My Ultimate Multi Mantis System(s)

[Kharn]

Originally Posted by TundraGuy

Bump.

Hey where are you mounting the beer kegerator? I am not seeing this in your plans and I looked!

As odd as it may sound....I HATE alcohol....can't stand the taste of the vile stuff

[Kharn]

Originally Posted by Peter T

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]

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

[kubbur]

Congrats on the setup, one thing that I didn't really get is why you wont connect all the stands togeather for more stable water, it could be done with some easy pluggable fittings if mobility is an issue, also, have you looked into algae scrubbers?

[Kharn]

Originally Posted by kubbur

Congrats on the setup, one thing that I didn't really get is why you wont connect all the stands togeather for more stable water, it could be done with some easy pluggable fittings if mobility is an issue, also, have you looked into algae scrubbers?

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.

[kubbur]

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/sh....php?t=2143430

[TundraGuy]

Kharn ok no Keg. A guy can dream.
The watt per gallon thing is from a time when lighting sucked and was closely relative one to another. But with the advent of LEDs watt per gallon has become obsolete. The truth is it’s all about the par values!

[Kharn]

Originally Posted by TundraGuy

Kharn ok no Keg. A guy can dream.
The watt per gallon thing is from a time when lighting sucked and was closely relative one to another. But with the advent of LEDs watt per gallon has become obsolete. The truth is it’s all about the par values!

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]

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.

[Kharn]

=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 =)

[TundraGuy]

hey did you ever set up the large edge yet?

[Kharn]

Originally Posted by TundraGuy

hey did you ever set up the large edge yet?

Nope never went down that road and probably won't either.....It's not that I found "something" out about them its just that for what I have in mind with Zuzu, its just far to small, I want the Nano for Zuzu to be plumbed into a sump so I can put some nice coral in it, I am currently working on a design perhaps a 40L DT & 40L sump not sure yet but I am fairly positive Zuzu will not be phased by the brighter lights (for the corals).

For Zuzu's next tank I want it to be a really good setup, sump, skimmer, DSB, Refugium all the bells and whistles! I have already found a REALLY CHEAP HOB Ecosystem that is for sale locally, they normally sell for $400+ because they come with literally everything like lighting etc but this guy is selling his untouched brand new one for $150 (it came with something he bought but has no use for it).

http://www.ecosystemaquarium.com/pro...ob-system.html I can't justify a price of $400-$500 for this thing in box....but I can justify it at $150 =)

[Kharn]

ARRIVAL OF TANKS = 21HOURS!!!

But hey I'm not counting.....

HHHHHHNNNNGGGG!!!!

[TundraGuy]

I want so many pix it should shut down the server!
tanks on the truck.
tanks coming off the truck.
the empty space where the tanks will be sitting.
the full space where the tanks are placed while you build the stands.
the work space where your going to build the stands.
a pix of the mantis looking at you running around taking pix of everything.
lol........... yes I am excited for you.

[mndfreeze]

STOP LOOKING AT MY FUNNY I TOLD YOU OVER AND OVER IM NOT JEALOUS!#


./kicks empty soda can and mopes.

[TundraGuy]

yeah me neither!

[Kharn]

Thanks for the anticipation and enthusiasm fellas =) not long now just 9 hours!

Tomorrow I also endeavour to capture both Morgoth & Leviathan in order to put them in the temp tank so I can remove there current tank to make room for the new tanks lol...Unfortunately I was unable to get bread ties as the good Dr.Caldwell has stated he uses for his Noose/Lasoo kinda weird to be honest considering that one would think bread ties are easy to come by....so I will attempt to make the Noose out of a fine (1.7mm) 'Whippa Snippa' plastic cable not sure if it will work yet.....

Expect the next few posts to contain pics and details of the tanks as its getting late here and I don't think my enthusiasm/excitement can keep me up for much longer!

[TundraGuy]

Hey you better video the Lasoo thing for us "yehaw!" I so want to see what a severd finger looks like floting in a fish tank. um did i type that last part or just think it? hmmmm.........

