My Ultimate Multi Mantis System(s)
- Thread starter Kharn
- Start date
Kharn
MANTISMAN
The freshwater in there is a test, the Poly Pipe started to leak last night!!
So I pulled the piping apart, wrapped some teflon tape around the threads and used PVC cement to help bond it all and make it water tight.
Picking up sand, water and live rock today to get it cycling ASAP
As far as the Live Rock goes in this tank I am not sure if I am going to keep it in there long term, I am more likely to just use the Live Rock for the duration of the cycle and maybe sometime after, the current plan is to divide both tanks on STAND C with eggcrate sheeting (neatly) running a length along the bottom of the tank then running a length up the middle of the tank (upside down 'T'), Morgoth is going in the top tank whilst Leviathan shall reside in the slightly larger bottom tank, the live rock in each tank will be in the vacant half that isn't being occupied by a spearer currently but when I get another 2 the live rock will have to go cause there will be next to no space....
There is a good 2 feet of open space behind each stand for future modifications like if I want to add sump(s) behind the stands.
Lol you can see Randy Couture in the reflection of the top tank and even he is cheering for me =P
I really want to get water in this or more importantly the 2 large spearers so it MUST start cycling today! I just need to go to a greek food festival we got on down here first as it only comes around once a year and the food is to DIE for!
EDIT: I do not want Live Rock in the spearer tanks (in the end) because it will also create places for "prey" to run and hide in which is def going to happen when ever I give them live food and the primary design of the tank is for maximum live food viewing, filming, photographing etc.
So I pulled the piping apart, wrapped some teflon tape around the threads and used PVC cement to help bond it all and make it water tight.
Picking up sand, water and live rock today to get it cycling ASAP
As far as the Live Rock goes in this tank I am not sure if I am going to keep it in there long term, I am more likely to just use the Live Rock for the duration of the cycle and maybe sometime after, the current plan is to divide both tanks on STAND C with eggcrate sheeting (neatly) running a length along the bottom of the tank then running a length up the middle of the tank (upside down 'T'), Morgoth is going in the top tank whilst Leviathan shall reside in the slightly larger bottom tank, the live rock in each tank will be in the vacant half that isn't being occupied by a spearer currently but when I get another 2 the live rock will have to go cause there will be next to no space....
There is a good 2 feet of open space behind each stand for future modifications like if I want to add sump(s) behind the stands.
Lol you can see Randy Couture in the reflection of the top tank and even he is cheering for me =P
I really want to get water in this or more importantly the 2 large spearers so it MUST start cycling today! I just need to go to a greek food festival we got on down here first as it only comes around once a year and the food is to DIE for!
EDIT: I do not want Live Rock in the spearer tanks (in the end) because it will also create places for "prey" to run and hide in which is def going to happen when ever I give them live food and the primary design of the tank is for maximum live food viewing, filming, photographing etc.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Ok so today I went and got the sand / water to start cycling the new tanks, I forgot to get Live Rock so I just chucked a piece in each compartment from my current 'temp tank' although it is "practically" done, I still want more sand in both tanks particularly the top tank its just that.......I bought all of my LFS aragonite sand lol so now they have none left till there next shipment, admittedly they were low on it anyway something I prayed to not happen -_- so I got 100Kg's of Aragonite sand splitting it into 2/3 (bottom tank) 1/3 top tank, I'll top them both up this coming weekend.
Here is how STAND C looks now and will look in the end with a bit more sand lol.... (- live rock in each compartment and + mantis in each compartment :frog
.
STAND C (overall)
STAND C (top tank) (needs twice the amount of Aragonite sand currently in it).
STAND C (bottom tank) (needs about another 7.5cm -10cm depth of Aragonite sand)
More to come can't wait for this baby to be cycled and ready to take on my current large spearers and by dividing the tanks well its obvious that I want 2 more large spearers :lmao:.
