My Ultimate Multi Mantis System(s)

[Kharn]

HELLO!!! One pretty ugly bugger!

Ugly ?!?! There sexy! I love the coloration specially in the top one under actinics! Makes me wonder how a L.lisa would look under actinics :eek1: the top one looks almost like some sort of mechanical 'thing' like a transformer/decepticon haha since it looks evil.

 

[TundraGuy]

Tundra <----------- can't wait for progress and pix!

The “Doc Roy wing” is a reference to large hotels having presidential wings. A section of the hotel that is so nice commoners like myself only get to read about them. 

 

[Kharn]

Tundra <----------- can't wait for progress and pix!

The "œDoc Roy wing" is a reference to large hotels having presidential wings. A section of the hotel that is so nice commoners like myself only get to read about them. 

Ahh so you mean like the 'penthouse' or yeah that one room that most hotels only have one of and its at the very top of the hotel usually.

Hard to say really since I will make them all 5 star resorts =) but I suppose you COULD refer to the large spearer tanks as...wastelands/underwater deserts since that is all that will be in there sand...

However if there was ONE tank in particular that I would put the most attention into would be the middle stands middle tank which will likely house an O.scyllarus or other large colorful smasher. (Bottom tank on middle stand is for Morgoth with DSB, another wasteland/desert lol)

 

[Kharn]

I have FINALLY come to terms with a good lighting system that will provide more then enough viewing for me and shouldn't be to bright for the stomatopods themselves hence risking shell rot, at the same time I believe I can keep some corals with these lights albeit only the most hardy...Ricordeas/Mushrooms, Disc Anemones, Star Polyps, Sea Mats, Button Polyps/Zoanthids & Leathers.

The Lighting is LED made by HATO one must remember that these are mantis shrimp tanks NOT reef tanks therefor lighting doesn't (and shouldn't for the sake of the mantis shrimps health be that bright (I'll generalize it for the sake of the more prone to shell rot species and accommodate for them when it comes to all the tanks lighting).

There quite cheap setups and I am happy with the one I currently have on my nano (nano also has a DUAL T5 fixture too tho..) however I have done the comparison between the 2 and this new LED that is $60 cheaper then my T5's and never needs to replace bulbs is a LOT brighter then the T5 even though it is a lot less wattage.

STAND A e.a. tank gets 1x600mm LED Fixture which pumps out 18watts e.a.

STAND B e.a. tank gets 1x900mm LED Fixture which pumps out 28watts e.a.

STAND C e.a. tank gets 1x1200mm LED Fixture which pumps out 37watts e.a.

I just hope that they pump out enough wattage for some at the very least HARDY corals else I might have to either....

a) - Double up on each tank so, 36watts e.a. tank on stand A, 56watts e.a. tank on stand B & 74watts e.a. tank on stand C even then though I just don't understand what corals need with lighting so tend to go for the hardiest and just over compensate knowing that through there hardiness they'll be fine (cough cough zoanthids).

b) - Rethink lighting yet again -_- my 2 main concerns are (1) Wanting to keep some hardy corals like Ricordeas/Mushrooms, Disc Anemones, Star Polyps, Sea Mats, Button Polyps/Zoanthids & Leathers obviously not all in one tank but 2-3 dif in each tank. (2) Not wanting to go to bright with the lighting and risk either making the mantis more reclusive or just creating shell rot problems.

 

[Kharn]

Wattage Per Gallon Ratios

Things need to be taken into account...

STAND A - Top tank & middle tank are both 600mm L x 300mm W x 300mm H which makes out to roughly 12 gals of water per tank with 18 watts above each tank giving both the top & middle tank of stand 'A' 1.5 watts per gal(est).

STAND A - Bottom tank is slightly higher at 400mm but the same length & width which makes out to roughly 16 gals of water in it with 18 watts above it giving the bottom tank of stand 'A' 1.1 watts per gal(est).

STAND B - Top tank & middle tank are both 900mm L x 300mm W x 300mm H which makes out to roughly 18 gals of water per tank with 28 watts above each tank giving both the top & middle tank of stand 'B' 1.5 watts per gal(est).

STAND B - Bottom tank is slightly higher at 400mm (BUT it has a roughly 20cm deep DSB too) its the same length & width which makes out to roughly 12 gals of water in it with 28 watts above it giving the bottom tank of stand 'B' 2.3 watts per gal(est).

STAND C - Top tank is 1200mm L x 150mm W x 600mm H (BUT it has a roughly 30cm deep DSB too) which makes out to roughly 12gals of water with 37 watts above the tank giving the top tank of stand 'C' 3 watts per gal(est).

STAND A - Bottom tank is 1200mm L x 150mm W x 700mm H (BUT it has a roughly 40cm deep DSB too) which makes out to roughly 12gals of water with 37 watts above the tank giving the bottom tank of stand 'C' 3 watts per gal(est).

So the light ranges quite a bit from tank to tank due to the volumes, the sand beds and the fixtures power as they get bigger vs the tanks sizes.

I just hope its not too much for the stomatopods and yet enough for the desired corals....

 

[TundraGuy]

Nice update on the edge of my seat to see this thing. Any thoughts on the lasso thing yet?

 

[Kharn]

Nice update on the edge of my seat to see this thing. Any thoughts on the lasso thing yet?

I'm nervous about it ?

I am curious as to why Dr. Caldwell uses a wire as the noose rather then something like a strong fishing line (not too fine or else noose get too tight) but I'd imagine a strong fishing line like 16-20Lb gel spun would be a lot easier to close the noose on in a more "gentle" manner.

