Things You'll Need
- Aquarium stand
- Pre-cut Styrofoam
- 30-gallon aquarium, incorporating an internal overflow
- 10-gallon aquarium sump
- Fine-grain aragonite sand
- Six marine rocks
- 5 fl. oz chlorine neutralizer
- 6-foot long piece of 0.2-inch diameter transparent plastic tubing
- 180 gallon per hour submersible pump
- 11 lb. of synthetic sea salt
- Hydrometer
- Dechlorinated water (optional)
- PH test kit
- PH booster agent
- High-quality protein skimmer
- Hang-on external filter, incorporating biological, mechanical and chemical filter material
- Piece of egg crate, cut to the size of the aquarium top
- Piece of shade cloth, to fit onto the egg crate
- Knife
- Small tube of non-toxic, 100-percent silicone sealer
- Heavy ornament
- Fresh or frozen prawn or mussel
Instructions
Position a tank stand on a level piece of floor. Choose a location that is not in a draft or directly in front of a window.
Place a thin piece of pre-cut Styrofoam onto the stand to compensate for any unevenness between the aquarium base and the tank stand. The base of aquariums that do not sit 100-percent level tend to crack over time.
Place a 30-gallon aquarium onto the stand. Ensure that the aquarium has an internal overflow chamber.
Place a sump under the aquarium. Ensure that the outflow from the internal overflow is directly above the sump.
Add fine-grain aragonite sea sand to the bottom of the aquarium.
Place a number of marine rocks on top of one another in the aquarium to create a cave. Ensure that the cave is secure and will not topple over.
Fill the aquarium with water. Allow the water to run over the internal overflow weir, into the sump. Turn the water off once the sump is half full. Add 3 tsp. of chlorine neutralizer to the water.
Attach the piece of transparent tubing to an aquarium pump and place the pump into the sump. Place the free end of the tubing into the aquarium and turn on the pump.
Add 11 lb. of synthetic sea salt to the aquarium. Leave the water to circulate through the sump for two hours and use a hydrometer to check the salinity, or specific gravity of the water. The specific gravity must be 1.025. Add more salt to raise the specific gravity, or dechlorinated water to lower it, as required.
Test the pH of the water with a dip-and-read marine pH test kit to measure the pH. Use a marine pH booster to raise the pH to 8.3, if needed.
Place a high-quality protein skimmer into the sump and turn it on.
Place biological, chemical and mechanical filter material into a hang-on filter and position the filter onto the rim of the sump.
Set an aquarium heater to 77 degrees and place in the sump.
Add beneficial nitrifying bacteria to the sump to mature the biological filter.
Cut a piece of egg crate to fit on top of the aquarium rim, with an overhang of 1 inch on each side.
Use non-toxic, 100-percent silicone sealer to glue the shade cloth onto the egg crate. Use a knife to make a tiny hole in the shade cloth over one of the squares in the egg crate, on one side. Leave the silicone to cure for 24 hours.
Turn off the sump pump. Remove the return tubing from the aquarium. Place the egg crate on the top of the aquarium and push the return pipe through the hole in the shade cloth. Use 1 tsp. of silicone sealer to seal the hole. Turn the pump back on.
Slightly lift the egg crate and place your pygmy octopus into the aquarium.
Lay the egg crate back onto the aquarium and weigh it down with an attractive ornament.
Feed your octopus on fresh or froze meaty seafood, such as pieces of prawn or mussel. Offer the octopus a small piece daily, but remove it if the animal is not keen to feed.