im awaiting the arrival of my 55gal (2nd hand) i was assured that there were no copper meds. used in it so that relieve me...

as for hoods,skimmer/filtration system, i was lookin at all the articles but i seem to be a little confused (i eventually want to get it cycled enough for an octo)

i think im lookin for what else i need (brands and such would help greatly)

i know i need live rock and sand but its the setup thats stumping me

any help would be MUCH appreciated

Well, definatly get read up on saltwater keeping, it's quite a bit more complicated than fresh water. Its pretty confusing to start with but after a bit of research youll get it, there are lots of factors to think about.

For live rock for an octo tank, the going rate is between a 1/2 pound per gallon and 1 pound/G, although you can go up to 1 1/2pounds per gallon if you want to.

Are you going to use a sump? Most here would definately reccommend it, check out this website.... http://www.melevsreef.com/what_sump.html

You will want a skimmer, go second hand unless you've got lots of cash.
Find one thats rated to an aquarium bigger than 55 gallons, and have a look for feedback on that particular model - www.reefcentral.com is good for asking questions about things like that.

Reef keepers tend not to use Wet/dry systems, but since an octopus is a messy animal it is generally reccommended.

http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/links-to-reference-sites-vt7074.html is a good list of sites with all the info you need (ignore the New Zealand stuff)

Read through this thread to see what others here have spent on their setup and what works for them... http://www.tonmo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3512

You dont have to use sand - it gets dirty and probably means more maintenence, but most prefer the look. I think most go with a shallow layer - 1 inch, which gives the look but doesnt have some of the problems of deeper sandbeds.

Hope that gets you started, definately do lots of reading until your comfortable with everything, just take it slow.
Only bad things happen fast in marine tanks so the saying goes. :grin:

haha yeah thanks, that helps alot... i have been reading alot on the setup, and i do plan on using a sump, and money doesnt really matter much to me, but i dont wanna go overboard

A sump is IMHO an absolute necessity. The typical rhetoric is that it adds a maarked volume of water, thus aiding stability, and makes water changing and dosing a breeze. I like them because it's another aquarium, that is unsightly and cluttered. But all the stuff you don't want to see, and all the pipes, filters, and etc,. are tucked away under the stand, with only the viewing tank in sight. Now that I have given my endorsement for sumps, I have to say that the feelers had done a bang-up job getting you pointed in the right direction.

Felix.

would i be better off buying an emperor filter or, fromthe same person that im getting the tank from is giving me 2 penguin filters

Looking back, I must have been having a good day!, however this mornings headache isnt going so well. :neutral: so I'll be brief...

I've never seen one but those penguin filters look fine to me, and you can run them on the sump which will make octo-proofing way easier.

ok nice ;)

I liked the sump article...never read it before.

Does anyone here use a surface skimmer like the one posted? I have always used netted overflows with screened standpipes to keep the cephs out.

How do you do block a standard overflow with a siphon?

I think snails are generally the reason why a siphon might become blocked, but fish have also been known to swim down them.

Actually, I mean how do you block the overflow from letting the cephs get down it?

ok the tank is here and the stand is comin within a hour... i opted not to get those penguin filters with it.... so looks like its back to the drawingboard for my sump list

Actually, I mean how do you block the overflow from letting the cephs get down it?
Its actually quite hard to find good info on how to do this, Dan (Dhyslop) has a good thread somewhere on what he did I think, although he wasnt using a siphon.

You can have a siphon, or a weir overflow, www.dursostandpipes.com is a popular design. There are other ways, but these are the most common types. As for octoproofing it after you have chosen which one you want, I think most put some type of fine mesh around the unit(not the intake to the pipe). Someone here has a thread where they use eggcrate to make a grating.

I don't yet have a thread on my octoproofing. I think the thread in question is by Detritus? It seemed to me he found a way to clamp down a piece of filter medium above is overflow.

I went a bit overboard with mine. I ground 25 1 x 1/4" slots into the side glass of my aquarium and built the overflow box externally. A small octopus could get through any of the holes pretty easily, but not when there's a piece of window screen zip-tied to the slots!

Dan

quick question:

putting a seahorse in a tank and then introducing the octo, would the octo take over the seahorse(s) or would they mind themselves?

not that im planning on it, but roomates+gf was asking about it

looks like im looking to get a ASM G1/G2 skimmer

ok so looks like i needa ask some questions now ;)

1) i have the tank and standnow... waiting for the sump/skimmer/heater
2) should i a: buy LR+LS and scape it all
b: wait til i have the other drygoods before i do b
3) any suggestions to get this going?

the sump that is tentative is 30x12x12 and the skimmer is (still waiting to buy) a ASM G1, that sump will be a good size correct? it has a refu in it also

ha i know ppl asking such questions must get annoying, but i dont exactly wanna spend all this money and screw it all up, im just being a bit cautious

The sump size is fine. Make sure it fits in the stand....you have a 55, right?

Get your sump and your plumbing all hooked up before adding the live rock. Sometimes the plumbing needs a few iterations between it works right :)

Dan

ok then after that i add LR, then i add the LS and then i can add water and start cycling it?

It would probably be best to have saltwater in the tank before the live sand/live rock. The longer the stuff is out of the water, the less of it is still alive. Live sand is pretty expensive and a lot of people don't think its worth it...If you get good live rock it should have plenty of life that will "colonize" the rest of the system.

Dan

oh ok... so just add all the water and such.....
well that leads to another question

what kinda water should i use and what kinda salt? i see alot about "instant ocean"

You should use purified (Reverse osmosis and deionized) water. Any of the commercial salt mixes (Instant Ocean, Oceanic, Kent...) should do.

If you're looking for more general information about setting up saltwater tanks you might check out www.reefcentral.com. Their message boards are a treasure trove of information for you to sift through.

Dan