Who am I to say how to build a thing I have never used whilst the man that recommends it has used them and on hundreds of large spearers ?

So yeah like I said.

I am nervous.

 

[Kharn]

LIGHTING COMPARISON
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Supreme Aquarium Dual T5 2FT 2x24watt, Single switch cannot have blue on and white off or vice versa only both on or both off, cost $130 2ft fixture.


VS

HETO LED 3x 6.24watt, Double switch can have Blue LEDS ON and White LEDS off and vice versa, cost $90 2ft fixture.


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SIZES & BRIGHTNESS

HETO LED TOP / SUPREME AQUA DUAL T5 BOTTOM


SUPREME AQUA DUAL T5 LEFT / HETO LED RIGHT


SUPREME AQUA DUAL T5 LEFT / HETO LED RIGHT


SUPREME AQUA DUAL T5


HETO LED


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Also to note is the weight of the fixtures the HETO LED fixture all up would weigh 2-3x LESS then the Supreme Aqua Dual T5, also to note is that I'll never have to replace bulbs on the LED's whilst the thought of having to replace 16+ T5's (8x DUAL fixtures various sizes)......is daunting.

 

[Kharn]

FILTRATION & LIGHTING

So today I went about collecting the filtration & lighting that I need, to start off with I went and got 2 more Fluval FX5's! Next stop was a different LFS but still close by (20mins) to pick up the lighting for the tanks.

Here is the result at a total cost of $1600 (I got 10% off in both stores because I am a member of a local forum which the stores themselves are members off and members get discounts :lolspin



Note: 1 of the FX5 boxes (the opened one) is the one I already have and is currently running my 250L system.

More to come!

 

[TundraGuy]

hehehehe *rubs hands togther* and so it begins! mwhahahaha!

btw good right up on the leds and t5s

 

[King Nikon]

You sir, are insane. Whether or not it is a good or bad insane I have no clue.

 

[Jacwil]

You sir, are insane. Whether or not it is a good or bad insane I have no clue.

I concur!!

Curious why you decided to go with those certainly more expensive hobbyist leds over the ones we were chatting about last month? $130 vs $30-$40?

 

[Kharn]

I concur!!

Curious why you decided to go with those certainly more expensive hobbyist leds over the ones we were chatting about last month? $130 vs $30-$40?

Actually
2ft = $90e.a.
3ft = $110e.a.
4ft= $130e.a.

I really like these fixtures!

So Slim! So Light! Enough for Softies and plenty for Mantis Shrimp!

EDIT: OHHHHHHHHH I think you mean those LED rigid lights that slot into one another ?

#1 These LED fixtures are easily twice as bright.
#2 These LED fixtures are just that FIXTURES (would have to DIY something for the rigid LED lights.
#3 Considering the amount of them I'd NEED it would of ended up a lot more expensive.
#4 NO blue/actinic lighting...
#5 DOZENS of switches to turn them all on.
#6 It likely would of turned out quite ugly like if you managed to see it, whilst these fixtures are really good looking and set to go!....

 

[Jacwil]

I hear ya and they look decent and they offer a nice clean look-I just think for your application there's a much cheaper, just as much light option for ya...but I digress...you've got them and I'm not trying to burst your bubble lol.

:beer:

 

[Kharn]

You sir, are insane. Whether or not it is a good or bad insane I have no clue.

LOL...

All I have to say is...

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Z2teYFZt5Tw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

:lolspin::lolspin:

 

[Kharn]

I hear ya and they look decent and they offer a nice clean look-I just think for your application there's a much cheaper, just as much light option for ya...but I digress...you've got them and I'm not trying to burst your bubble lol.

:beer:

Loved to of heard about it prior too buying them as I had kept trying to find out from others, however the biggest concern was wanting to keep softies and perhaps some really hardy LPS WITH the mantis shrimp but at the same time not wanting to over do it and make the mantis shrimps reclusive/nocturnal/develop shell rot.

Those light strips that slotted together that I spoke of a while back would NOT allow me to keep such coral.

What else DID you have in mind anyway you got a link to something I am really in love with LEDs and won't have anything else!?!

 

[Kharn]

I hear ya and they look decent and they offer a nice clean look-I just think for your application there's a much cheaper, just as much light option for ya...but I digress...you've got them and I'm not trying to burst your bubble lol.

:beer:

Loved to of heard about it prior too buying them as I had kept trying to find out from others, however the biggest concern was wanting to keep softies and perhaps some really hardy LPS WITH the mantis shrimp but at the same time not wanting to over do it and make the mantis shrimps reclusive/nocturnal/develop shell rot.

Those light strips that slotted together that I spoke of a while back would NOT allow me to keep such coral.

What else DID you have in mind anyway you got a link to something I am really in love with LEDs and won't have anything else!?!

 

[Kharn]

sigh at double posts -_-

 

[Jacwil]

S'all good! I figure you would only want some corals in several of the tanks so maybe you could do a combo...some tanks with your stronger led fixtures and several with the significantly cheaper, linkable strips...just an idea.

 

[Kharn]

S'all good! I figure you would only want some corals in several of the tanks so maybe you could do a combo...some tanks with your stronger led fixtures and several with the significantly cheaper, linkable strips...just an idea.

Ah well I like the current Idea more anyway =) if I wanted to I could EASILY double up on the fixtures above each tank and go with 2 above each tank. Giving double the wattage I said previously giving the lowest tank wattage 2.2watts / gal and the max 6watts / gal (although I prolly wouldn't double up above the spearers tanks which is where the 6watts / gal is).

There so thin and small fixtures that 2 of them is basically the size of 1 standard dual T5 fixture.