My Ultimate Multi Mantis System(s)
- Thread starter Kharn
- Start date
Kharn
MANTISMAN
That sounds possible.
Having said that I really don't see the need for pumps in these much more simpler less complex burrows, they will still achieve their purpose, a place of complete darkness for the Stomatopod to call home, along with receive good flow within it due to its simple interior, upside down 'T'.
I know the pumps aren't large but when you have so many tanks, you try to save on electricity where ever you can...and equipment is only designed to break so you buy more of it (imo) so I prefer to go without where I can.
Just last night I was blown away by the effective simplicity of a fellow reefers display tank, it was a large 3x3x1.5 cube / frag tank and it had lots of nice phat chunk corals all healthy and full. I knew that when he was going to show me below the tank it would put all my filtration to shame...
But I was left speechless...The only thing he has filtering that massive tank is a tiny 2 foot refuigium, nothing else....his only equipment, 1 good light, 1 Good return pump, 2 good powerheads!
His tank is extremely healthy, it made me think a lot about my skimmers...
The large tubs I have bought for sumps could easily be made into fuges and they would be huge...with the possibility of getting back the Top Tank in each STAND and turning them into Displays instead of Refugiums...
It gave me a lot to think about.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
The NEW DIY PVC Fake Wall Burrow has been sitting in this tank for a while now and should be good to go very soon (tonight) all I need do is drill a hole in one of the top corners for the pump that sits behind it hidden and creates flow in the main compartment.
We will see the difference between this compartment and the 1 beside it once this new burrow is in place
I have a distinct feeling the compartment will look larger...
More to come!
We will see the difference between this compartment and the 1 beside it once this new burrow is in place
I have a distinct feeling the compartment will look larger...More to come!
Kharn
MANTISMAN
One last look at Tintins current compartment layout
It's going to be completely gutted...everything removed including substrate, I will then place some substrate back but only the large chunks of dead coral and only enough to jusssst cover the front of the tanks base (I will place the wall in first then the substrate after).
It's going to be completely gutted...everything removed including substrate, I will then place some substrate back but only the large chunks of dead coral and only enough to jusssst cover the front of the tanks base (I will place the wall in first then the substrate after).
TundraGuy
MantisOholic
If you have no fish and don't feed a tank much a skimmer will never pull anything. Couple that with water changes and keeping good water is easy without a skimmer. But your setup with the NPCs having a skimmer is a good thing trust me. A alagy scrubber will out perform a fuge gallon for gallon every time. The best reefs I have ever had the pleasure of seeing have all used skimmers some of them have used fuges. The fuges have always been used for the added diversity of fauna.
My vote is you go with the sumps and skimmers. You already have the macro growing throughout the setup. Adding a big fuge may help keep things more stable but I think a skimmer will do the same in a different way. The skimmer removes elements from the water that are simply being bound up in your water column. Adding a alagy scrubber to your system would be an easy up grade to your sumps. You can use the drains from the upper tanks to feed a manifold that pours water over a screen with red white and blue LEDs to grow HA. Set up a manifold to feed the tanks from the return pump and ato to the sump and done your upgrade will be done. This is what I would do. Sounds complex but its very simplistic in reality.
My vote is you go with the sumps and skimmers. You already have the macro growing throughout the setup. Adding a big fuge may help keep things more stable but I think a skimmer will do the same in a different way. The skimmer removes elements from the water that are simply being bound up in your water column. Adding a alagy scrubber to your system would be an easy up grade to your sumps. You can use the drains from the upper tanks to feed a manifold that pours water over a screen with red white and blue LEDs to grow HA. Set up a manifold to feed the tanks from the return pump and ato to the sump and done your upgrade will be done. This is what I would do. Sounds complex but its very simplistic in reality.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Well here it is, the end result of my NEW DIY PVC Fake Wall Burrow
Turned out exactly how I planned it to and the dimensions are PERFECT, I had to wedge it into place so any larger and it wouldn't of fit and any slimmer and it would of likely had wide gaps on the sides...but it really turned out perrrrfectly
More to come as Tintin adjusts to his new compartment
kind of wish I did this BEFORE giving him the small Octopus to battle...thus the camera would of captured everything xD...
Turned out exactly how I planned it to and the dimensions are PERFECT, I had to wedge it into place so any larger and it wouldn't of fit and any slimmer and it would of likely had wide gaps on the sides...but it really turned out perrrrfectly
More to come as Tintin adjusts to his new compartment
kind of wish I did this BEFORE giving him the small Octopus to battle...thus the camera would of captured everything xD...
Kharn
MANTISMAN
I must of struck a chord with this new DIY design, as soon as Tintin was reintroduced to the tank he instantly went from critter keeper to new burrow entrance and hasn't come out since, I have seen his curious little head poke out now and then so I am happy that he seems to be happy .
