Ms. Peacock

[Islandoftiki]

Just for fun, here's 6 minutes of your life you won't get back...

This video shows the second section of crushed coral that I've removed and replaced with a mix of finer grain substrates. I'm doing it in small sections so I don't disturb too much all at once.



This should ultimately help with the constant nitrate battle I'm having in the tank. The crushed coral holds too much detritus and makes keeping the nitrates under 5ppm a bigger job than I'd like... It's certainly a lot more work than my other tanks which usually read 1-2 ppm with normal weekly water changes.

 

[Kharn]

This is the primary reason I went for large systems the stability is second to none I tested my stands weekly at first then I slowly dropped to fortnightly then monthly...last time I tested the stands was back in March this year , nothing has changed, all are happy and healthy!

 

[Islandoftiki]

The biggest problem here is that I didn't build tank myself. I would have done it differently to start. It's getting better every time I change out some of the substrate. After the water/substrate change in the video above, the nitrates are holding around 2ppm or so using my Elos Nitrate test kit. I honestly don't think I'm going to get this tank to zero with no lighting. It's a different type of ecosystem in this tank. The skimmate from the skimmer is practically clear. I have only once had to clean the front tank glass. It's just a different type of system with no lights. There are few to no pods even though I've added them from my other tanks several times. There are a few pods in the fuge, but I've never seen them in the tank. What's interesting is that this tank has a really huge number of colonista snails... or they're always visible because there is not light.

Anyhow, a couple more changes of the substrate and I'm sure I'll be able to cut back on the frequent water changes and still maintain near-perfect water quality like the rest of my tanks have.

 

[Kharn]

The biggest problem here is that I didn't build tank myself. I would have done it differently to start. It's getting better every time I change out some of the substrate. After the water/substrate change in the video above, the nitrates are holding around 2ppm or so using my Elos Nitrate test kit. I honestly don't think I'm going to get this tank to zero with no lighting. It's a different type of ecosystem in this tank. The skimmate from the skimmer is practically clear. I have only once had to clean the front tank glass. It's just a different type of system with no lights. There are few to no pods even though I've added them from my other tanks several times. There are a few pods in the fuge, but I've never seen them in the tank. What's interesting is that this tank has a really huge number of colonista snails... or they're always visible because there is not light.

Anyhow, a couple more changes of the substrate and I'm sure I'll be able to cut back on the frequent water changes and still maintain near-perfect water quality like the rest of my tanks have.

I kick myself something hardcore over my own flaws (some INCREDIBLY simple yet equally vital, just plain embarrassing) in my system and often wonder what 'crack' I was smoking when I made my designs... good thing is I learned a LOT from my expensive mistakes...and it's only a matter of time until the entire setup gets a complete redesign, once money allows it ...

 

[Islandoftiki]

I thought you all might enjoy this. My fiance does a lot of pottery work and as a present to me, she did a series of mantis shrimp coffee mugs! These are based on our O. Scyllarus and our G. Ternatensis. The pictures don't do them justice.

 

[Islandoftiki]

Ok, here's an update.

I'm currently shopping for a 30-40 gallon tank setup to transfer Betty into. In the meantime, I'm still working on changing out the substrate. I was going to drain the entire tank and do it all at once, but haven't had time, so I'm continuing with the section at a time thing every week. I have almost half of the tank done so far. I've been using a gravel vacuum on the areas before scooping the crushed coral out with a plastic cup. I wasn't able to get enough out each time by siphoning it since the crushed coral is nearly 2 1/2 inches thick. You should see how much gunk comes out when I gravel vac it -- the water in the bucket is milk white/beige. I have absolutely no doubt this is the source of the nitrates.

The new sand bed is about 1" to 1 1/2" deep and a much finer grain... the same I'm using in my other tanks.

Next week, I'll have the entire front half of the tank done.

 

[Islandoftiki]

I really can't stress how much detritus this really coarse substrate holds. I see many people using coarse aragonite and crushed coral in mantis tanks. Keep in mind that if you use it, do not make it very deep and gravel vacuum it every single week when you change the water.

The skimmer pulled some really nasty smelling gunk out of the water after disturbing the old crushed coral.

I also swapped out the normal filter pad for a Poly-bio-marine pad and added a cap full of Prime just as a precautionary measure.

I'll bet you dollars to donuts that once all of the crushed coral is gone, the nitrates will drop below 1ppm.

