My Ultimate Multi Mantis System(s)
- Thread starter Kharn
- Start date
Mdpflueger
New member
One last picture for nowand only cause it's a rare one mostly cause he himself refuses to be public....but ever since I have place Shockwave (G.falcatus) inside his little 4.2L HOB Nano, he has not only come out a bit but also made it possible for me to capture this good picture of him all over!
If any of the current HOB Nano species pose a "risk" to the structure of their tanks....it's Shockwave /fingers crossed.
What I enjoy about my falcatus is its ability to change colors with every molt. Mine has molted 3 times in 6 months and changed from blue, bright green and now magenta red.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Well that is lucky I guess
I have yet to witness such dramatic changes in coloration between my stomatopods, I did witness someones stomatopod go from the typical G.smithi dark green coloration etc. to a bright vivid all over fluro aqua color he and the stomatopod were or are still on here somewhere :fun4:Mdpflueger
New member
Well that is lucky I guess
My falcatus seems to change color with his surrounding. He turned bright green when his tank was filled chaeto and then I moved him to another compartment that was filled with red mushrooms and that's when he molted and turned magenta red.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
I tend to place personality as the highest priority for Display purposes, it could be dull in color or/and common in species but if it acts like a puppy or begs for attention then it's going to get it from me and will hence be placed into a Display Compartment, anything that doesn't live up to the interactive level I seek I will place behind the stands in Nanos if they are small enough or just sell them off if they are too big.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Ultimate Multi Mantis Upgrade - Update
So it's been a little while since I updated about how the whole upgrade itself is going along...and I must admit I have sort of hit a wall...expense wise, fear not! I not only came up with a solution but the solution is going to replicate the exact same concept I already had running.
A few things to remember...
Already Purchased Equipment - 3x Skimmers, 3x Return Pumps, 4x Cave Pumps, 8x LED lights, all the power boards & all the timers for the lights.
Required Equipment - 16x powerheads ($1k), 3x Overflows ($500), 6x Sumps/Refugiums($2.5k), 3x Steel Stands & Live Rock + Sand ($500) - Total = $4.5kest.
Here is where I have made my changes to drastically cut back on the total expenses for the overall upgrade and still benefit from everything I already had planned (the only difference is going to be over water volume, slightly less per stand overall then planned).
Erased Required Equipment - 6x Sumps/Refugiums($2.5k), 3x Steel Stands & Live Rock + Sand ($500) - Total Savings = $3000.
New Required Equipment - 16x powerheads ($1k), 3x Overflows ($500), 3x Heavy Duty Plastic Tubs ($150) = $1650.
Before you jump to conclusions I have not removed ALL the 6 sumps/refugiums however I will no longer be having them made out of GLASS I shall purchase Heavy Duty Plastic Tubs from my local hardware store, reason being is that this bottom sump is and always was going to be an equipment sump alone so there is no real need for it to be "fancy".
As for the refugiums which are officially gone, I have decided (and already subconsciously chose to make the Top Display Tank for each STAND as the Refugium (a.k.a no coral just algaes), this way the micro life must still pass through all the Display Tanks before it reaches the sumps.
Here is an overall quick sketch of how it should look and more importantly I save over $3,000!
The idea is to still utilize as many HOB Nano Tanks as I can at the back of each Display Tank, for small non interactive species which seem to be quite common here, there is the possibility to comfortably hang 10 of these little 4.2L Nanos on the back of each compartment throughout the various systems.
More to come!
So it's been a little while since I updated about how the whole upgrade itself is going along...and I must admit I have sort of hit a wall...expense wise, fear not! I not only came up with a solution but the solution is going to replicate the exact same concept I already had running.
A few things to remember...
Already Purchased Equipment - 3x Skimmers, 3x Return Pumps, 4x Cave Pumps, 8x LED lights, all the power boards & all the timers for the lights.
Required Equipment - 16x powerheads ($1k), 3x Overflows ($500), 6x Sumps/Refugiums($2.5k), 3x Steel Stands & Live Rock + Sand ($500) - Total = $4.5kest.
Here is where I have made my changes to drastically cut back on the total expenses for the overall upgrade and still benefit from everything I already had planned (the only difference is going to be over water volume, slightly less per stand overall then planned).
Erased Required Equipment - 6x Sumps/Refugiums($2.5k), 3x Steel Stands & Live Rock + Sand ($500) - Total Savings = $3000.
New Required Equipment - 16x powerheads ($1k), 3x Overflows ($500), 3x Heavy Duty Plastic Tubs ($150) = $1650.