More to come!
.More to come!
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Kharn
MANTISMAN
Here is a shot detailing the now very clear difference between my Ricordea Compartment Garden (Left) & My Rhodactid Garden (Right), they share the same tank in the same system but are split into equal halves via a permanent fixed in place heavy duty divider (for the Stomatopods...).
It's easy to see how the left compartment has no hiding places aside that of the burrow itself which will also make it easier to cover the tank in colorful corals.
More to come
It's easy to see how the left compartment has no hiding places aside that of the burrow itself which will also make it easier to cover the tank in colorful corals
.More to come
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Yeah and the little male Ternatensis Tintin, seems more then happy with his new home...he is already actively defending it...
Another success! :celeb1:
Kharn
MANTISMAN
A certain something got me interested whilst looking at the end product of this...
It may sound random and maybe a bit to far a stretch but...
With my plans for making much larger (3x as large) DIY PVC Fake Wall Burrows, I have thought about the possibilities of what I could do with large spearers and these DIY PVC Fake Wall Burrows... the best candidate is none other then the biggest of them all L.maculata simply because I KNOW they are one very tough hardy species and "commonly" available, easy to locate/identify.
Point is it's not uncommon as many know for L.maculata to live out their lives inside PVC inevitably after a long period of time they loose the ability to build burrows in sand, to me this trade of is not good unless...
I can make a unique DIY PVC Fake Wall Burrow!
Not necessarily for the sake of seeing it more whilst INSIDE the burrow but for the odd/slight/unlikely chance that when in a position like this the animal itself might perhaps come out of the burrow more frequently to forage.
I have never ever seen my L.maculata completely since it has gone into its tank.
This is just some food for thought on the future as the only way I am taring that STAND down to make a new one is if I tare it all down and start again
...in a few years 
.
It may sound random and maybe a bit to far a stretch but...
With my plans for making much larger (3x as large) DIY PVC Fake Wall Burrows, I have thought about the possibilities of what I could do with large spearers and these DIY PVC Fake Wall Burrows... the best candidate is none other then the biggest of them all L.maculata simply because I KNOW they are one very tough hardy species and "commonly" available, easy to locate/identify.
Point is it's not uncommon as many know for L.maculata to live out their lives inside PVC inevitably after a long period of time they loose the ability to build burrows in sand, to me this trade of is not good unless...
I can make a unique DIY PVC Fake Wall Burrow!
Not necessarily for the sake of seeing it more whilst INSIDE the burrow but for the odd/slight/unlikely chance that when in a position like this the animal itself might perhaps come out of the burrow more frequently to forage.
I have never ever seen my L.maculata completely since it has gone into its tank.
This is just some food for thought on the future as the only way I am taring that STAND down to make a new one is if I tare it all down and start again
...in a few years .
Kharn
MANTISMAN
This new DIY PVC Fake Wall Burrow design got me thinking about something whilst looking into Rockys compartment, the NPS/Filter Feeder Compartment...
As those of you know who have followed diligently in my most recent posts that one of the reasons for the whole remake of these burrows is because I wanted to get back lost space.
The largest current DIY PVC Fake Wall Burrow is within Rockys compartment with the NPS/Filter Feeders, simply because Rockys compartment is 4inchs taller then the tanks above.
Anyway my plan is to do with Rocky what I have done with Tintin, create a fake wall but this time take things a little further!...
Basically there are only going to be 3 major types of Filter Feeders within the compartment itself, Tubastreas, Gorgonians & Dendros, their placement is easily described...
The Gorgonians will adorn the SIDE walls of the compartment, since both are black and cannot be viewed through I thought why not use the space and the horizontal suspended in the water column look will I think look awesome! Even better if Rocky wants to play jungle gym amongst it all once its all done.
The Tubastrea will dominate the base/substrate, much like the orange morphs/common ric's of the other compartments bases, this one will be the same (1 type of coral).
The Dendros will be scattered upon the DIY PVC Fake Wall Burrow, even then I may only get 1 or 2, 3 tops...
More to come
As those of you know who have followed diligently in my most recent posts that one of the reasons for the whole remake of these burrows is because I wanted to get back lost space.
The largest current DIY PVC Fake Wall Burrow is within Rockys compartment with the NPS/Filter Feeders, simply because Rockys compartment is 4inchs taller then the tanks above.
Anyway my plan is to do with Rocky what I have done with Tintin, create a fake wall but this time take things a little further!
...Basically there are only going to be 3 major types of Filter Feeders within the compartment itself, Tubastreas, Gorgonians & Dendros, their placement is easily described...
The Gorgonians will adorn the SIDE walls of the compartment, since both are black and cannot be viewed through I thought why not use the space and the horizontal suspended in the water column look will I think look awesome! Even better if Rocky wants to play jungle gym amongst it all once its all done
.The Tubastrea will dominate the base/substrate, much like the orange morphs/common ric's of the other compartments bases, this one will be the same (1 type of coral).
