3gal Mantis Reef

[avalanche1201]

Hello and welcome to my thread. This tank has been up and running for about a year now and has gone through a few changes...It was once a reef tank but I have since moved everything out of this tank into my 24g Aquapod...it is now home to a Mantis.

 

What started off as a Mantis only with Live Rock is now slowly going to become a Mantis Reef tank. I hope you enjoy watching the tank unfold as a I frag some zoo's from my other tank and add them here as well as new purchases.

 

Besides Zoos I hope to add some colorful shrooms as well a candy cane or two.

 

Enjoy

(mantis tank starts on page 7 or click here)

 

Specs:

 

Equipment:

3gal picotope

36w Current USA Satellite 24hr lighting system

50w Stealth Heater

Coralife Digital Thermometer

1 Intermatic Heavy Duty Timers

 

Filtration:

AC70

~6lbs of LR

~3lbs of LS

 

Livestock:

1 Emerald Crab

1 Mantis Shrimp

 

Corals:

Various Zoos

[avalanche1201]

Here are some pics, please excuse the quality, im using my roommates old Point and Shoot digital camera.

 

As you will be able to tell from the pictures I have a slight issue with hair algea right now, and some algea on the glass. I will be getting the CUC this weekend as I said earlier, and hopefully that will clear up in a few days after I add them.

 

Full Tank Shot

 

 

Left Side Shot

 

 

Right Side Shot

 

 

 

if you see any fish or anything tank besides mine in the background its my roommates 10gal FW

[ToeJam]

Looking good. I really like the blue background. Did you drill the tank?

[avalanche1201]

No i didnt drill the tank, although if I could do it again I would have so I could set up a 2.5gal fuge.

 

CUC comen this weekend and the camel shrimp is going to my g/f's parents

[avalanche1201]

So I didn't have a bag for my camel shrimp red stripe so he's still chillen out in my dorm room at school. And I got to my girlfriends house and the brain coral is to big for my tank o well. CUC is getting picked up monday so things are some what on track

[Gerber77]

Its a good start. Any plans on first corals or what are your stocking plans and in what order?

[avalanche1201]

Not to sure on Corals right now, But besides my CUC im going to have 2 sexy shrimp and a yellow clown goby. Im very excited to get it started

 

 

o, and I might turn my HOB 100 into a fuge, and use the stock filter for my mechanical filtration

[Gerber77]

You cant go wrong witha ycg and I love sexy shrimp. They like to be in odd numbers though. 1,3,5

[avalanche1201]

damn, they really like odd #'s? I thought they liked pairs...guess ill get three then

[avalanche1201]

Alright, So I got my CUC today, not exactly what I wanted but Im happy.

 

I picked up 2 Scarlet reef hermits, 1 cerith snail, and 2 mexican turbos...the turbos are having a FEAST on my LR. the hermits are just chillen for now, hopefully they'll notice the feast waiting for them to.

 

I also picked up the 36w Current USA Satelitte 24hr light system for $80, best deal I've seen for it anywhere, except for Phuntoon whos order got messed up...so he got the same thing for $35 instead of the 18w.

 

Anyways...not alot of commnents on the thread but its alright....pics comen 2morro b/c I cant find the digi cam.

 

 

Also, Im thinking of re-doing my coral list. I want alot of colorful corals/frags/shrooms.

 

Im thinking of some shrooms, some ricordia, and some Feather dusters...will this be alright together?

 

Any suggestions/compliments/complaints welcome, thanks so much

[avalanche1201]

Well I've got new pics, Ill keep posting and giving info even on the lack of feedback...even though I guess theres not much to give feedback on. Im still trying to modify my coral stocking list...so far Ive got shrooms, ricordia, feather dusters. Any other Ideas I'd love to hear....but now....ON WITH THE PICS!

 

Full Tank Shot

 

Top left to Bottom Right

 

New Light Fixture

 

Bottom left to Top Right

 

I tried to get some close ups of my new hermits and snails...but my RM's camera cant take close ups for its life. Also sorry about the quality...bad camera once more

 

 

Hoping to get my First Frags next week

[ToeJam]

Lookin good! I think I might have to add a background to my tank. The blue looks wonderful. Can't wait to see more pics.