Here is how STAND C looks now and will look in the end with a bit more sand lol.... (- live rock in each compartment and + mantis in each compartment :frog
.STAND C (overall)
STAND C (top tank) (needs twice the amount of Aragonite sand currently in it).
STAND C (bottom tank) (needs about another 7.5cm -10cm depth of Aragonite sand)
More to come can't wait for this baby to be cycled and ready to take on my current large spearers and by dividing the tanks well its obvious that I want 2 more large spearers :lmao:.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
One thing I have noticed which is a good & bad thing I guess.....
The FX5 output is to powerful for a 32mm dia hole to push water through, if the FX5 is left on full flow, the top tank overflows because the 32mm dia cannot handle the amount of flow coming from the FX5 if the FX5 is on full, by halving the flow of the FX5 (twisting the knobs on top) I have slowed the flow down dramatically and I kept fidgeting with it last night to get the most flow I can but at the same time retaining a static (not changing) top tank water line.
What this tells me is that I will need to do the same with the other 2 stands in order to slow there flow down, SO basically what I am getting at is........I DO NOT need those DIY difusers that I got in and made up since the FX5 itself can slow the incoming water down, this is good because it gives a lot more room in each of the compartments that were going to house the DIY difusers!
To my knowledge (I'm about 75% sure about this) as far as canister filters go and there mechanics, is that you can slow the OUTPUT down to as much as needed but you CANNOT change the INPUT because it can damage the canister filter internally, luckily the INPUT doesn't fall into any problems being on full "suck".
The FX5 output is to powerful for a 32mm dia hole to push water through, if the FX5 is left on full flow, the top tank overflows because the 32mm dia cannot handle the amount of flow coming from the FX5 if the FX5 is on full, by halving the flow of the FX5 (twisting the knobs on top) I have slowed the flow down dramatically and I kept fidgeting with it last night to get the most flow I can but at the same time retaining a static (not changing) top tank water line.
What this tells me is that I will need to do the same with the other 2 stands in order to slow there flow down, SO basically what I am getting at is........I DO NOT need those DIY difusers that I got in and made up since the FX5 itself can slow the incoming water down, this is good because it gives a lot more room in each of the compartments that were going to house the DIY difusers!
To my knowledge (I'm about 75% sure about this) as far as canister filters go and there mechanics, is that you can slow the OUTPUT down to as much as needed but you CANNOT change the INPUT because it can damage the canister filter internally, luckily the INPUT doesn't fall into any problems being on full "suck".
TheFishTeen
New member
The concept applies to all pumps or pump-driven units, not specifically canister filters. Usually (if not always), the output can be valved down and restricted without putting damaging pressure on the pump or the impeller. But restricting the input can and in most cases, will.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
I thought so I just can't recall where I read about it.
Thanks for clarification though makes me feel more comfortable now.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
Whilst it may be possible to do that, I do not have it nor can I get it from anywhere local, however I did get some of that Seachem "Stability" which kick starts the cycle with bacteria, so I am not sure how long it will take but I do know that the full 4-6weeks won't necessarily be needed for the cycle, if I recall rite..............I actually added Morgoth (my first spearer) to its tank 2 weeks after setup and well its obvious he wasn't phased since he is still with me now =).
Whenever the tests read stable is when I will add them =).
Kharn
MANTISMAN
STAND C - officially finished (cycling).
Ok, so today I went back to the LFS and bargained with a different staff member into buying the rest of the Aragonite sand they had in stock which I saw in there warehouse yesterday whilst the member from yesterday took me out back (wrong move) to show me what they had stating how the bags I got today were to be sold with kits as total setups.
Anyway, I got a dif staff member today and asked him about the aragonite sand he said they had basically none but he thought he saw some out the back earlier I confirmed it stating it was actually rhetorical, making me gain a strange confused look from him.
So I took the last 100kg's of Aragonite sand they had out back too leaving the store with none xD but hey...they are there to sell stuff rite, if not I take my cash else where =P.