The Dendros will be scattered upon the DIY PVC Fake Wall Burrow, even then I may only get 1 or 2, 3 tops...
More to come
TundraGuy
MantisOholic
Love it. So I am on the same page with you. Sound like you will build a 3 sided false wall with caves (PVC) with larger overhanging shelfs on the back wall to suspend the dendros from? Sounds like when looking into this compartment one would get the feeling of looking into a crevis of a drop off reef. Can't wait to see it my Aussie friend.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
For the most part you are correct.
The rear wall of the compartment and both sides will consist of a "fake wall" however the side 'fake walls' will fit rite up against the sides...
However I want the rear wall to be "angled" where it comes away from the rear of tank at the top whilst the bottom is against the tanks rear creating this effect if viewed from the side " |/ " the vertical line is the rear of the tank, the slanted line is the 'Rear Fake Wall'. By doing this I will gain the extra space at the rear on the base whilst also creating a dark area from the overhang above and also maintaining space above for the powerheads.
Large plateaus will be in place lining the rear wall from side wall to side wall and beneath them the Dendros will hang.
I would make the side walls accessible to the stomatopod with a unique 3 wall burrow but the compartment is to small, it's only 300mm wide and with the burrows being at least 2.5-3inchs wide...that's halving the overall width...an idea in place but better suited for a larger tank with no divider splitting it....
STAND B.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Baby steps
...I don't want to deal with the SPS challenge whilst I consider myself still fairly new at the NPS/Filter Feeders...I'd rather get something else to fill the top maybe not coral related...perhaps "up there", something like Christmas Tree worms could be "safe" from the predation of....Rocky -_-, something I doubt but it could be worth a shot and I am sure the little filter feeding colorful fan worms will enjoy the large food dump that the NPS/Filter Feeders get...
not sure bit of a stab in the dark xD...
Kharn
MANTISMAN
I rethought the whole "angled" designed and decided against it, I am mostly worried about the Dendros and their reaction to light and the entire plan was to only keep as I said 1-2-3 tops...
So rather then devote the rear wall into catering for possibly more, I am going to just use plateaus as places they can hang beneath where they will receive NO direct light.
I think in the end this compartment will be the most interesting of STAND A seeing as the other 3 compartments are going to be Ricordea - Rhodactid/Morph - Zoanthid, it DOES make me wonder though....whether I should maybe hold back on the compartment...
As I've said in the past the NPS compartment (Rockys) is the 2nd last in the line before hitting the filter/(soon to be sump), with Megatron beside him in the current Refugium being the last in line.
Maybe it could / would be wiser to wait until the sumps arrive, then SWAP Megatron & Rocky, thus putting the future Zoa garden in front of the NPS compartment and the NPS compartment being directly in front of the Sump....
In all reality I think what would be best is actually having the NPS compartment as the very first compartment, where the water from the sump returns to the system, thus after feedings and when the system is switched back on all the other 5 compartments in the chain to follow could benefit from the leftovers of the NPS feeding...
Food for thought.
So rather then devote the rear wall into catering for possibly more, I am going to just use plateaus as places they can hang beneath where they will receive NO direct light.
I think in the end this compartment will be the most interesting of STAND A seeing as the other 3 compartments are going to be Ricordea - Rhodactid/Morph - Zoanthid, it DOES make me wonder though....whether I should maybe hold back on the compartment...
As I've said in the past the NPS compartment (Rockys) is the 2nd last in the line before hitting the filter/(soon to be sump), with Megatron beside him in the current Refugium being the last in line.
Maybe it could / would be wiser to wait until the sumps arrive, then SWAP Megatron & Rocky, thus putting the future Zoa garden in front of the NPS compartment and the NPS compartment being directly in front of the Sump....
In all reality I think what would be best is actually having the NPS compartment as the very first compartment, where the water from the sump returns to the system, thus after feedings and when the system is switched back on all the other 5 compartments in the chain to follow could benefit from the leftovers of the NPS feeding...
Food for thought
.Those things are AWESOME. They don't really look like shrimp, though, or even like something that belongs on Earth.
I know they're fully capable of it, but do smashers hunt fish? As in, if you have a well-fed smasher in a tank with some fish that aren't gobies or other tunneling fish, are they safe? I know this probably depends on the shrimp, but as a general rule... Dead fish?
I know they're fully capable of it, but do smashers hunt fish? As in, if you have a well-fed smasher in a tank with some fish that aren't gobies or other tunneling fish, are they safe? I know this probably depends on the shrimp, but as a general rule... Dead fish?
H.reidi.MN
New member
Whether its a goby or not doesn't really matter. Most mantis shrimp have the capability to hunt and kill any fish it chooses too...
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