:welcome: are rocks needed in the tank,or can you just use sand?

are you refering to live rock? you do need decorations and live rock is an important thing to have

You need live rock- it provides a home for bacteria, algae and many tiny invertebrates that help keep the tank clean and the water quality good.

Nancy

even if you get live sand?

Nini... I suggested this on another of your threads, and will do again here...you really should keep some soft corals in a reef tank for a while before you tackle a ceph. Many of your questions will be answered during the time you learn how to keep a reef tank stable, and it will make a perfect octo home in the end !!!

greg

Nini,
I second what Greg advises. You really need the experience of keeping a reef aquarium - it's not dull and boring! - you can have some interesting creatures, but nothing as difficult as an octo to start out with.

Nancy

thats a great idea greg,that would give the water time to circulate,and by doing this for awhile,i can experience most of my questions,and like you said it will make a great home in the end!!!
thanx a bunch
nini

i was wondering people have said corals requier lighting that octos dont need, would this be bad for my octo when the time comes to add him in the tank?

soft corals, not the stony types, do not require the same levels of high illumination, and so the lighting used for them will be fine for a diurnal octopus like a bimac ! I am a really big fan of PowerCompact lighting...but even high watt flourescents can work.

greg

i havnt kept a reef before.....i have soft corals such as xenia and button polps and other weird things that i am keeping at the mo to get used to marine keeping whilst my tank matures for the octo

maturing the tank is something you have to do if are goin to do it properly... so if your goin to have to do it you may aswell learn whilst doin it if you want to be able to look after him to the best of your ability :grin:

i looked for soft coral at fishsupply.com, and i found some very neat coral.
thanx everyone for your help, i will attemt your suggestions.
w/ all my thanx....
nini

Hey, that is what we are here for!! Be sure to enter your tank into the database, and post some pics as it progresses...a reef tank is one of the coolest things to see !

greg

thats a great idea,ill try that
thanx,
nini

just a sugestion: u may want to also try some delicate inverts such as shrimp, clams, starfish sponges ect. just make sure u research what is compatabile first. (when i was a wee lad salt water aquariums were also preety imature at that time and all i could was learn by trial an error and boy did i error!) any whooo. just keep practiceing it will payoff.

thanx,i did think about adding some shrimp,and clams to the tank.