Funny thing is I actually forgot to get media for the canister filter yesterday so I got it today (the primary reason I went to the LFS) the typical FX5 has 3 levels (baskets) outter rim is foam, the bottom center compartment is full of dead coral chunks 1-2inchs long per piece, the middle compartment is a 50/50 mix of dead coral chunks and seachem matrix (1L) (they didn't have any left in stock so I bought what they had left of the matrix...in theory I wanted to fill the canister with seachem matrix media). In the top compartment is Seachem DeNitrate (1L) & a large (1 full unit) of Chemi Pure Elite
Here is stand c now, with the increase depth in sand.
STAND C - overall
STAND C - top tank
STAND C - bottom tank
So now that it is cycling the only thing left to do is add Morgoth (Top Left) and Leviathan (Bottom Left), you can see in the Bottom Tank that there is already a hitch hiker, a chiton about 2inchs long.
Ok, so today I went back to the LFS and bargained with a different staff member into buying the rest of the Aragonite sand they had in stock which I saw in there warehouse yesterday whilst the member from yesterday took me out back (wrong move) to show me what they had stating how the bags I got today were to be sold with kits as total setups.
Anyway, I got a dif staff member today and asked him about the aragonite sand he said they had basically none but he thought he saw some out the back earlier I confirmed it stating it was actually rhetorical, making me gain a strange confused look from him.
So I took the last 100kg's of Aragonite sand they had out back too leaving the store with none xD but hey...they are there to sell stuff rite, if not I take my cash else where =P.
Funny thing is I actually forgot to get media for the canister filter yesterday so I got it today (the primary reason I went to the LFS) the typical FX5 has 3 levels (baskets) outter rim is foam, the bottom center compartment is full of dead coral chunks 1-2inchs long per piece, the middle compartment is a 50/50 mix of dead coral chunks and seachem matrix (1L) (they didn't have any left in stock so I bought what they had left of the matrix...in theory I wanted to fill the canister with seachem matrix media). In the top compartment is Seachem DeNitrate (1L) & a large (1 full unit) of Chemi Pure Elite
Here is stand c now, with the increase depth in sand.
STAND C - overall
STAND C - top tank
STAND C - bottom tank
So now that it is cycling the only thing left to do is add Morgoth (Top Left) and Leviathan (Bottom Left), you can see in the Bottom Tank that there is already a hitch hiker, a chiton about 2inchs long.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
STAND C was always going to be the most difficult system in all aspects from making the stands to setting it all up but now that it is done and cycling I can move to the easier, STAND A & B which are both slightly smaller in length (but hold 3 tanks instead of 2) also now that I have fidgeted with the FX5 more I have found my "Golden Zone Output" where by I can maximize the flow leaving the FX5 (since its not on full OUTPUT) whilst also maintaining the same level of water in both tanks along with getting the bulkhead of the bottom tank to be under water silencing it (if the bulk head is out of the water you hear a gluging/chugging noise).
I plan on getting both STAND A & B done this week and then running by the weekend, all I need to do is put the hoods on the stands drill the lights in the stands, the put each tank in place and I'm ready to fill them! Just that this whole spearers being without sand for long enough then dropping the ability to "manipulate" sand aka make burrows frightens me quite a bit and I want my spearers in there tanks ASAP!!
I plan on getting both STAND A & B done this week and then running by the weekend, all I need to do is put the hoods on the stands drill the lights in the stands, the put each tank in place and I'm ready to fill them! Just that this whole spearers being without sand for long enough then dropping the ability to "manipulate" sand aka make burrows frightens me quite a bit and I want my spearers in there tanks ASAP!!
Kharn
MANTISMAN
I can't help but wonder if I should put more Live Rock in the tanks to help aid in its cycling ?
