Chikan

Someone has already pointed out that you would need a big tank, big chiller and good filtration. A carpet shark or benthic species would be suitable, but i would think carefully about this project. Probably cheaper to buy a concession to a aquarium in the long run.

I use NSW for a range of cold, temperate and tropical marine tanks with mechanical filtration on it only. Don't really buy into the theory that ASW can be any better. Use Uv sterilization on most small aquaria and ozone on the large aquairums. I think possibly in the long term the only thing in Auckland that may cause a problem cumulatively is the heavy metals in the water.

Aeration is one of the biggest parameters to monitor in the tank, due to the octopus having a unique oxygen transport system. They need good DO levels or they will fade. The other is temp won't like it much over 23 deg.

Not to mention that collecting wild ones and sellng them is illegal.

Its uses ozone, so skimming isnt so ridiculous. There is a ocean right there and the tanks temps arent the same as the ocean, it costs a lot of money to either heat, chill, pump and filter water from the Rangitoto channel.

Just to a post to on Kelly Tarltons it was built over twenty years ago and was the first in the world of its kind. Georgia aquarium had a bugdet in the excess of over 150 times the budget we built ours for. We are the only 100% protein skimmed aquarium in the world another first, after our filtration upgrade. If it only took you fifteen minutes then you can't of been that interested .

I need to know the bubble rate for dosing CO2 into a system eg. how many buubles per min and how many litres is that based on. Anyone can help us would be great.

What does everyone use to put there activated carbon in. I'm looking for a better way of doing it.

Was wondering if anybody knows a particular business that does alot of them . Might not be a one off by getting more in the future, I would rather use someone recommended.

Does anyone know of businesses in Auckland that can make galvanised steel tank stands. If anyone online is able to do it for a good price PM me.

Got that book on borrow at work. I think it was a book was produced by the United Nations for countries to use in setting up aquaculture. Good informaton.

Best book for images and NZ species info is 'Coastal Fishes of New Zealand' By Malcom Francis. Haven't found anything better, great book.

You actually find morays are distributed more widely than poor knights and kermadecs. They do require a good habitat in order to be happy otherwise they will try to escape. We have a few yellow mottled morays at work in a 500l tank it has no top on it but they are happy and are feed everyday. Really cool animal and are placid never known a diver to ever be bitten by one. Pretty ugly though only a mother could love them.

Just wondering what everyone recommends as the best technique or product to use to glue and attach soft corals to live rock.

The aquarium is actually going to house two whale sharks. The advertising says that they will be a breeding pair hopefully. However it has since been discovered that they are in fact two male juveniles. The prices sound pretty much on par with most aquariums around the world, people can forget the capital and costs involved in running a large aquarium.

I have keep octopuses before you shouldn't keep multiple octopuses together because two senarios will occur either: They will both be males or females, and they will fight and die which is not very hummane to pervoke this death although it occurs in the wild. Or secondly be male and female and they will mate and both will die eventually. So to sum it up just keep one. Also you should be worried about the water quality as octo need pristine and well oxygenated water for respiration due to thier biology moreso than other marine fish. Octopuses aren't easy animals to keep check out www.tonmo.com or read up on them otherwise you might end up disappointed. Would be very skeptical about the effect of homemade rock on WQ unless it was fully cured.

Keep us posted feelers and petplanet about how you get on with your rock. I would also be interested in trying out a few different designs. I would also be inclined to use cement aka the portland type which is ready available from any landscape, concrete suppliers eg Atlas concrete.My only concern obviously as well would be the leaching of impurities and lime, but hopefully with enough curing it could be safe. There are other products other than cement or concrete that professional aquarium building companies use. I will try and find out what these are and post it along with the availability.

You are right Bruce about the squid not surviving in square tanks its amazing to watch them drop like flys . They do well in large deep O bins. The biggest problem with rearing squid or any cephlapod is food. They need copepods and there is a lack of information about a successful methodology. Steve has and had a number of attempts at rearing from eggs unsuccessfully along with others. Great guy, passionate environmentalist.

Good site and useful info for the novice. Good find will pass address onto a few.

Has your cray moulted yet?. Cool anemonie too have one similar in my cold marine with pink colouration it took me 15 mins to get it off with my fingernails while diving in Tauranga for it.

The temp dropped to about 20-21 overnight and witnesssed the behaviour at about 8.00am. I'm just curious what the behaviour was whether they were actually spawning or they were eviscreting like sea cucumbers. I have read that the actual worm poses no threat to fish or invert just the aquarist.

Yesterday morning I had a temperature drop in one of my reef tanks due to the failure of a heater. I noticed that the bristleworms in the tank started appearing and seemed to expel fluid like they were either spawning or spewing their guts like sea cucumbers due. I have read that they spawn rapidly in overfeed tanks, pose no threat to other animals and shouldn't worry about them. Just wondering if firstly should I be concerned about a population in the tank and secondly is this behaviour common and was the temp drop like a environmental trigger to spawn etc. An input would be great.

Im looking at setting up a dump or surge bucket on top of my reef. Have investigated a few designs, one involving a float/ballcock set up that fills up and opens up a flap to release the water via a inlet into the tank. Another design is to have a automatic siphon from a container above the tank so when it fills up at a certain point it starts gravity siphoning. More keen on a surge bucket than a dump , I think that the surge idea is more effective in terms of achieving water movement. Any ideas or links are welcome!.

Are there any plant species that the terrapins will find bitter or are more likely not to try and eat?. There are a few goldfish in there but they don't seem to be causing a problem. Looking at buying some plants this week and will try weighing them down more to establish them, but I thought that if I maybe get some larger plants ones that are suitable for ponds moreso than aquariums etc. Any suggestions for species?

I keep some red eared terrapins and have had trouble in the past keeping plants in the main swimming area of the tank. Was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for a hardy plant that will tolerate the abuse and curiousity from them. Even a way of planting them that will help them be disturbed less.