Octopus and DSB not a good mix?

[O. Eye]

I'm still learning (from all of you) the best way to set up my would-be octo tank.

All of the reef guys say that DSB is the good way to go and I've read why and it makes sense.

Why is a DSB not the best route to go for giving an octopus the best home I can?

If a DSB is not at the bottom of your tank - what is?

Thanks Guys and Gals!

 

[OctoMonkey]

hi

Well I have heard a LOT of mixed reports on DSBs. It still seems to be very much in its infancy. If I were doing it to check it out, i would certainly have the DSB in another tank. I would have it in my sump and leave it alone.

Some people seem to have problems when the toxins in the DSB reach critical mass or when stuff is moved about, and we all know that octos will move stuff about!

In my tanks, i have a mixture of light sand, from the early learning centre( kids playsand), coral sand, gravel and lots of empty snail shells. The shells are oftenmoved about by the octopuses and even used as doors for hiding tubes etc.

Cuttlefish especieally like the light play sand as they often bury themselves in it...

C

 

[SWANN]

DSB

DSB

I'm not going into any big detail on this one. But I have a 90gal reef with a 29gal seahorse tank...tied into it also serving as a refugium. ....anyways both tanks have been setup for atleast 2 years..and both have 5-6 inchin the reef and an even 6 in the 29gal. I have stirred the sand up quit a bit, from power heads falling, moving rock..JAW FISH digging.. none the less I havent seen any effects with bad gas or toxin exchange. Not to be conceaded but my tank is beutiful and i believe the DSB and the good live rock has something todo with it. It is low maintanaince and things just dont die in the tank. I'll try to post some pics later.

Any ways..just my opinion

 

[OctoMonkey]

Thanks for that.

its true that many people i have spoken to, have had good successes with DSB. It can if set up right result in zero nitrates etc...

However, i have also heard them refered to as being "timebombs" and that they have a shelf life of about 3 - 4 yrs before problems start.

The main reason for not using DSB would be that a proposed octopus tank is not a reef tank and that an octopus produces way more waste than anything in a reef. I do not beleive that a DSB only could simply cope with what a cephalopod can do. Especially in a 29gallon tank which is at the minimum requirement end of the spectrum.

If the DSB was in a refugium/sump away from the octopus and through a prefilter and worked in conjunction with a good skimmer, carbon and either a wet/dry filter or an external filter then that would be a good combination.

C

 

[O. Eye]

Thanks guys,

My tank is 65 gallon. It's sitting in my basement. I haven't even taken the cardboard off. It has to be drilled and I have to buy a ton of expensive stuff. I figure I'll have this thing up sometime before I retire (I'm 29 now - heh).

So...have a deep sand bed in a refugium then? Best of both worlds. I can just take it out and start over if, in 3 - 4 years it gives me problems?

OctoMonkey, I wasn't planning on a cannister filter. I've planned on a skimmer for sure. You suggest a cannister filter so I can use carbon and such? Cha-ching! Mo money! I want to do this right so bring on the info!

Thanks guys. So...instead of a DSB in the 65 gal tank, how deep should the sand bed be? My non-deep sand will kind of transform into live sand from the live rock anyway, won't it? I should put DSB in my refugium then?

Thanks a Bajillion,

Kip

 

[OctoMonkey]

Hi Kip,

No money eh? know how that feels right now ...

If you are going to go with the DSB sump/refugium thing then it would be possible to have an area there (where the water flows in) where you could keep carbon for chemical adsorption.

Right now I have converted a part of my sump, which has different sections as a 24hr lit refugium with caulerpa. However I havnt went with the DSB. That will have to wait until my cuttlefish passes on and I will be starting the whole system all over again! Then I will probably try a DSB and maybe even a plenum. You gotta try all the options to compare them! Thats my plan anyway.

Yep, your sand will be live sand within a very short period of time. Also, from not having any predators that will eat them, the bristleworm and amphipod populations in my tanks are immense! Excellent for helping to keep the tank cleaner. My sandbeds are only about 3/4" or so deep. Easier to keep clean. Remember, its not a reef tank, some regular cleaning is required.

That help?

Colin