Could there be anything else I could do to help aid the cycling (I don't want to say speed up xD cause it sounds negligent towards the stomatopods going in). Having said that anything I CAN DO to help "Aid/Speedup" the cycling process I would be willing to try for the sake of the spearers.
Seeing those stomatella made me wonder since they only really appear when tanks are healthy / cycled (or so I assume) I saw NONE in my large original tank that I had the spearers in DURING the cycle it was for 4-6weeks that I started to see them come out and then they just took over xD could see heaps everywhere, a welcome site in my view.
Not sure about chitons and how they tolerate things but I always assumed snails/slugs are very touchy and are the first (large) things to die off that you can see if things start to go bad/nasty, so seeing the stomatella made me wonder...
Any ideas / help be appreciated!
Could there be anything else I could do to help aid the cycling (I don't want to say speed up xD cause it sounds negligent towards the stomatopods going in). Having said that anything I CAN DO to help "Aid/Speedup" the cycling process I would be willing to try for the sake of the spearers.
Seeing those stomatella made me wonder since they only really appear when tanks are healthy / cycled (or so I assume) I saw NONE in my large original tank that I had the spearers in DURING the cycle it was for 4-6weeks that I started to see them come out and then they just took over xD could see heaps everywhere, a welcome site in my view.
Not sure about chitons and how they tolerate things but I always assumed snails/slugs are very touchy and are the first (large) things to die off that you can see if things start to go bad/nasty, so seeing the stomatella made me wonder...
Any ideas / help be appreciated!
Kharn
MANTISMAN
OK
So I mentioned a while back about a certain product that can help me make a "man made mantis home" and its pritty good stuff too, basically its man made live rock and they come in cubes/balls, basically I just plan on boring 2inch holes throughout each one and place each one in there own compartment, then to give it a more natural look, I'll hack around the edges of the hole so it looses that "perfect circle" shape making it more natural, along with hack off the corners/edges of the cube and in general just make it look more "natural" like a normal rock, once the algae does its job it will essentially be a normal rock just.
On the webpage of the site you can see an example of the stuff in a tank with fish and how they have been drilled and warped to look more natural, there are lots of caves and holes which on my first look at them, they seem PERFECT for a smashers home.
The Site: http://www.cermedia.com/marinepure.php
I figured I would probably get 1 (8"x8"x4") block per compartment as the primary home for each mantis within the compartment, I will likely put Live Rock rubble on top of this block along with around it to help it all look natural but in the end algae will do its job.
So I mentioned a while back about a certain product that can help me make a "man made mantis home" and its pritty good stuff too, basically its man made live rock and they come in cubes/balls, basically I just plan on boring 2inch holes throughout each one and place each one in there own compartment, then to give it a more natural look, I'll hack around the edges of the hole so it looses that "perfect circle" shape making it more natural, along with hack off the corners/edges of the cube and in general just make it look more "natural" like a normal rock, once the algae does its job it will essentially be a normal rock just.
On the webpage of the site you can see an example of the stuff in a tank with fish and how they have been drilled and warped to look more natural, there are lots of caves and holes which on my first look at them, they seem PERFECT for a smashers home.
The Site: http://www.cermedia.com/marinepure.php
I figured I would probably get 1 (8"x8"x4") block per compartment as the primary home for each mantis within the compartment, I will likely put Live Rock rubble on top of this block along with around it to help it all look natural but in the end algae will do its job.
TundraGuy
MantisOholic
Hey did not have time to post this but the reason you should not close off the inflow on a pump is for the same reason that mantis strikes register as two strikes for every one hit. Word of the day boys and girls …… wait for it……. Wait for it…….. “Cavitation”. Yea! Here is a link if you want more info on this affect (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavitation) AHHHHH. By closing off the inflow you case a low pressure area and allow for cavitation AHHHH bubbles to form. As most of you mantis junkies know when a smasher “hulk smashes” an objected the club moves so fast that once contact is made an a “cavitation” AHHHH bubble is formed. In essence hitting the object with an implosive force after the hammer blow.
