My Ultimate Multi Mantis System(s)
- Thread starter Kharn
- Start date
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Kharn
MANTISMAN
For those of you curious about the stands, because I am making them myself I do not want to start making them until the tanks are done mostly because the stands themselves are goign to be quite tight in the space provided which will essentially make the project all that neater but I still need to be very accurate and considering the job I did with the DIY Sump stand I made through welding...I'm more then confident it will all slot together perfectly!
To increase the overall neatness of the stands I plan on encasing the steel framework in wood/MDF board/SOME board (for the sides and back) then there will be wood going over the frames outing along with wooden vertical hoods too hide the lights and the gaps between each tank on the stand which are essentially my access points into the tanks to feed and do maintenance.
It's going to look much like your typical LFS stocking tanks, besides the abnormally thin spearers tanks which in effect will be magnificent displays themselves just because of the nature of the tank!
Here is a pic of the stands A,B & C layout left to right, the brown represents where wood/wood board will be whilst the blue is the tanks, note the Brown rectangles above each tank are swinging/flapping hoods where all I need to do is lift it then pin it, giving me access to the tank that the specific hood is for. Obviously the tanks in the pics aren't detailed and won't be holding that much water specially stand C tanks.
To increase the overall neatness of the stands I plan on encasing the steel framework in wood/MDF board/SOME board (for the sides and back) then there will be wood going over the frames outing along with wooden vertical hoods too hide the lights and the gaps between each tank on the stand which are essentially my access points into the tanks to feed and do maintenance.
It's going to look much like your typical LFS stocking tanks, besides the abnormally thin spearers tanks which in effect will be magnificent displays themselves just because of the nature of the tank!
Here is a pic of the stands A,B & C layout left to right, the brown represents where wood/wood board will be whilst the blue is the tanks, note the Brown rectangles above each tank are swinging/flapping hoods where all I need to do is lift it then pin it, giving me access to the tank that the specific hood is for. Obviously the tanks in the pics aren't detailed and won't be holding that much water specially stand C tanks.
lizardfishman
New member
This is one of the most interesting build threads I've seen. Can't wait to see what it looks like finished.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Thanks for stopping in to browse! I don't really consider it that huge of a project or albeit that different from a regular single tank, which is the way I kind of like it, nice simple & direct! As far as interesting builds.....I seen a thread in a dif forum where a bloke turned his backyard into an aquarium and his basement was the viewing room just like a public aquarium!
THAT is amazing and I would LOVE to turn my entire backyard into a mantis eutopia...it's not like I haven't considered it....perhaps in the future
Kharn
MANTISMAN
DELAYS...
Nothing ever goes to plan and the larger the project(s) the more likely things will go wrong...Although I was informed awhile back that the overall process of the tanks manufacturing would only take a week (two tops) I have just been made aware that the tanks will not be ready until the earliest of "End March"....
This also means I cannot start the stands until "End March" since the stands are going to be quite "snug" I need the tanks themselves before I start the stands...I'd hate to start the stands now have them painted and finished only to find out that the tanks won't fit or sit properly...and when there is around 75mtrs of steel needed for all three stands I can't just leave it laying around like I can with my lights and canister filters...
Sorry about this delay...
Nothing ever goes to plan and the larger the project(s) the more likely things will go wrong...Although I was informed awhile back that the overall process of the tanks manufacturing would only take a week (two tops) I have just been made aware that the tanks will not be ready until the earliest of "End March"....
This also means I cannot start the stands until "End March" since the stands are going to be quite "snug" I need the tanks themselves before I start the stands...I'd hate to start the stands now have them painted and finished only to find out that the tanks won't fit or sit properly...and when there is around 75mtrs of steel needed for all three stands I can't just leave it laying around like I can with my lights and canister filters...
Sorry about this delay...
Kharn
MANTISMAN
IDEAS
One of the best parts if not the sole best part about these systems is there relatively simple design and operation essentially I like to think of it as idiot proof...
Because each stand is by itself and a 'stand-alone-system' not being connected to the grand size of it all, it makes for things to be very mobile by this I mean while I have designated space for these 3 stands in this project, the room itself has the potential to hold more stands which in turn hold more tanks and most importantly more stomatopods :celeb3:
I can essentially double or even triple up on my current design down the track, creating a second & third STAND A, B & C allowing me to hold a max total of 32! (second set of stands) or 48! (second & third set of stands) stomatopods from the smallest smashers to the largest spearers!
Thats a lot of lights and FX5's :hmm3: but rite now It's just the current 3 stands.
One of the best parts if not the sole best part about these systems is there relatively simple design and operation essentially I like to think of it as idiot proof...
Because each stand is by itself and a 'stand-alone-system' not being connected to the grand size of it all, it makes for things to be very mobile by this I mean while I have designated space for these 3 stands in this project, the room itself has the potential to hold more stands which in turn hold more tanks and most importantly more stomatopods :celeb3:I can essentially double or even triple up on my current design down the track, creating a second & third STAND A, B & C allowing me to hold a max total of 32! (second set of stands) or 48! (second & third set of stands) stomatopods from the smallest smashers to the largest spearers!
