglass window screen will go a long way.

Good luck!

Dan

 

[monty]

Zeke.

I realized I should "ask the experts" the question that came to mind when I read this exchange: I've been assuming that the 55 gal minimum is more for water volume, so that the water chemistry is stable, rather than because the octo needs that much space to be happy, so I would think that if it's not some really crazy shape (like really tall and thin), any 55gal would be OK. Is that correct, or are some bimac-sized octos cramped in 55gals that are shaped wrong?

 

[Nancy]

It's both for water volume and space.

If you have a choice, the bigger the footprint the better. However, octos seem to adapt to whatever shape you give them.

With a larger footprint and a larger tank, you octo can move about more easily and swim from place to place, like he does in the ocean.

Even with a large tank, most bimacs will jet about and bump their heads - it doesn't seem to hurt them. Other species may do this as well, but no one has reported this to Ceph Care for species other than O. bimaculoides.

Nancy

 

[zekezero]

Hey thanks for the replies everyone! And wow way to go Nancy twist my arm to make me look at a bigger tank already.

-Zeke

 

[dutchcourage]

It's both for water volume and space.

Even with a large tank, most bimacs will jet about and bump their heads - it doesn't seem to hurt them. Other species may do this as well, but no one has reported this to Ceph Care for species other than O. bimaculoides.

Nancy

My aculeatus does this every night he doesnt slam into the glass but just bumps enough to know when to stop.I will try and catch a picture of this in the next few nights.