I've started planning

**dragonfish** · Jan 21, '04, 7:11pm

It ll probably be about 6months before I can actually start working on my octo tank.

but this is what I have in mind so far. all comments, tips and tricks are most welcome.

first the place of my aquarium: I had a place in mind in my livingroom. after measuring, I could put a tank of 80cm to 60 to 60 which would be around 70 gallons. Since I'm planning to keep O. vulgaris or cyanea, I don't know if this is big enough?

Filtration: I have an old tank of 65cm to 50 to 50 (around 40 gallons) which acted as RO water reservoir. I'm thinking of turning that into a trickle filter. beside this, I'm also gonna install a canisterfilter with active carbon. What do you guys think of this setup so far? I know I'll also have to install a skimmer but I don't really know much about these, so any tips on what is commonly used would be appreciated.

decoration: now this I've done before!!!! at least in freshwater. I was thinking of making a background with polyurethanefoam and press pieces of tufarock and oystershells in it to give it a natural look. In front of that I can place some liverock and tufa to create caves and holes.

these are the basics I had in mind. now take your chance and spill your guts. what's wrong and up for improvement in my plans?

**NickA5582** · Jan 21, '04, 10:02pm

70 gallons may be too small for an o. cyena or vulgaris, I think they need a 120 gallon tank or bigger (correct me if I'm wrong), but a great size for a bimac. :)

**surfy** · Jan 25, '04, 12:17am

I'm new to octos but not to reef tanks.

The best skimmer you can buy IMO would be a ASM skimmer (All Seas Marine) ecspecially for the money and quality.
It is pretty much the same as the Euro reef skimmer but half the price.

I have used quite a few skimmers and the ASM or Euro reef are the best I have had.

It is a in-sump skimmer so you will have to run a sump to use it. I'm not a big fan of the HOB skimmers since they all use such small pumps and the reaction chambers are too small to really be effective.
It is better to oversize the protein skimmer than under size it.

Take care.

**peanut** · Jan 25, '04, 5:55pm

I really like my sea clone for a skimmer. It wasnt real expensive but it works great on my 75. Whatever you do dont go witha prizm. Hope this helps :)

**dragonfish** · Jan 26, '04, 7:44am

Thanks for the tips guys

just one question out of curiosity

what's wrong with a prizm?

**peanut** · Jan 26, '04, 4:27pm

After a month or so the thing just stopped working. I tried and tried to get that stupid thing to work but it never did. I've talked to other people that had the same thing go wrong with it.

**dragonfish** · Jan 26, '04, 5:35pm

I went to my LFS yesterday to get some info on skimmers

they advised aquamedic midiflotor. don't know if anybody is familiar with this brand/type?

**dragonfish** · Jan 26, '04, 7:23pm

same brand another type

this one is the turboflotor. it is a more advanced model.

the one they proposed me is an air driven one, here's some info on it.

The Midiflotor is a small but powerful air-driven internal protein skimmer. Like the Miniflotor, the Midiflotor features the double reaction cylinder. Within the inner cylinder, air bubbles rise and carry large quantities of water. This water falls into the external cylinder and carries the air bubbles downward into the expansion cone. Here the bubbles turn, and rise upward into the foam cup, against the strong counter-current. The Midiflotors foam cup inner tube is conical, which ensures quick extrusion into the cup, and helps to dry the foam. The strong holding system allows movement of the skimmer vertically to adjust the foam production zone. A lime wood air stone producing very fine air bubbles is also included. For the air supply, we recommend the membrane air pump Mistral 200.

Diameter: 75 mm, c. 3"
Length: 40 cm, c. 21"
Total width: 15 cm, c. 6"

Internal protein skimmer for aquaria up to 400 litre (100 Gallons)

**Burstsovenergy24** · Jan 26, '04, 7:53pm

Yeah but is an air driven one really much better?

Mine looks just like that cept it was a diff. brand. It cost only a hundred.

**dragonfish** · Jan 26, '04, 7:59pm

I have absolutely no idea if an airdriven one is better.

I just repeat what the guy told me and hope for a second opinion here.

**surfy** · Jan 27, '04, 1:56am

Hi, I would not recommend a limewood airstone driven protein skimmer. The wood air stones are not very efficient at their bubble size and rate. The stones need to be replaced every two to four weeks to provide efficient skimming.
The skimmers are also bulky and need to be placed inside the aquarium if you don't have a sump. They also require a stedy water level to work properly.
As the stones start to clog with use, the air supply will constantly need to be adjusted.
I have used a few of these and I could never get good, consistant, quality skimmate from them. Mainly because the reaction chambers are too short to allow a long enough contact time of air to the organic-rich water.
Any other skimmer is a better choice than these IMO.

I know you want to get away with spending as little as possible, we all do, but a protein skimmer is one of the most important pieces of equipment you will have. You get what you pay for.
I'm not saying you have to buy the most exspensive skimmer but you don't want to buy the cheapest.

I actually have a HOB Sea clone 100 going on one of my 40g reef's and it seems to do alright. It has it's problems but all in all it's fairly dependable.

If you really want to study about skimmers try searching www.reefcentral.com if you have never been there. It is a very good reef aquarium site. That is where I heard about Tonmo.

Take care.

**dragonfish** · Jan 27, '04, 4:30am

thanks for the tip!

so it's better to use a motor driven one like Burstsovenergy24 proposed.

just checked it out on aquamedic's website.

the turboflotor 1000 (like he proposed) has a built in tricklefilter

a size smaller, the turboflotor 750 doesn't, but is also suited for my size aquarium.

www.aqua-medic.de

**Colin** · Jan 27, '04, 5:38am

Hi
i use the AM turbo 1000 and its a great skimmer, really worth its salt (!)

anyway, i swear by them and i also have a 5000 which has bailed me out of trouble a few times!

In comaprison the air driven skimmers are a pin to set up and you need constant maintenance, the airstones block pretty quickly and they are never as powerfull as a pump skimmer

**dragonfish** · Jan 27, '04, 5:47am

that settles it then!!!!

a motordriven skimmer it is!!!! :)

btw Colin you say you use the AM turbo 1000, how big is your tank?

mine would be around 70 - 75gallons. the AM turbo 1000 is for tanks 125 -250 gallon, I think it ll be a little over the top. but then again, I kinda like the built in tricklefilter idea.

the turbo 750 is for aquariums up to 100 gal and would be perfect for my size tank.

**Burstsovenergy24** · Jan 27, '04, 5:14pm

But, it is wise to get a bigger skimmer since an octo has lots of waste. I got a 125 rate skimmer and my tank is only 50 gallons.

**dragonfish** · Jan 27, '04, 5:49pm

point well taken.

I do believe I saw a similar remark elsewhere on this site.

btw, why don't they call you a pyro for nothing?
:D

**surfy** · Jan 27, '04, 8:49pm

I think the AM 1000 will be a good choice. I have never used AM before so I can't say much for or against it.
One good thing is it has a needle wheel so it should work better than most venturi skimmers.