Thats a lot of lights and FX5's :hmm3: but rite now It's just the current 3 stands.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
As odd as it may sound....I HATE alcohol....can't stand the taste of the vile stuff :lol:
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Man your lighting looks bright! I keep 250w MH on the top of my 40b and it looks nowhere as bright as your pics. Seems someone is getting the reef bug again
It Might look bright but there isn't much wattage in them (Which is all I know how to go off). A 250W halide is like basically ALL of the lights put together LOL cause all up all 8 lights use 212W and since there distributed over each tank individually the "Watt : Gal" ratio is between 1watt/gal & 3watt/gal.
I wouldn't consider it a reef light
Kharn
MANTISMAN
UPDATE
Tanks are now official. They are paid for and will take between 1-2weeks to be made so within the next fortnight to a month the project will be nearing its end and the final results will finally be on display, I am sure my mantis will be thankful for it (perhaps not Morgoth & Leviathan...since there getting downsized tanks). But I know that all of the smashers currently sharing the sump will be really happy to get there own personal quarters since neither of them will see each other.
The butterflies in my gut are building up :hmm5:
Tanks are now official. They are paid for and will take between 1-2weeks to be made so within the next fortnight to a month the project will be nearing its end and the final results will finally be on display, I am sure my mantis will be thankful for it (perhaps not Morgoth & Leviathan...since there getting downsized tanks). But I know that all of the smashers currently sharing the sump will be really happy to get there own personal quarters since neither of them will see each other.
The butterflies in my gut are building up :hmm5:
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Originally the plan was to have them all linked and connected.
By not having them all connected I can save myself in certain areas of filtration like the lack of a need for a Protein skimmer / sump, which in tern makes more room for display tanks which just means more mantis shrimp.
Doing what I have also helps to protect each stand, if something were to happen to "stand A" and I lost all the mantis shrimp, since "stand B and C" are not connected those mantis shrimp will be safe.
Rite now my system is a large tank above a sump although the sump is just a holding tank for various smaller smashers, with these stands I am essentially re-creating what I already have going.
Algae Scrapper ? I assume your assuming I'm going to have difficulty cleaning the tanks ? Only 1 panel of each tank is going to be viewable (the front one) all the others are painted black and as far as I am concerned after buy 3 different algae scrappers and being reassured each time that there the best out there.....NONE NONE NONE work sometimes they did NOTHING at all.....besides the also cost like $20-$30-$40 each cause there all fancy looking.
Good algae scraper = paint scraper with scalp blade NOTHING will do better.
started a new thread for algae scrubbers so i dont hijack your thread
its not a scraper, its a biomecanical filter
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2143430
its not a scraper, its a biomecanical filter
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2143430
Last edited:
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Unfortunately I am not too familiar with the 'PAR' Values of lighting or more specifically the lights I purchased....it would be good to find it out though so I can sorta have a stead firm grasp on what corals I could keep and what I cannot since rite now its allll just trial and error.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Tanks got bumped back a bit and will take another week before I receive them, its mostly because of the Large Spearers Tanks because there "primary" sheets of glass are quite large, one being 1200mm Long x 600mm High and the other being 1200mm Long x 700mm High. These 2 tanks are by far the most expensive of the build almost costing half of the build.
So not this weekend coming but the following I'll hopefully have them to take lots of snap shots!
Because these tanks are drilled and designed to fit with one another (I don't see myself selling them or being able to sell them SPECIALLY the spearers tanks) I planned on painting the BACK & SIDES of the tanks black to get a nice crisp neat uniform look! Once the tanks are in there stands viewing from the rear will be impossible and viewing from the sides will be impossible (practically) because I plan on "encasing" the whole (or well the back and sides) steel frame with sheets of MDF (or similar) to again add to the neatness and uniform look of the whole system, each stand is sitting side by side.
So not this weekend coming but the following I'll hopefully have them to take lots of snap shots!
Because these tanks are drilled and designed to fit with one another (I don't see myself selling them or being able to sell them SPECIALLY the spearers tanks) I planned on painting the BACK & SIDES of the tanks black to get a nice crisp neat uniform look! Once the tanks are in there stands viewing from the rear will be impossible and viewing from the sides will be impossible (practically) because I plan on "encasing" the whole (or well the back and sides) steel frame with sheets of MDF (or similar) to again add to the neatness and uniform look of the whole system, each stand is sitting side by side.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
=D Tanks arrive in 4days!
Starting to get really nervous and excited! So glad that they are delivering the tanks rather then me picking them up...the paranoia of having one crack/break was just too great to bare....
Will be building there stands nextweek and hopefully have the tanks within the stands by next weekend then give it a month or 2 of cycling and my "Ultimate Multi Mantis System" will be complete!
Then for the next project....=) I much upgraded tank for Zuzu and some hardcore coral =D I want to go all out, sump,skimmer,refugium,DSB, reactor(s) I've already made some plans but like before my biggest worry (even more so with this new system because I want good nice corals) is lighting....Zuzu has proved to do well under bright lighting so I am not too worried about him =)
Starting to get really nervous and excited! So glad that they are delivering the tanks rather then me picking them up...the paranoia of having one crack/break was just too great to bare....
Will be building there stands nextweek and hopefully have the tanks within the stands by next weekend then give it a month or 2 of cycling and my "Ultimate Multi Mantis System" will be complete!
Then for the next project....=) I much upgraded tank for Zuzu and some hardcore coral =D I want to go all out, sump,skimmer,refugium,DSB, reactor(s) I've already made some plans but like before my biggest worry (even more so with this new system because I want good nice corals) is lighting....Zuzu has proved to do well under bright lighting so I am not too worried about him =)
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