Before you jump to conclusions I have not removed ALL the 6 sumps/refugiums however I will no longer be having them made out of GLASS I shall purchase Heavy Duty Plastic Tubs from my local hardware store, reason being is that this bottom sump is and always was going to be an equipment sump alone so there is no real need for it to be "fancy".
As for the refugiums which are officially gone, I have decided (and already subconsciously chose to make the Top Display Tank for each STAND as the Refugium (a.k.a no coral just algaes), this way the micro life must still pass through all the Display Tanks before it reaches the sumps.
Here is an overall quick sketch of how it should look and more importantly I save over $3,000!
The idea is to still utilize as many HOB Nano Tanks as I can at the back of each Display Tank, for small non interactive species which seem to be quite common here, there is the possibility to comfortably hang 10 of these little 4.2L Nanos on the back of each compartment throughout the various systems.
More to come!
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Previously when my original plan was to have 2 Filtration Tanks in a rear stand I was looking at a potential (for STAND A) of an extra 70-80L added to the overall current volume.
Now that I am under going another path and chopping another 3 tanks off the overall upgrade (bringing it down to 1 Filtration Tank per STAND), just because it is 1 tank per stand instead of 2 doesn't mean I am going to loose any more additional water volume with this plan...
Today I went out and bought some plastic tubs which will sit behind each stand on the floor, as the Filtration Sump, each tub is 120L...even though it will run at max capacity of around 3/4 full or 90L so in the end the overall additional volume will stay the same or increase...
Here is the equipment that I have planned out so far, nothing crazy and that's the way I plan to keep it, Skimmer, Return & Reactors (likely 1 per sump), only thing missing now are the uber quality LifeReef HOB Overflows!
More to come
Now that I am under going another path and chopping another 3 tanks off the overall upgrade (bringing it down to 1 Filtration Tank per STAND), just because it is 1 tank per stand instead of 2 doesn't mean I am going to loose any more additional water volume with this plan...
Today I went out and bought some plastic tubs which will sit behind each stand on the floor, as the Filtration Sump, each tub is 120L...even though it will run at max capacity of around 3/4 full or 90L so in the end the overall additional volume will stay the same or increase...
Here is the equipment that I have planned out so far, nothing crazy and that's the way I plan to keep it, Skimmer, Return & Reactors (likely 1 per sump), only thing missing now are the uber quality LifeReef HOB Overflows!
More to come
Kharn
MANTISMAN
:spin1: Another Update! :spin1:
Today I received all my new power heads to upgrade the current ones, mostly because the current ones were cheap chinese 'resun' types with suction cups that had to be zip tied into place due to the crappy suction cups...
I received 16x Tunze 6015 Power Heads today! :lol2: They are a lot more powerful then the old resun types and have a 2yr warranty each + the grand feature is the magnets on each one, I have been running a slightly larger model of the same type of Power Head from Tunze for over 2yrs non stop 0 failures :lol2:.
A little while back some of you may or may not remember my plans for the 2 O.scyllarus tanks as far as DIY PVC burrows go...well today (after months of doing nothing...) I finally made this picture into a reality :lol2:
The pumps are small and sit easy into the tough tubing (tough tubing to help prevent kinking where the tube enters the PVC) the pumps are upside down and in a position that not only makes them easy to remove but also easy to adjust flow speed, these pumps will ensure that even in the darkest part of the burrow, there will be flow from both directions.
The tough tubing that connects the small pumps to the DIY PVC burrow will be coated with glue & substrate leaving just the pumps exposed, being at the rear of the design the pumps will inevitably be hid by coral growth.
Hopefully the combination of great water quality (addition of skimmers & refugiums) + utterly dark well made burrows with good flow within them will combat the lighting required for coral life to thrive.
Shell Rot is based around the water and it's quality, lighting is just a catalyst, the lights cannot "grow" what isn't there if the water quality is to great for the disease to be present in the first place.
More to come as I begin to glue & substrate this structure together tomorrow, this particular one is for my largest O.scyllarus who is in desperate need of a GOOD burrow.
Today I received all my new power heads to upgrade the current ones, mostly because the current ones were cheap chinese 'resun' types with suction cups that had to be zip tied into place due to the crappy suction cups...
I received 16x Tunze 6015 Power Heads today! :lol2: They are a lot more powerful then the old resun types and have a 2yr warranty each + the grand feature is the magnets on each one
, I have been running a slightly larger model of the same type of Power Head from Tunze for over 2yrs non stop 0 failures :lol2:.