[Kharn]

Tanks are officially in all are healthy and all are intact and all are damn sexy too! I am amazed at the professionalism that took place in the ordering, making, delivering and in just general chatting that I had with these guys.

Needless to say I got what I paid for!

All 8 Tanks in my garage taking up a good half of the garage...


Spearer tanks (closest one to camera is 700mm High one behind it is 600mm high, BOTH are just 150mm wide!)


2footer behind and 3 footer infront! Note the dividers are mostly in the 2 footers because the 2footers will be housing the smaller species like G.smithii


2 of 3 of the 3 footers the rear one is the only 3 footer with a divider.


One of the magnificent looking dividers, will it hold up against the smashers ? Time will tell....If you look closely at the newspaper underneath the tank the headline reads "LETS GET TO WORK!" I certainly shall!


The Dividers on the few tanks that have them are marvelous in looks, I just hope they hold up to the larger smashers which I am sure they will, the black "plastic" used for them is very thick, all these tanks are "tanks" slightly thicker glass SPECIALLY the 2 spearer tanks (10-12mm thick!) the craftsmanship is amazing so slick & clean!

Now to get painting!

[Kharn]

It was too good too be true...although this is no sort of incident it does need to be resolved... The tank lids are done really well but they only work in 1 sort of way (this is just for the 2foot & 3foot tanks) there is glass edges/rims around the inside of the tanks, on these are a black plastic almost second rim, the lids for the tanks are divided length ways making rectangles rather then halved through the center making almost cubes.

There is 1 rectangle lid that sits on top of the black plastic rim, whilst the lid in the front (the one with the handle on it) slides under the rear one so it slides back and forward rather then needing to totally remove either lid for maintenance/feeding etc.

Just 1 of these black plastic rims are missing but because of the design I cannot use lids on that side of the tank for now...they also didn't supply me lids for the tall thin long tanks which I am curious about.

Both questions have been raised to the maker/store.

You can see the tank in the rear with the red circle where the missing black plastic rim should be but its missing? I know its a mistake cause its the only tank with it missing. I thought it would be a simple fix as I have that stuff laying around but to no avail its a different shape to the ones of my other tanks that I have.

I also have to figure out a way to mantis proof the bulk head the diameter of the gaps I have are about 32mm and I need to prevent 50mm sized stomatopods from curiously falling into them xD thinking about fly mesh but not sure as it might restrict flow too much....ideas be good and appreciated

[lionbacker54]

sorry to hear, hope this issue gets resolved quickly.

by the way, thanks for this awesome thread. we are all living vicariously through you.

[Kharn]

Originally Posted by lionbacker54

sorry to hear, hope this issue gets resolved quickly.

by the way, thanks for this awesome thread. we are all living vicariously through you.

Well Luckily the piece that is missing (that black plastic rim) isn't going to slow me down in terms of overall setup process just a minor annoyance, today after I get back from breakfast, I'll begin to fix the bulkheads in place and then paint the back and sides of the tanks black.

Should look good in the end.

[funkngroovy]

Can you cover those holes with plastic gutter guard instead of fly screen? The maximum hole size on that stuff is 8mm and does not restrict flow.

[Kharn]

Originally Posted by funkngroovy

Can you cover those holes with plastic gutter guard instead of fly screen? The maximum hole size on that stuff is 8mm and does not restrict flow.

I will likely do this however I have thought about another area that I could go to as well, since the holes aren't "HIGH" pressure areas I have thought about using typical floor drains that you might see in a bathroom (the plastic ones not the steel ones). Because the holes are drilled to fit 32mm bulkheads I am assuming that the 32mm is quite a common size as far as PVC parts go so I hope to find them since it would solve my problem and still look really neat and tidy.

Much like this they come with many types of holes circular, square, spiral etc.

[TundraGuy]

you lucky lucky guy.
look at all the fun your about to have!
did you start the steel work yet.
sorry don't want to sound pushy but can't wait to see this develop