My Ultimate Multi Mantis System(s)

[Kharn]

With the test of a new DIY PVC burrow about to go under way I also came up with the design plan for the floor plan or foot print to each compartment of STAND A, there are 6 compartments all up, 2 of which are taken up by the Refugium in the Top Tank.

The Middle Tank and Bottom Tank are both going to be filled with coral, or rather...'Mushies', Corallimorphs, Rhodactis & Ricordeas, there are 4 compartments all up (2 tanks, 2 compartments each). The footprint to each of these compartments will be around 300mmLx225mmW and I want each compartment to have its own single type/color/pattern of 'Mushie', the cheapest simply because they will be the most numerous per compartment.

These are the 4 mushie types I plan to have, 1 color/pattern per compartment and I don't want to see substrate/floor of tank.


As for the DIY structures themselves, the plan is to simple leave it free for the Ricordeas .

 

[Kharn]

I know this sounds rather sudden but I am going to have to go back on that which I spoke of earlier and by this I meant, turning STAND A into a Mushie Dominated system...

Today I had an idea and one that has got me rather excited as it all seems to fit very well together...today when I went to my LFS I purchased 2 very cheap small Gorgonians, upon seeing them so cheap I purchased them on impulse knowing that at the end of the day I could always keep them in STAND C temporarily with the Leviathan in his DSB which is under a constant torrent of current from the power head within.

When I got home I decided that rather then put the gorgs into STAND C, that I would rather see them and more in STAND A rather 1 compartment, Rockys (G.graphurus).

So today I went about clearing up his compartment for what I now have in mind...a compartment filled with Filter Feeders and NPS, one of the great reasons this should work well is because the large structure in his compartment (largest of them all) not only offers places for corals that need light, but in return has created many dark regions in the lower portions of the tank and beneath the plateaus etc.

So I placed the gorgs on the base of Rockys compartment and now have in mind other similar filter feeders like the sun tubestra or / and maybe a pure black tubestra, the Dendro's I think would look great hanging upside down under the plateaus.

In order to kick up the flow I simply added another powerhead to the compartment, it's now a very small tundra and I think the gorgs are enjoying it, they are already open after a few hours.

STRAIGHT AFTER PLACING THE GORGS INTO THEIR NEW HOME.




AFTER A FEW HOURS IN THEIR NEW HOME THEY BEGIN TO OPEN.



More to come as I write this the last 2 photos taken were a few hours ago and they have now nearly completely opened up! :bounce1:

 

[Kharn]

I also purchased more Orange Corallimorph Mushrooms today seeing as they had more in stock but this time Larger and in single form (rather then like 15+ on a rock) so I snapped up a few of the best I could see!

Slowly but surely Tintin (G.ternatensis) will have a substrate of just Orange Mushies!


More to come about to take pics of the Gorgs and their progression

 

[Kharn]

Here are the latest pics of the Gorgs around 6hours after adding them...

The Red & Yellow one has opened up a lot more but still has a fair bit to go.



However the Purple Gorg has nearly opened completely and looks really nice!



The resident Stomatopod, Rocky (G.graphurus) together with the Purple Gorg.


More to come :wavehand:

 

[TundraGuy]

Are you sure you want to have a section in this system that will require constant liquid/suspended feedings. I know you are upgrading the system with the sumps and skimmer yet I am pondering the effects this may have.

 

[Fartin'Gary]

Those purple gorgs look awesome!

 

[Kharn]

Are you sure you want to have a section in this system that will require constant liquid/suspended feedings. I know you are upgrading the system with the sumps and skimmer yet I am pondering the effects this may have.

Well STAND A is still going to be dominated by mushrooms (Ric's/Rhodacts/Corallimorphs) aside this compartment, I see the feedings as a good thing due to the compartments small size in relation to the systems overall size (40L compartment, 190L system), so I hope that all the other corals/mushies including the refugium eat any left overs .

If it were the whole STAND then I think I would need some SERIOUS filtration...

Those purple gorgs look awesome!

Yeah I love them they look really bright, I think a gorg/nps tank can be deceitful, with only the blue lights I don't really see anything "glow" let alone any colors aside blue...but when the white comes on they really come out a lot!

 

[Kharn]

Here is a really nice shot I got of Nicole (G.ternatensis) earlier this morning as she was scurrying about her now vast Ric Garden. :bounce1:



More to come as I am about to do a Gorg update! :wildone:

 

[Kharn]

Rockys compartment the soon to be NPS/Filter Feeding compartment underwent it's first 'Dump Feed' today and the Gorgs responded positively!


Here are the Gorgs Pre Feeding, along with Rocky wanting to get in the shot...



Close Up of Poly Extensions Pre Feeding


The Dump Feeding which consists of Reef Roids, Lobster Eggs, Mysis & Brine Shrimp.



More to come!

 

[ArmasCG]

Beautiful set up you have there. Whenever I feed some of my micro food for my feather duster worm my mantis goes NUTS from the smell. She gets very upset if I don't include bigger prey just for her!

 

[Kharn]

Beautiful set up you have there. Whenever I feed some of my micro food for my feather duster worm my mantis goes NUTS from the smell. She gets very upset if I don't include bigger prey just for her!

There are some large Mysis / Brine in the 'soup' that I dump in more then large enough for the Stomatopod to notice and capture then snack on, a few of them will probably temporarily fill the Stomatopod.

The Lobster Eggs and Reef Roids are typical for the corals alone as they are both too small to be captured / noticed by the Stomatopods.

