Help with octopus set up idea

[wlyon]

I currently have a hundred gallon fowlr tank with a thirty gallon sump, two skimmers combined rated up to 600 gallons, a 20 gallon fuge with a deep sand bed for seahorses, and a 40 gallon quarentine tank which can be easily taken off the main system when I get new fish or I have a sick fish. I am wanting to add a 60 gallon cube plumbed through the wall into this system for an octopus. I already know about sealing the tank, lots of live rock, dont startle it, massive water change and carbon if it inks, and having that tank at a different temp than the rest of the system etc... but was wondering more about the filtration and the effects of my current system if the octopus does ink. I am wanting this as an add on to my system to have more water in the octopus system. Any input would be greatly appreciated before I punch a hole through my wall.

 

[asid61]

How long have you kept reefs?

 

[wlyon]

I have personally kept reef tanks for 3 years now, working as the head saltwater guy at our lfs for most of that, so I currently maintain 5 of my own systems, and 73 systems either at our store or as maintenance accounts for my customers. My father has had a 500 gallon tank that he started when I was 4 so I've always been around the hobby.

 

[cadre]

Well I don't know if this answers your questions but if your octopus inks it can effectively suffocate your fish in the rest of the system. The ink coat their gills (so I read, at least). I think if you're going to plumb this to the rest of your system you should put in a way to cut off water flow to the rest of your tanks. Although then you're cutting off flow to your filters so maybe that's not the best idea. I'm sure there's an octopus expert out there that can make a suggestion here. My octopus is at my store in a 300g system and if he inks I will really just have to do a massive water change to save the fish and the corals that share his water.

Other than that, the extra water volume would be great. What temperature does your system run at? It will be really hard to chill just that tank but you could try to get an octopus from more tropical waters. Abdopus sp. seem to do well in slightly warmer water.

 

[asid61]

Any fish in the FOWLR will either make the octopus hide 24/7, eat it, or get eaten. While a few species are octopus safe, it still may not be a good idea. Plan on removing the fish before you get your octopus.

 

[wlyon]

Any fish in the FOWLR will either make the octopus hide 24/7, eat it, or get eaten. While a few species are octopus safe, it still may not be a good idea. Plan on removing the fish before you get your octopus.

Octopus is going to be in a different tank plumbed through the wall. So no way of even seeing the other fish.

 

[alanbates12]

Don't have a clue but I'd love to see an octopus. Are they like sharks that they will outgrow the tank. I"ve seen videos where the climb from the tank to get something out of another tank.... Just following along and best of luck.

 

[zx6r]

Don't have a clue but I'd love to see an octopus. Are they like sharks that they will outgrow the tank. I"ve seen videos where the climb from the tank to get something out of another tank.... Just following along and best of luck.

I wouldn't say they're like sharks because there are some small species of octopuses and then there are larger ones. Mercatoris are some of the smaller ones commonly kept and they don't get larger than three or four inches across. I don't know of any commonly kept sharks that stay that small.

 

[wlyon]

Well I don't know if this answers your questions but if your octopus inks it can effectively suffocate your fish in the rest of the system. The ink coat their gills (so I read, at least). I think if you're going to plumb this to the rest of your system you should put in a way to cut off water flow to the rest of your tanks. Although then you're cutting off flow to your filters so maybe that's not the best idea. I'm sure there's an octopus expert out there that can make a suggestion here. My octopus is at my store in a 300g system and if he inks I will really just have to do a massive water change to save the fish and the corals that share his water.

Other than that, the extra water volume would be great. What temperature does your system run at? It will be really hard to chill just that tank but you could try to get an octopus from more tropical waters. Abdopus sp. seem to do well in slightly warmer water.

The inking thing getting on my fish was what I was afraid of. I've got a design to have a sump under my octopus tank that has an overflow going into my existing sump and if needed turn a valve and cut it off the main system and switch the return from the main system to the individual system till I can get things fixed. I've worked on using a chiller on the return of the octopus tank, then having two heaters on my sump to warm it up before I pump it into my main display. Which currently stays at 76-78 degrees.

 

[cadre]

The inking thing getting on my fish was what I was afraid of. I've got a design to have a sump under my octopus tank that has an overflow going into my existing sump and if needed turn a valve and cut it off the main system and switch the return from the main system to the individual system till I can get things fixed. I've worked on using a chiller on the return of the octopus tank, then having two heaters on my sump to warm it up before I pump it into my main display. Which currently stays at 76-78 degrees.

Having a valve to cut off flow to your main tank would be a good solution but you will still need to have an extra skimmer on hand or already have one in that sump. The other issue is that this idea assumes that you are around to turn off flow to the rest of the tank right away.

Then for the temperature, if your tanks stay below 78 degrees I wouldn't bother cooling and then heating your water. I mean, you could if you really want and I'm sure some people would say you should but it seems like a giant waste of money to me. If you are careful with the species of octopus you get, 78 degrees or colder should be okay. Just don't go buying a bimac or something that lives in cold water (bimacs are common off the coast of California and require a chiller).

Hope that helps!

 

[AlexS95]

Go to TONMO.com... We know more than the people here...

 

[wlyon]

Basically I will have my octous sump completely set up with running skimmer and an unused return pump. That sump will simply overflow into the existing sump with a retun pump from the main sump to the octopus tank. When in doubt I will simply shut off the valve and return pump, and plug in the return pump on the octopus skimmer. : )