A little while back some of you may or may not remember my plans for the 2 O.scyllarus tanks as far as DIY PVC burrows go...well today (after months of doing nothing...) I finally made this picture into a reality :lol2:
The pumps are small and sit easy into the tough tubing (tough tubing to help prevent kinking where the tube enters the PVC) the pumps are upside down and in a position that not only makes them easy to remove but also easy to adjust flow speed, these pumps will ensure that even in the darkest part of the burrow, there will be flow from both directions.
The tough tubing that connects the small pumps to the DIY PVC burrow will be coated with glue & substrate leaving just the pumps exposed, being at the rear of the design the pumps will inevitably be hid by coral growth.
Hopefully the combination of great water quality (addition of skimmers & refugiums) + utterly dark well made burrows with good flow within them will combat the lighting required for coral life to thrive.
Shell Rot is based around the water and it's quality, lighting is just a catalyst, the lights cannot "grow" what isn't there if the water quality is to great for the disease to be present in the first place.
More to come as I begin to glue & substrate this structure together tomorrow, this particular one is for my largest O.scyllarus who is in desperate need of a GOOD burrow.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
This will NOT happen...why ? Simple...there is NO rocks in the tank to build with there is nothing but the DIY PVC structures & coral...I have done this 5 times with each of the compartments in STAND A and without fail every species has taken to the DIY PVC burrows and never looked back / tried to build outside of them, they just modify them by blocking off all but 1 - 2 exits with pieces of coral rubble.
I've got 16 compartments for 16 display species, I so yeah I think 16 is rite on the spot...and at only $45ea....as opposed to $65ea normally online or $100+ at a LFS I think I got them for an absolute STEAL!
All that is left now are the 3 LifeReef HOB overflows and then everything will come together!!! HHHNNNNGGGGG!!!!!!!!
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Having said all this O.scyllarus are a unique species not talking about the whole Shell Rot problems but actual home building problems specifically in aquariums....basically there is going to be NO WAY to replicate a fully grown O.scyllarus 'den' in a natural way with rock etc that would be good enough for the animal to obtain that utter dark area and flow within it.
In the wild an O.scyllarus 'Den' can be VERY large, think adult male sitting down cross legged and that is the mount of rubble and debri that a large O.scyllarus will pile up to make it's natural burrow in the wild...this is impossible to provide for in an aquarium.
This is why PVC is so great for this species in particular, with the proper knowledge of light and how it bends in water you can recreate an utterly dark burrow that has flow within it to help maintain the optimal health conditions for the O.scyllarus when in it's home.
There is a reason Stomatopods (specifically smashers) will fight for ownership of a burrow in the wild...burrow creation takes effort and it's easier to kill the inhabitant of one burrow then spend the energy making one itself, so when a burrow is seen and NOT occupied these smashers WILL go in and make it their own.
In the wild an O.scyllarus 'Den' can be VERY large, think adult male sitting down cross legged and that is the mount of rubble and debri that a large O.scyllarus will pile up to make it's natural burrow in the wild...this is impossible to provide for in an aquarium.
This is why PVC is so great for this species in particular, with the proper knowledge of light and how it bends in water you can recreate an utterly dark burrow that has flow within it to help maintain the optimal health conditions for the O.scyllarus when in it's home.
There is a reason Stomatopods (specifically smashers) will fight for ownership of a burrow in the wild...burrow creation takes effort and it's easier to kill the inhabitant of one burrow then spend the energy making one itself, so when a burrow is seen and NOT occupied these smashers WILL go in and make it their own.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Things went well on the weekend I have almost finished gluing and substrating the DIY PVC burrow, since it is so much larger then the smaller ones it should logically take longer to build once the PVC burrows are in place and the upgrade officially complete (just waiting on LifeReef HOBs), then I will do a large scale remake of "Building my ultimate mantis kingdom" but also detailing the filtration this time.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Thanks for the comment glad to continue to provide!
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Picture Update Some photos of my various crew members during a feeding today, I am really happy with how Minos (L.colemani) is now truly settled in, not only that but I awoke to a surprise this morning, in the shape of a 2inch diameter circular window at the front of Minos tank, only a matter of time till I catch him at the window.
Also there was a bit of a "molt fest" recently with nigh on every crew member under going the rigorous task, all came out alive and some have grown since last being seen...Both Tintin & Nicole (G.ternatensis) are now well over 2inchs long more likely closer to 3 inchs, drastic growth since I first got them (each under 1inch long).
