Islandoftiki
New member
A couple more water changes tonight...
Ms. Peacock
- Thread starter Islandoftiki
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Dmorty217
Saltwater Addict
Ok folks the chaeto fuge is built and up and running!
I made a separate topic over at Nano-Reef.com with instructions on how to make your own:
http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/326244-ac50-fuge-project/
This is a awesome use of a filter, I'm contemplating setting up one of my small tanks for a peacock mantis because they are so interesting and would like a smaller predator tank. I have been reading all of the threads I can find but there seems to be few.
Dmorty217
Saltwater Addict
A couple more water changes tonight...
How is the nitrate battle going?
Islandoftiki
New member
It's going well. We're down to 5ppm. I'm going to work on getting it down to zero, or very close.
Could always up the fuge to a turf scrubber. If you size it right to your feeding it works wonders. Running that on my peacock tank as my only filtration and so far I've had undetectable levels on nitrate and phosphate and even film algae on the glass is minimal enough a single large turbo is able to keep up, at least until he becomes food.
Islandoftiki
New member
I thought about doing an algae scrubber in the back chambers of the G. Ternatensis tank.
It would actually be a pretty cool thing if I could build an AC50 algae scrubber. I think it would be a pretty popular thing for a lot of people to do. I probably already have everything needed to build it.
I'll see what the efficacy of the chaeto fuge is first. It may be sufficient to maintain sub 5ppm nitrates as it is. Of course, my ultimate goal is no detectable nitrates like all of my other tanks have without having to do huge water changes.
I got one of the HOG premade ones from premiumaquatics just to see how it was setup. They are nice but pretty expensive for such a simple design. Going to be ordering some leds when I get paid and building out a few more for other tanks since they are much more friendly to maintain than a nasty smelling skimmer cup. Pretty much the HOG model is 2 plastic tv dinner trays with the screen on one side with an airline tube cut open to let air bleed out and the leds are on the other and just glue magnets to both sides to hold it on the tank.
Islandoftiki
New member
Ok, were getting there. The chaeto fuge is doing it's trick. Nitrates are about half of what they were two days ago. It should hit zero this weekend without having to change any more water.
Her molt is finished. She's out and about now. She's being super active today. Unfortunately she came out of her molt with only one raptorial appendage. So, she had something in common with my G. Ternatensis now... only one working rap. She looks happy and healthy though, so no big deal I suppose.
She murdered every single snail and hermit that was in the tank, so the remaining rap obviously works just fine.
I fed her for the first time since she sequestered.
Her molt is finished. She's out and about now. She's being super active today. Unfortunately she came out of her molt with only one raptorial appendage. So, she had something in common with my G. Ternatensis now... only one working rap. She looks happy and healthy though, so no big deal I suppose.
She murdered every single snail and hermit that was in the tank, so the remaining rap obviously works just fine.
I fed her for the first time since she sequestered.
Islandoftiki
New member
Every day activities...
Islandoftiki
New member
It was an exciting weekend for the new peacock mantis. She met my fiance for the first time (she was in Hawaii for 3 weeks) and she got to meet our African Grey parrots.
As I kind of expected, the parrots got a full threat display from the mantis, while the parrots where thoroughly uninterested in the her.
My fiance named her, too. Betty. Her damsel fish has been named Barney. (Yes, it's a Flintstones reference)
I added some of the rock from the 25 gallon mantis tank, along with some more rubble and some random shells from Hawaii that were also in the 25 gallon tank. Chuck doesn't build or use rubble at all.
Betty immediately went to town building and moving the rubble around and checking out every new rock in the tank.
She's also coming up to the glass when I stick my face up to the tank.
Nitrates in the tank are well under control and the chaeto fuge is doing an awesome job. The chaeto has doubled in volume in the past week.
As I kind of expected, the parrots got a full threat display from the mantis, while the parrots where thoroughly uninterested in the her.
My fiance named her, too. Betty. Her damsel fish has been named Barney. (Yes, it's a Flintstones reference)
I added some of the rock from the 25 gallon mantis tank, along with some more rubble and some random shells from Hawaii that were also in the 25 gallon tank. Chuck doesn't build or use rubble at all.
Betty immediately went to town building and moving the rubble around and checking out every new rock in the tank.
She's also coming up to the glass when I stick my face up to the tank.
Nitrates in the tank are well under control and the chaeto fuge is doing an awesome job. The chaeto has doubled in volume in the past week.
Fartin'Gary
New member
What will you do with the excess chaeto?
Islandoftiki
New member
Throw it out. Or give it to newbie reefers in the area. It seems like someone always needs some chaeto.
Fartin'Gary
New member
If you have too much chaeto then it's time to start a new tank. No excuses.:lmao:
Islandoftiki
New member
I'm already looking to re-home the pest crab tank. 5 tanks is too many!
Islandoftiki
New member
She's no longer showing any threat display towards the parrots. I was going to video tape it and then she was like, meh...
Now, here's one that made me laugh a lot. Last night I was walking past her tank with our dinner on two plates. Just for fun, I showed them to her. She zipped out of her burrow and started swimming around like she does when she's going to be fed! No joke! I yelled to my fiance, "Look at this! Look at this! She knows it's food!"
Now, here's one that made me laugh a lot. Last night I was walking past her tank with our dinner on two plates. Just for fun, I showed them to her. She zipped out of her burrow and started swimming around like she does when she's going to be fed! No joke! I yelled to my fiance, "Look at this! Look at this! She knows it's food!"
Fartin'Gary
New member
My first peacock allowed me to put my face up to the tank but when my wife did she went into threat mode lol.
Islandoftiki
New member
I love this little girl. She's like a puppy dog. If I stop at the tank for a minute, she always comes out.
Funny story; we brought home some 3D glasses from the theater yesterday, the circular polarized ones that they use for RealD 3D. I was curious if they would be of any interest since mantis can see circular polarized light. Well, it's probably just because I looked funny wearing them, but I put them on and she freaked out. Full aggression threat display with menacing lurches and everything. I took them off, and she instantly recognized me as friendly. Not sure if she saw anything weird with the lenses or not.
Funny story; we brought home some 3D glasses from the theater yesterday, the circular polarized ones that they use for RealD 3D. I was curious if they would be of any interest since mantis can see circular polarized light. Well, it's probably just because I looked funny wearing them, but I put them on and she freaked out. Full aggression threat display with menacing lurches and everything. I took them off, and she instantly recognized me as friendly. Not sure if she saw anything weird with the lenses or not.
Islandoftiki
New member
Cool.
How is your glass so cleeeeen?
Well, being an unlighted peacock mantis tank, the inside of the glass never gets dirty. I might have to clean it once a month.
Algae doesn't grow on the glass like it does in tanks with lights. It's really kinda nice since I have four other tanks that I have to clean the glass daily to keep them spotless.
I clean the outside of the glass with a paper towel dampened slightly with RO/DI water if it gets any finger smudges on it.
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