Just thought you guys might get a kick out of the idea of shredding an impellor with the Powerball Z forces that mantis and pistol shrimp are so well known for.
Hey Kharn I hate to post this but I am doing it anyway………… Ever thought to use bird poop? No really I know that sounds crazy but check it. Birds have a very strong digestive system and brake down waist to a level that often times is white and a liquid. This white liquid from smaller birds is often time used to fast cycle systems in south east Asian public Aquariums. Reason being is the high concentrations of bacteria and waste (food source). The first time I heard of this trick I had to try it out. To my surprise it works. You’re not looking for large quantities of poop just a small scoop will do. I must add to this your results may vary. Lol Disclaimer.
On to the subject of the flow do yourself a favor and drill the other tanks and add a second drain to accommodate the full 900ish of the FX5s. The reason I am saying do it now is you know latter you’ll regret not doing it. As the canister gets clogged up this will lower the flow, now if you start them off pinched down your going to find them growing more limited. Remember this is you primary source of life support in these systems. If they become a hassle to you in maintaining the systems due to a simple drain (if your like me) you’ll take on the attitude of tear it down and rebuild it better! Or giving the systems less care as you get more frustrated with the upkeep.
Just thought you guys might get a kick out of the idea of shredding an impellor with the Powerball Z forces that mantis and pistol shrimp are so well known for.
Hey Kharn I hate to post this but I am doing it anyway………… Ever thought to use bird poop? No really I know that sounds crazy but check it. Birds have a very strong digestive system and brake down waist to a level that often times is white and a liquid. This white liquid from smaller birds is often time used to fast cycle systems in south east Asian public Aquariums. Reason being is the high concentrations of bacteria and waste (food source). The first time I heard of this trick I had to try it out. To my surprise it works. You’re not looking for large quantities of poop just a small scoop will do. I must add to this your results may vary. Lol Disclaimer.
On to the subject of the flow do yourself a favor and drill the other tanks and add a second drain to accommodate the full 900ish of the FX5s. The reason I am saying do it now is you know latter you’ll regret not doing it. As the canister gets clogged up this will lower the flow, now if you start them off pinched down your going to find them growing more limited. Remember this is you primary source of life support in these systems. If they become a hassle to you in maintaining the systems due to a simple drain (if your like me) you’ll take on the attitude of tear it down and rebuild it better! Or giving the systems less care as you get more frustrated with the upkeep.
Kharn
MANTISMAN
The thing is I never did want the full force of the FX5 because of the size of each compartment, too much flow would just turn things into a sand storm so by fidgeting with it on STAND C I have managed to find the perfectly flow speed for that stand, I am really happy with it.
By having this stand up and running it makes me a lot more comfortable about the other 2 stands now knowing how to fidget with things etc.
P.S. STAND B (3footers) is now complete (minus one light as I am using it on the "temp tank" but the holes are drilled for it and the cable setup. Will do STAND A tomorrow/today kinda late here gotta get sleep xD
By having this stand up and running it makes me a lot more comfortable about the other 2 stands now knowing how to fidget with things etc.
P.S. STAND B (3footers) is now complete (minus one light as I am using it on the "temp tank" but the holes are drilled for it and the cable setup. Will do STAND A tomorrow/today kinda late here gotta get sleep xD
TundraGuy
MantisOholic
That was good thinking on your part I foresee that not having any issues just keep them clean. You’re the man. I am sitting on pins and needles waiting to see your updates. Looking forward to a video displaying a wide angel panning from stand to stand to stand up and running. Setting up multiple displays for reptiles, snakes, lizards, extra , extra is a common practice in the states, but to see someone doing this for Mantis Shrimp just takes it to another level. Your basically setting up what most stores do to display and sell live stock. The main difference here aside from not being in a store is your doing this for the health of your pets. I frigg’en love it.
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