Here is the what I assume to be Haptosquilla glyptocercus or as I call it...Hapy the Hapto! He was to quick with the food and darted in and out before I could catch him holding the prawn flesh.
As I said above I am really impressed with the growth of both Tintin & Nicole, she is slightly larger and more bolder then him but they are both very interactive and seem to get more interactive with their growth.
Nicole
Tintin
Here is Megatron (G.chiragra) tackling the prawn meat, completely fearless and totally confident I have yet to ever be threatened by him before which tells me that he doesn't even feel the need for threats he will just dive in smashing away till things stop moving...
Rocky (G.graphurus) is no different to Megatron...cept Rocky likes to dish out the threats and is more interactive and curious here he is wrestling the prawn meat and using his body weight to try and rip it off the skewer making it difficult to get a good shot...
More to come as this is half of the pics.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Continuing on :hmm5:
Up next and getting into the larger species (each being 6inchs+) is Minos (L.colemani) one of my most favorite species, he is unique...even among zebra spearers and boasts an energetic life style for a spearer, he will frequently exit his burrow specifically when he tastes / sees food in the water.
Here is the window that he so kindly provided for me at the front his compartment in the depths of the sand.
Following that is the Kraken (O.scyllarus) having recently molted I had not seen him for a good few weeks this evening he was not only out but active, swiftly moving about the tanks substrate moving pieces of rubble about, once presented with the food, he went nuts...as soon as he found it, well even at only 6inchs long it was hard for him to yank it off the skewer...
Finally, The Juggernaut, having recently molted I was very concerned and will continue to be about this very large crew member, at this size he is likely the most endangered member I have as far as poor tank qualities go, so I am really keen to see how he does with the major filtration upgrade that is about to happen, I have noted that he has Shell Rot on his carapace just a small pritty bad 'spot' with the molt it looks to of gone down but with the filtration upgrade I hope and aim to totally eliminate this, either way he is FAR healthier still today then from when I first got him over a year ago (massive shell rot on tells completely healed now).
Well that is it for now however I do plan on completing the Juggernauts burrow this evening and will post pics of it once it is done, so far I am very impressed! :thumbsup:
Up next and getting into the larger species (each being 6inchs+) is Minos (L.colemani) one of my most favorite species, he is unique...even among zebra spearers and boasts an energetic life style for a spearer, he will frequently exit his burrow specifically when he tastes / sees food in the water.
Here is the window that he so kindly provided for me at the front his compartment in the depths of the sand.
Following that is the Kraken (O.scyllarus) having recently molted I had not seen him for a good few weeks this evening he was not only out but active, swiftly moving about the tanks substrate moving pieces of rubble about, once presented with the food, he went nuts...as soon as he found it, well even at only 6inchs long it was hard for him to yank it off the skewer...
Finally, The Juggernaut, having recently molted I was very concerned and will continue to be about this very large crew member, at this size he is likely the most endangered member I have as far as poor tank qualities go, so I am really keen to see how he does with the major filtration upgrade that is about to happen, I have noted that he has Shell Rot on his carapace just a small pritty bad 'spot' with the molt it looks to of gone down but with the filtration upgrade I hope and aim to totally eliminate this, either way he is FAR healthier still today then from when I first got him over a year ago (massive shell rot on tells completely healed now).
Well that is it for now however I do plan on completing the Juggernauts burrow this evening and will post pics of it once it is done, so far I am very impressed! :thumbsup:
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Over the past week or so I have been making my next short film, albeit very different from the rest before it...this time there is no photgraphy/videos of stomatopods...
Not sure about the rest of you but I can safely say that I am a 'Game of Thrones' addict :rollface: I love the storyline the characters the show the music.
So as I said above I made a video / remake of my own version of 'Game of Thrones' based around Stomatopods in a world or rather "sea" called 'Gonosquilla'...
Kingdom of Stomatopods
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/q-mK3G_kwUg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Hope you enjoyed it :lol:
Not sure about the rest of you but I can safely say that I am a 'Game of Thrones' addict :rollface: I love the storyline the characters the show the music.
So as I said above I made a video / remake of my own version of 'Game of Thrones' based around Stomatopods in a world or rather "sea" called 'Gonosquilla'...
Kingdom of Stomatopods
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/q-mK3G_kwUg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Hope you enjoyed it :lol:
surely there are some on here...or is my remake attempt really that bad =X im starting to feel like a fool for posting that video...NanoReeferZ
New member
I don't play game of thrones but i liked the video
Kharn
MANTISMAN
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