New Tank Set-up

Dools

GPO
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Dec 6, 2002
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I am still setting up my 46G Bow tank and I have a couple of questions. I currently have a LED Lgt / Airstone combo for both the effects and simulating twilight conditions. Is using an airstone in the tank a bad idea? I am controlling the flow of bubbles with a valve, but there are micro bubbles floating around in the tank. Will they be harmful to my not-yet-purchased octo?

Also on a recent Fringe (a show on FOX) episode there was an octopus in a tank, but he was inside a plastic hamster ball. I thought this was a great idea for a "toy" and purchased one myself. Testing it out w/o the cap it floated up and down and spun around in the tank like it was in Zero-G. I would think this would fascinate the octo. Has anyone else tried this, and if so, was it a successful venture?
 
Dools;184583 said:
Is using an airstone in the tank a bad idea? I am controlling the flow of bubbles with a valve, but there are micro bubbles floating around in the tank. Will they be harmful to my not-yet-purchased octo?

The bubbles can sometimes be okay but, always pay attention to them. In many cases when bubbles tend to accumulate around the sides, then thats a major sign that the oxygen levels are extremely high. Don't get me wrong though, cephs still need lots of oxygen. And about the hamster thing, I think you should go for it. Many have done this sort of enrichment and many had butterflies in their stomachs when they where just new to trying things out such as for example, lego blocks or maybe parakeet toys etc. But above all, I'm always up for enrichment like this.
 
Thanks for the advice. I'll keep an eye on the O2 level. I'll also let everyone know how the hamster ball experiment turns out.
 
micro Bubbles are bad. They can get trapped in the cephs mantles. we generally advise against air-stones in the main tank, unless it is an emergency. I have my air-stone in my sump where it does not create micro-bubbles in the tank.
 
If you have a sump, at the end of the cycle have the plumbing close to the surface of the tank, and have the water flow shooting upwards increasing gas exchange so you don't need an airstone as much.
 

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