Feelers Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 I'm waitng for my new jebao 918 filter and I have some questions..... What rocks have good surface area for bio filter media? I was thinking of maybe scoria or pumace. I wanna find some cheap media there is no way i'm paying $50 for peices of plastic or ceramic tiles. Maybe second hand.... Also with cycling, I have an empty tank at the mo, and I was wandering if I can cycle my filter in say a bucket untill I get some real sea water. Can the water it cycles be fresh water? I'm geussing the switch to salt water would kill some of the bacteria? but then again they are pretty tough. It sucks, I cant even use tap water for my tank as copper is incredibly toxic to an octopus, and I think we have copper pipes. Also anyone know where to get straight sea salt? I figure a bulk bag should be pretty cheap ne ideas? cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 Hi Feelers. First off, a cannister filter should not be used at all in a marine tank, it will not reduce nitrate and this will be bad news for the octopus. By sea salt do you mean dried salt from the sea? If so this is no good. The concentrating and drying process causes the carbonate alkalinty and calcium to take each other out. You can buy specially prepared salt for marine tanks at a pet shop, what town do you live in? Feelers there is much to learn / know. You will save money if you don't buy anything until you've done some more research. But for starters, you should base your filtration on liverock and a protein skimmer, and no other gizmos until you have some more experience in salt water. How about posting here all the details of your proposed set up, and take suggestions on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveA Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 Good advice. Otherwise I sense a disaster coming on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted July 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 I'm gonna fill the tank with sea water, and I'll grab some live rock while I'm there. Nearly everyone on the octopus forums has a canister filter, often with sumps ect but they still say they are ok on their own: "Octopusus, on the other hand, aren't particularly sensitive to nitrates, and produce a lot of them as a by-product of being messy eaters. That's why reefcentral says no canisters, but we say they are fine. It is important that you do regular cleaning of the canister, to avoid the nitrates growing to unreasonable levels. I try to do this about once a month in my tanks." If it becomes a problem I'll build a fluidised bed filter(found a good plan), and I'm in the process of getting a skimmer. I dont quite follow on the dried salt thing, I understand that the drying process will partially decarbonate the water, but surely rehydration will bring it back to normal as fresh CO2 will replace it? But since I'll have slat water it shouldnt be an issue. I plan to use a mix of live sand and argonite to help buffer the pH. Marine salt seems way overpriced, just like everything else to do with marine tanks. My tank is 300L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 So dont buy it then! Keep getting NSW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 setup a small test tank and try some un iodised seasalt. i know every one says it wont work and i tend to agree, but cant hurt to experament Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petplanet Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 Your cannister should be fine. My tank runs on two (and no skimmer). Just tested the water, all good. No phosphate. Have not tested nitrate but zero algae so I am not overly concerned. What rocks have good surface area for bio filter media? I take it you mean stuff for in the cannister filter? You get what you pay for. Sinter glass is probably the best but also the most expensive. I would put a phosphate absorber in the cannister filter and a sponge over the intake to stop large chunks of crap getting in there. It will keep the media a lot cleaner and stop it clogging. You are going to need a well sealed up tank to keep an octopus. Any small hole and that sucker will be out. I would be very careful with powerheads as well. Don't want it going thru one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted July 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 cheers, I got little glass lids to keep it contained and I think I'll put a stocking or something over the intake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 Feelers, the rock you collect at the beach is not what we refer to, in relation to marine aquarium filtration, as liverock. What is used in marine aquariums for liverock, is rock made from dead coral, it can be purchased at a pet shop selling marines. The thing about it is it is porous, which allows it to house bacteria, including the low aerobic ones needed to reduce nitrate, which will not be able to function in the highly aerated environment of a canister. If the guy on the octopus forum thinks cleaning his canister keeps nitrate down, well I'm afraid I'd rather go with the people he referred to on Reef Central. The sea salt thing does not involve Co2, it is a precipitation reaction involving calcium carbonate forming as the sea water is dried. If you then add water, it will not go back to the same as before it dried. However, if you are able to get and use seawater none of that will matter, as long as you can get clean water, that will be fine. Petplanet, the use of a canister will have little effect on phosphate one way or the other, however if that is your primary filtration, I would check your nitrate level, it may or may not be important depending on what you are keeping in the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petplanet Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 I have heaps of live rock in the tank as well. I use the cannisters for surface skimming, water movement and holding filter media. I got little glass lids to keep it contained Weigh that sucker down! It will lift it. I heard about one in a research lab that was getting out of its tank at night, crossing the floor, getting into another tank to feed and then returning to its own tank. Would copper have a major effect on an octopus since their blood is copper based not iron? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chikan Posted July 27, 2005 Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 Just a note on the copper issue it will affect all cephalpods including octopus and squid. Have had expeirience using copper pipes for chilling system on a octo tank which killed it. Look after a couple of octopuses suggest that you use a overflow or weir that has holes no bigger than 20mm and dont have any hoses, filter returns or powerheads in the tank they will be moved or penetrated. Octopuses are extremely curious animals. Lock that lid down as they can lift up to 15 to 20 times their weight. If you have any queiries post them I have reasonable amount of expeirience keeping them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanksman Posted July 27, 2005 Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 I heard about one in a research lab that was getting out of its tank at night, crossing the floor, getting into another tank to feed and then returning to its own tank. I've heard it all now :lol: Hope it gets eaten by the flying pigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted July 27, 2005 Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 Nah! the octopus doesn't have to worry about the flying pigs cos they are just in the mind of the guy running the lab. Before he saw the octopus running across the floor I think he was smoking something really nasty :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 This article may be of interest http://www.tonmo.com/cephcare/equipment.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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