Khowst's Killer build for the KILLER MANTIS!

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Very nice, indeed!

 

Ok, well I dose, and I have to avoid iodine. So far no major investments in corals, and my mantis doesnt even care about corals, except for frags on the SB.

 

So here is the way ahead plan as I have it in my mind. Tonight I will tweek my scape, get some epoxy, silicon & zip ties onto the rock. I fiugure by this weekend all epoxy/silicon will be dry.

I want to get around a 4"-5" sandbed so the mantis will have plenty of sand to have fun digging in. With the 40lbs of marco & 40lbs from LFS I should have plenty to get that done as well as a couple inches in the aquafuge.

Since this is water change week on the 75g I'll do a larger than normal (20g) change and use that water to get a partial fill on the 30g with fresh SW making up the rest. Like mentioned I already have a couple pieces of LR in the fuge & some rubble ready to go.

The only thing I am still comtemplating is lighting. Like mentioned I have a 2 x T5 I can use and a DiY canopy, but I am partial to open top/fixture looking tanks. With the softies goal I think 2 x T5 would be ok, but I have a $25 credit to a place that got 4 x T5 odyssea fixtures for $80 out the door. Yes I know odyssea isnt the best out there, but for that price its gonna be hard to beat, I'll just toss the factory bulbs for some ATI's before it even gets plugged in.

I also been kicking around filtration a little more. My main intent is to use `biological as much as possible like mentioned with LR complimented by ulva/chaeto in the fuge & some macros in the DT as well. The aquafuge has a skimmer built into it and my research as well as the guy I bought it from said it could handle a 29 easy enough. I am still debating smaller HOB as well just for a spot to run some carbon, chemi-pure etc.

Thanks for the present & future comments by the way. It's pretty inspirational. I just wish now I wouldve done a build thread for the 75.

 

I would rather have 4 bulbs from a fairly decent lighting manufacturer than 2 bulbs of a better brand. (If that makes any sense whatsoever LOL).

 

Great looking rock & nice scaping..

 

Thank you. I appreciate it. I am thinking I like that myself even though its a first attempt. I got some inlets to build caves along the bottom for the shrimp, and a couple caves & tunnels along the top for when fish arrive. Plus just the way it worked out there is a fair amount or ledges & horizontal area too for coral placement. I been at work debating to just go home and anchor that one, cause I know if I re-scape it once I'll be on rescape 12 before I give up. lol.

 

A non picture update for today. I added some sand to the tank on one side to help decide going all substrate vs pvc for burrows. At this point I am thinking just going straight substrate. I am gonna make a final answer tonight and finish the substrate either way.

I also added some substrate to the bottom of the aquafuge.

I am thinking about adding a square of plexi to the back of the tank where the aquafuge presses against it to help with weight distrobution. Those 2 screw adjusters pressing against the glass just worry me.

20g of saltwater is circulating in the garage so hopefully we will see water in the tank this weekend. With the rock & sand displacement I dont know if 20g is gonna be quite enough but that's how big my container is. If anything I will add what I got made along with the LR & rubble from my other tank and lower the powerheads just to get a jump on letting the substrate settle.

Another question that came to mind for those expereinced out there: Would a mantis & a tube anemone mess with each other? I keep seeing the purple tube anemones they get in at DD. Researching I see they prefer several inches of sand as well. Yes I know not to add one to a new tank, I am talking in due time on this one. The only real concern I can think of if they get along would be the mantis burying it. Just thought I would ask.

 

Cerianthus anemones have a potent sting. Possibly as potent as a carpet....hard to say. However, I think they would have a hard time getting through an exoskeleton and and I doubt that the mantis would show much interest in it. Hard to say though. Maybe keep one in a "critter keeper" so they can look at it. I know someone that tried a clam (without a critter keeper) and that didn't work out well for the clam.

 

OK, time for an update......

Right after my last update I got water in the tank. I used about 10g worth of water change water out of the 75, and added about 7-10lbs of LR/rubble that I've had in the sump waiting for this to take off. I've been doing new tank excitement & testing water daily with a very minimal deviation in parameters.

I used a discount coupon I had got a 4 x T5 lighting set up coming. It comes with 4 x 6700 bulbs, so a bulb change will definitely be in order when softies time comes. I am thinking go with 1 x 10k, maybe a blue & purple, and I dont even know if I will fill the 4th slot, leaving one 6700 of the bulbs can be an option.

I also got some macro's coming from reefcleaners (of course) to get the aquafuge stocked & a couple for the DT.

Yes I know this is a new tank, and dont beat me up too bad, but this weekend...... I FOUND A MANTIS! It was from one of the LFS and they were getting rid of it "one way or the other".

I hate to see livestock just get killed, flushed, whatever and decided to take it. Yes I know its a new tank & you can bash me for doing it, but it seemed better for the animal to take a chance at my house vs whatever form of 'getting rid of it' was being proposed. I wouldve added him to my sump of the 75g but given its already occupied by a rather large murderous hermit that is my sons favorite thing in the entire tank I added it to the new tank. Yes I know this is a very new tank & if I see levels start to jump I will take him out & get him into the sump, then we'll just have to see what happens I guess.

I was told it is a N. Wennerae. Not the peacock I had dreamed of but regardless I really like it. It's been overall pretty active and wandering around. It also started a burrow down under the largest rock dead center tank, so thats cool. I had to wave a little piece of food to get it to stop for the picture. Sorry for the crappy camera phone pic.

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I won't bash. I mean if the water is stable then it's better than it being killed.

So awesome! Need...better...pics! How big?