Colder Water = More Oxygen

[O. Eye]

Was watching some show last night on animal planet and they were checking out the giant o. The TV said that the octos can get so big there because the cooler water can old more Oxygen. Is that so?

Anyone here running a chiller on their octo tank? I'm not planning on it because they're a lot of money and I have a wife who likes to buy groceries and clothes for our kids and stuff like that. Just curious.

Another newb question - I have a corner of my house prepped (this means it currently has no furniture in it) for an bimac home. I have one of those 18 x 24 x 32 tanks. It will fit perfectly in that spot but...wait...I read somewhere that the back of the stand should really have 12 inches clearance from the wall. Crud. How much clearance guys?

I have to drill this tank and build a stand for it and buy about a grand worth of stuff to make it go. But I'm having a great time learning from you all! Thanks for postin'!

Kip

What is the best thing to feed an Iowan Octopus?

 

[OctoMonkey]

Hi O

Well, today i got myself a long awaited chiller for my next tank.... and i got it for Ã"šÃ‚£20....... How????? welllllllllll I had a brainstorming session and started phoning those companies that rent out those water cooler things for offices and one place (only the second place i phoned!) Had just what i was looking for... the chiller unit from a water cooler that had broken plastic on it. The chiller is perfect. so saved me some Ã"šÃ‚£Ã"šÃ‚£Ã"šÃ‚£Ã"šÃ‚£Ã"šÃ‚£ Might be worth trying for anyone that needs a chiller?

BUT I dont think you'll need a chiller for a bimac unless it is going to be really hot for extended periods of time IE high 70s or 80.

I only have about 2" of space behind my tank. The only way you would need 12" is if you put a huge skimmer or simlar beind it. It is quite possible that if you drop something it will go behind the tank, so leave enough space to get it back out My skimmer sits to the side of my tanks, or in the sump.

Best food for any octo is fresh crabs

C

 

[O. Eye]

Water cooler chiller...please keep us all posted how that works out.

Best food to feed an octo is fresh crabs. Too bad there is no such thing as a "corn crab". Being in the Mid-West is for suck at times, at others...no...it's pretty much all the time (I actually love it here except for winter).

I wonder if I could work out a deal with the local aquarium place to sell me a crab a day for $1 or something. We'll see.

Thanks again for the ultra-fast reply time!

Kip

 

[alligator]

My fish store told me about fiddler crabs - for $1.99 each. If I order them in large amounts, they might drop the price. They were descent size (cross section of a pop can - including legs) and my octo ate him up in about 2 minutes!

 

[OctoMonkey]

Hi Kip

My bimac is sitting at about 68 - 72 deg F and a crab every second or third day seems to be fine. Basicly I wait to see when it starts hunting and thats the clue to feed.... a longer period between feeds and a cooler temp = longer lifespan.

 

[evilblake]

water cooler chiller

water cooler chiller

I think the main thing to be concerened about if you plan to use a chiller that's not designed for reef aquarium use is what the thing is made out of. I think most aquaium chillers are titanium coated on the parts that go in the water. Other heavy metals can disolve into the water and end up in your cephelopod and they don't like that much.

It wouldn't be much of a concern for the water cooler, because humans are not as sensitive to heavy metals and because most the water that comes in contact with the cooler chiller won't be there for long.

I hope it works out, it would be a great boon to us all if there were a source of cheap chillers out there.

Blake