 

[Kharn]

Is the advent of adding macro algae to the display perhaps interested you ?

If it were me personally doing a smaller 'stand alone' system specifically for an O.scyllarus, I would make it a Refugium through the paranoia of wanting a stable system or at least as stable as I can make it, well that is me personally.

With the stability and good water quality through the simplicity of it being a Refugium, I personally believe that the Shell Rot issue would be non existent, that's just my personal opinion .

 

[Islandoftiki]

I may do something similar to what I've done with my G. Ternatensis tank. It's a lower light system with macro algae and mushroom corals. It's super stable. The tank she's in now is not very attractive, IMO.

I'm just about the pull the trigger on an Innovative Marine 30 gallon tank for her. Marine depot just sent me a $15% off sale deal, and it should qualify for free shipping, too. Then I'll build a custom stand and Bob's your uncle.

I've also thought about going with the 38 gallon model, but honestly, it's not that much bigger. We'll see, the 38 is $100 more. I'm going to be selling off everything in my 10 gallon and most of the equipment, so I could probably swing the extra cost.

Either way, it'll have a skimmer and a really good filtration system with room for a refugium in the back as well.

 

[Islandoftiki]

Ok, since the last water change almost a week ago, the nitrates have not increased at all. They're holding steady at 2.5 ppm. They would have jumped up to 5ppm to 10ppm by now if it still had all of the old substrate.

By the time I'm done, I should be able to get away with water changes every other week without any nitrate increase.

 

[Islandoftiki]

Betty is molting again. She began her sequestration yesterday. I can't wait to see how her raptorial appendage comes out this time.

I'm curious to see if Chuck molts a couple days from now like he did last time Betty molted. I suspect not, he seems to be on a longer molt cycle.

 

[Islandoftiki]

Looks like the molt went successfully.

She spent most of the day doing this:

Then tonight she came out for half a second to pick up some of the extra sinking fish food pellets that I dropped in for Barney (the damsel).

 

[Islandoftiki]

Ok, you mantis addicts, here's a little more Betty love for you...

Betty has grown quite fond of the parrots, and while Ahnie is somewhat ambivalent to the aquariums, Betty thinks the birds are great. She gets excited to see them up close.



Tonight I fed Barney and Betty sinking fish food pellets. Betty had to spend quite a while foraging around to find them all. Here is 35 minutes of searching for food condensed down into about a minute...

 

[Islandoftiki]

Odd. In the last day or two, Betty lost her other raptorial appendage. She still has the one that's nearly all grown back, but her normal one is gone now. She can still smash open a snail shell with the new one though. I wonder how or why she suddenly lost what looked to be a healthy rap.

 

[Calappidae]

Odd. In the last day or two, Betty lost her other raptorial appendage. She still has the one that's nearly all grown back, but her normal one is gone now. She can still smash open a snail shell with the new one though. I wonder how or why she suddenly lost what looked to be a healthy rap.

Mine recently lost one of his cleaning appendages and a raptorial appendage... after a molt that is. Should grow back after the next molt or two but it's puzzling why they would lose the claw for no reason.

 

[TundraGuy]

I want those mugs!

 

[Calappidae]

Me too! :headwally:

 

[Islandoftiki]

We just bisque fired our newly converted larger gas kiln yesterday and it went very successfully. There were two mantis mugs in there. Sadly, we accidentally broke one of the antenna scales off of one as we were loading it, but she'll be making more. Eventually we'll set up an Etsy store when we have a little bit of inventory.

She's also working on some seahorse mugs which are turning out to be a bit of a technical challenge.

I've been telling her about the strong interest in the mantis mugs and she's excited to make more.

 

[Calappidae]

We just bisque fired our newly converted larger gas kiln yesterday and it went very successfully. There were two mantis mugs in there. Sadly, we accidentally broke one of the antenna scales off of one as we were loading it, but she'll be making more. Eventually we'll set up an Etsy store when we have a little bit of inventory.

She's also working on some seahorse mugs which are turning out to be a bit of a technical challenge.

I've been telling her about the strong interest in the mantis mugs and she's excited to make more.

If you guys make an online store and sell these as a career let us know! I'm dying to get ahold of some of the mugs!

 

[Islandoftiki]

Woot! My 7 gallon nano is sold which will give me enough money to buy a Innovative Marine Nuvo 30 for Betty.