[avalanche1201]

thanks I painted the back of my 55gal and it was blue so I used the left over paint...but If i were to paint it over, I think id give black a go, see how that looks w/ the reflection and everything, I think itd be pretty cool.

 

 

I think im gonna go to the LFS next week again, but I dont know what Im going to get yet since I cant get rid of the camel for several weeks and I dont want him to munch on my new shrooms and stuff when I get them

[alex826768]

keep it up BRo ...

[cruisaire]

thanks I painted the back of my 55gal and it was blue so I used the left over paint...but If i were to paint it over, I think id give black a go, see how that looks w/ the reflection and everything, I think itd be pretty cool.

I think im gonna go to the LFS next week again, but I dont know what Im going to get yet since I cant get rid of the camel for several weeks and I dont want him to munch on my new shrooms and stuff when I get them

 

 

Nice tank, an inspiration for newb like me!!

[avalanche1201]

thanks

 

wouldnt exactly call my self a vet...but i guess i have some experience under the belt. I really love how u have that little cave going in ur pico...im thinking of doing some re-arranging when I move my tank home for spring break

[adinsxq]

great start

[avalanche1201]

thanks adin

 

I wish I had more money for a nice trip to the LFS but I think Im going to try to build a HOB Fuge first before I get some corals, shrooms etc

[xmen0075]

Good start--keep up the good work!!!

[avalanche1201]

So quick update.

 

First off I found one of my snails dead today My shrimp was picking at him so i shood him away and checked out the snail...No response to Light, or coming out of the water. So I righted him up and put him on a piece of rock so I could check him out....NOTHING and then the Shrimp attacked again! So i had to remove him poor little guy he was such a good cleaner

 

So Now I've got to replace him.

 

Also I've got alot of bubble algea growing so I think an emerald crab is in the near future...even though I think they can be to rough for a small 3gal.

 

Future plans include building a DIY Fuge (sketches to come later) and my purchase of some shrooms and rics and hopefully a feather duster and some other stuff.

 

Sorry it wasn't more of an exciting update, but thought it was time to add something.

 

Pics of bubble algea and sketches of some fuge ideas later today

[cruisaire]

Hey, no apologies needed! An update is an update. Too bad about the snail. Keep up the great work and keep us apprised of your progress.

[avalanche1201]

I only have the top Sketch of the Fuge done. I forgot to put in the Dimensions of it so here they are: 11" L * 6" W 8" D

 

Like I said its only the top right now...so w/o further delay...here it is

 

 

any suggestions/comments/ideas welcome, thanks

 

edit: right click and go to "view image" you can see it better since its done in pencil

[avalanche1201]

UPDATE:

 

bad news: I believe I am starting to get a HUGE cyano outbreak all over my LR I will be cleaning the intake strainers to my HOB filters so this should help increase my GPH and hopefully help out some. Also I believe my Distilled water is adding things to the water since it is steamed distilled...I hope to get rid of this problem fairly quickly

 

good news: I will be able to start designing the Fuge on my comp so I can make real renderings

 

edit: ive been looking around for cyano and I think im going to try to rip as much of it off as I can when I do my next water change and suck it up and try some chemi-clean. Hopefully it'll work

[avalanche1201]

Still batteling the algae Ill be going to the LFS this week to get some cheato and another snail or hermit.

 

Im starting to lean towards the idea of invert only tank:

 

Possible Ideas:

-variety of snails to help clean up

-3 scarlet reef hermits

-3 sexy shrimp

-possible sally lightfoot

-possible tiny sea star (any ideas on whats a good one?)

-variety of rics, zoas, shrooms, feather dusters

 

any suggestions on what inverts to add/remove or encouraged since Im looking for some stocking ideas. Thanks alot

[cruisaire]

As usual, I am behind on the learning curve so I can't offer much advice at this time. However, I will be following your lead as you proceed. Hang in there, Man!