Water Paremeter care...

[Armstrong]

Just a small little question im interested in. When keeping an octopus, water parameters are of course...the most important parts and just out of curiosity, do the parameters slip very quickly? Like for example...how long would it take until the pH level starts to lower or go too high? How long does it take until the salinity slips or the nitrite/nitrate? I am aware that regular water changes and filteration should always keep these parameters on base and preffured for a Bimac, but do these parameters slip and go too high or too low and have to be adjusted quickly? if so, how long does it usually take until they do? I hope pH buffers work good.

 

[Castor]

Hey armstrong, I think most of those parameters that deal with nitrogen stuff has a lot to do with bioload. I think most of the time things are pretty stable after a tank has cycled well, say 4 months. My experience with rapid shifts in my tanks usually come from unknow occourence, i.e., something dead in the back corner the night before. A light bioload is probally the most important thing to maintain so as not to have any rapid change that might cascade into something that requires a 75% water change. I once had a cat that threw up in my sump, I was not a happy camper. Oh well, hope this helps.

 

[Armstrong]

Thanks a lot. That was helpful. So your saying that...the water parameters will basically stay pretty much the same...stabled, and "set" correctly for an octopus bimac as long as water changes are done right? Plus a few other stuff of course. Will salinity ever rise or lower over a period of time? Cuz salinity, and pH concern me a bit...there very important. Iv seen the most problems with pH. However, I found a pH buffer at my local pet supply shop...with aquariums of course. They had a pH buffer that mantains a pH level of 8.0 to 8.3. Is this good? I was thinking of keeping my mind saved on that product.

Is phosphate a lot of worry or just water changes alone can take care of that easily? All the parameters that seem to be tolerated are:
pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Oxygen, Copper, Salinity, Temperature, Phosphate and Calcium.

 

[Nancy]

Yes, these parameters can change over time. For instance, salt creep (salt crystalizing out of the water on the tank sides or elsewhere) may reduce salinity. On the other hand, if you don't top off the tank with RO/DI water rather than salt water, salinity will begin to increase. Other parameters can change, too, for various reasons.

Don't know what you mean by your last sentence ..."seem to be tolerated." Copper is not tolerated, for instance.

Nancy

 

[Armstrong]

I meant "tolerate" as in...dealt with. I made a mistake, lol.

All parameters that need to be taken care of, or basically...all water parameters set and laid out together that should be taken care of. For sea salt, is there usually directions involved in how to apply the salt? Like how would you apply the salt to your already poured RO/DI water in the tank and make it exactly 1.026 as salinity? I hope there's directions to apply the salt by a certain amount in order to get a certain level of salinity...because of course, Octopuses need full strength sea water at 1.026 as mentioned.

 

[Castor]

I haven't ever given much thought to phosphates, I always kept a phosphate absorbtion media in my sump. As far as amonia, nitrite and nitrate, these are all factors that are handled by the nitrogen cycle. Some reefers use a oxygen depleted environment to turn the nitrate back to nitrogen. Water changes for me has always worked for me when dealing with nitrate. Heavy metals are something that should never be present more than trace amounts, as in undetectble. There was a discussion on calcium a while back, but I don't remember what the thread was. I think the topic had something to do with cephs needing calcium fortheir radula, and how would they get it. I have never used any chemical addetives, so I can't give any opinion on that subject. As for sea water, the salt should always be mixed in a clean container and then added to the tank, never mix salt in the tank, especially if there is live critters in there. Goes along with the rapid change thing. As with adding just RO/DI water, that is used to compensate for the water evaporating out of the tank, no need to mix up a batch of sea water, unless of course you are removing water from the tank. Hope this helps. What do you plan to keep?

 

[Armstrong]

I haven't ever given much thought to phosphates, I always kept a phosphate absorbtion media in my sump. As far as amonia, nitrite and nitrate, these are all factors that are handled by the nitrogen cycle. Some reefers use a oxygen depleted environment to turn the nitrate back to nitrogen. Water changes for me has always worked for me when dealing with nitrate. Heavy metals are something that should never be present more than trace amounts, as in undetectble. There was a discussion on calcium a while back, but I don't remember what the thread was. I think the topic had something to do with cephs needing calcium fortheir radula, and how would they get it. I have never used any chemical addetives, so I can't give any opinion on that subject. As for sea water, the salt should always be mixed in a clean container and then added to the tank, never mix salt in the tank, especially if there is live critters in there. Goes along with the rapid change thing. As with adding just RO/DI water, that is used to compensate for the water evaporating out of the tank, no need to mix up a batch of sea water, unless of course you are removing water from the tank. Hope this helps. What do you plan to keep?

Oh, I plan to keep an octopus in mabye a year or so. Thats all. Like I said though, im not clueless in this field cuz iv been studying their biology and I know everything from there skin cells, there behavior, intelligence, blood and so much more. Plus iv done studying on keeping them in captivity for a while now. I was going to get an octopus last year I think, but I wanted to study more. Iv already kept aquarium animals in the past, but mostly fish. Iv never been interested in fish though, however...it was a good head start for me.

 

[Castor]

I was just curious to know what species. One of these days when I hit the lottery, I hope to get a GPO. Oh well, I can dream.

 

[Armstrong]

I was just curious to know what species. One of these days when I hit the lottery, I hope to get a GPO. Oh well, I can dream.

Oh, of course Bimaculoides. All water paremeter questions and octo-care questions in relation to me...are reffuring to the O. Bimaculoides for sure. Thats a first octopus I want to get. Mabye in the future I would also love to get a giant pacific octopus. And mabye an Octopus Vulgaris as well. There more beautiful and interesting to watch as bigger ones are growing.

 

[cthulhu77]

Sea water is one of the most interesting compounds on the planet (as well as one of the most prolific too, lol ) , and reproducing it in the home aquarium is a trying process, for sure. You can't maintain correct levels of dissolved metals and gasses by just adding fresh water, and doing regular water changes is mandatory to keep the tank healthy. It is fine to top off the tank with ro water, but remember... a lot of important minerals boil off during evaporation, so at least a 10% water change is required monthly, if not biweekly.

greg

 

[Armstrong]

Sea water is one of the most interesting compounds on the planet (as well as one of the most prolific too, lol ) , and reproducing it in the home aquarium is a trying process, for sure. You can't maintain correct levels of dissolved metals and gasses by just adding fresh water, and doing regular water changes is mandatory to keep the tank healthy. It is fine to top off the tank with ro water, but remember... a lot of important minerals boil off during evaporation, so at least a 10% water change is required monthly, if not biweekly.

greg

Oh, of course. Nancy explained that to me previously. 10% of whatever gallons of water in your tank must be changed weekly..or 20% biweekly. I understand how to reproduce salt water in the home aquarium. Im definately going to be using RO/DI water with aquarium salt to get the safest and purest waters. Water changes are always a must.

 

[cthulhu77]

"just checking the specs on the rotary gears"

LOL...With that type of maintenance, you should be just fine. As far as timelines from initial fail to total crash??? It can happen in hours, but that is usually due to an underlying problem (anaerobic decay, etc), so typically you have at least a day or so to fix any pop up problems.

greg