 

[Kharn]

An idea I have....

Below is the basic concept of Rockys compartment and how his DIY PVC burrow sits within the compartment, more importantly the various places I can place these NPS/Filter Feeders, Ironically this compartment is the 1 compartment that is 'darkest' due to the towering DIY PVC Burrow (the largest active one to date) it takes up half of the compartment itself and then shadows a majority of the front half it doesn't occupy.

To boost flow I added a second powerhead there are now 2 Tunze Turbelle Nano Stream 6015 in this small 40L compartment creating a nice strong flow throughout it entirety (note the powerhead was added when the Gorgs were).

The only thing I am wondering about currently is to what would go well with the NPS/Filter Feeders and isn't apart of their 'group' or simply something I can place 'in direct' light (where the ??? are on the diagram).

I'm more then aware most of these NPS/Filter Feeders are deemed difficult to maintain but I want to give it a shot and I have a strong feeling...the compartment although only 40L is in direct link with a large 190L system and 60L of it is pure refugium.



Comments, Ideas, opinions appreciated!

 

[TundraGuy]

This is the middle tank right? If so can i suggest or ask if you are going to set it up this way with the new overflow boxes coming in will you be able to turn off the return pump going to this one tank, keeping running to the others? Letting the powerheads move the food around for a while then simply reopen the return valve to this tank and flush away the leftovers? Or is the upper tank draining into this tank then down again to the lower tank then the sump? I would love to see it set with its own overflow box/return, I think this will facilitate better feedings to the NPS and have less waste of the food reacting other areas that will not be able to utilize the food. What do think?

 

[Kharn]

This is the middle tank right? If so can i suggest or ask if you are going to set it up this way with the new overflow boxes coming in will you be able to turn off the return pump going to this one tank, keeping running to the others? Letting the powerheads move the food around for a while then simply reopen the return valve to this tank and flush away the leftovers? Or is the upper tank draining into this tank then down again to the lower tank then the sump? I would love to see it set with its own overflow box/return, I think this will facilitate better feedings to the NPS and have less waste of the food reacting other areas that will not be able to utilize the food. What do think?

This is the Bottom Tank.

However what I do is something you already suggested, at feeding times I simply switch the main pump (overall circulation) off, then once the Middle & Top Tank have drained down a little into the Bottom Tank, thus separating off every compartment (the water drains down just below the top of the dividers, remember there are no holes in the dividers, water must flow over).

Anyway once the water has drained and the compartments now there own temporary tanks (mind you the powerheads in each are still going), then I dump feed the lone compartment with the NPS/filter feeders which has 2 powerheads (kept on during feed) instead of the others and their lone powerheads.

This way only the 1 compartment gets the large dump feed, after about 10-15mins I switch the pump back on and things go back to normal.

EDIT: It's hard to imagine (through sheer failure in design) that the tanks 'drain' in a 'zig-zag' pattern, the first compartment (the one with the return in it) is the first in line, then the one beside it and so on, currently the NPS/Filter Feeding tank is 1 compartment in front of the Sump/Filtration, it would be easy to make it the LAST compartment or rather the lone compartment that made actual contact with the sump.

 

[Kharn]

You know I love paint....



In this image it details how compartment 5 is the current NPS/Filter Feeding compartment however it would be easy to change this to compartment 6 the one that holds the overflow and is directly linked to the sump itself.

 

[TundraGuy]

Got it. Now about making a video walking up to the stands will make my day.

 

[Kharn]

Due to the lack of a PC which will probably stay this way for the next week...most things "entertaining" have come to a halt however the good news is that I don't need a PC to pick up pen and paper!

In saying that I have begun works on the concept art of 'Kharn the Mantis-Man' with around half a dozen sketches completed so far!

Ironically my single biggest challenge has been the legs and specifically the feet so far the plan is to make his legs thick and powerful since Kharn is bipedal unlike the Stomatopods twiggy 6 legs.

As for the design, I have taken crab legs etc but with a much more bulky musculature overall tone, the feet are sharp, thick, 'spikes'. Think Davy Jones Lobster Leg .

The basic concept of just how Kharn stands on these 'tips' is simple...he is very heavy (most of him is solid chitin armour) mixed in with him being very physically strong simply means that with each step he takes his spike feet penetrate the ground a good foot deep or more...

More to come

 

[Kharn]

Back to reality again, Morgoth recently successfully under went a molt, he is certainly larger then 6inchs/150mm...if I recall correctly L.sulcata only get to 6inchs long...

 

[Kharn]

Had a very tense moment today with my largest smasher The Kraken...

Too make matters worse there was a blackout at my home all day whilst I was at work...

When I got home I knew I had to check the tanks as the power came on as I got home...for 8 hours it was out.

Thankfully all tanks are fine but something was wrong with my lone small O.scyllarus...he was 'hugging' the powerhead and at first I just dismissed it then it dawned on me...

The Kraken was tired/lethargic and I saw why...1 of his dactyls was wedged rite through the bars of the powerhead...he had been stuck there for who knows how long but when I moved the powerhead and he lazily rolled off I freaked!!!

He was hanging motionless with dactyl stuck in powerhead, instantly I grabbed for my sharp needle nose cutters and broke off the 2 bars that prevented his freedom...

The small O.scyllarus fell slowly to the floor barely moving the 1 dactyl that was stuck...he slowly came to with dactyl still held out, I think there is damage but I am just happy to see him regaining health!

 

[Kharn]

I have a pic but don't know how to upload from phone since my PC is still being fixed.