An addicted reefer chic's 40B w/ GHL Mitras & 2x30g display fuges

[gena]

All the fish are doing great in QT...the male clown no longer has any visible traces of ich...but I'm staying on course with the full QT period just to be sure. I'm missing my babies like crazy...they will be home Wed. morning. It's been so hard being without them...I'm dying for them to come home.

Glad the fish is showing the all-clear. Hang in there mom!!!!!

[MeanGreenEyes]

Glad the fish is showing the all-clear. Hang in there mom!!!!!

 

Thank you! Tuesday is right around the corner...YEAH!!! Planning to have a full breakfast spread cooked for them when they get home...

 

Oh and I forgot to add that I have a beautiful banana yellow female mantis in my sump...planning a display fuge plumbed into the DT/sump for her once reefing funds become available again...gonna be a while though.

 

Until then she has 3" of sand, a huge clump of chaeto and a pvc cave covered in LR rubble and a ton of rubble to play in...

 

I got her from Coral Theory...she was only eating live food in the store, but she's been eating a good variety of frozen soaked in garlic and selcon for me, beautifully...I think that she may be my second favorite pet...My dog will always have 1st place lol.

 

Rescaped the tank as well...still don't know if I like it or not...

 

Without further ado...

 

[gena]

That is a pretty color on that mantis!!!!! They really are gorgeous creatures. Jedimasterben has a citron green mantis!!!!! Wouldn't yours and his look smashing together

[Spirofucci]

Mantis in the sump/fuge, how cool!!! Now you got me thinking.

 

Lets see the new scape!

[kgoldy]

 

That thing is freakin gorgeous!

[Mr. Microscope]

HOLY CRAP! That's the nicest mantis I've ever seen. Is it really that yellow? Very nice! Can't want to see more of this tank.

[MeanGreenEyes]

That is a pretty color on that mantis!!!!! They really are gorgeous creatures. Jedimasterben has a citron green mantis!!!!! Wouldn't yours and his look smashing together

 

Thank you...I soooo effin' love her!! I'll have to check his out...sounds pretty...but in my best two-year-old voice "minez iz betta" lmao

 

 

Mantis in the sump/fuge, how cool!!! Now you got me thinking.

 

Lets see the new scape!

 

Yes...I know...but I hate her being under the tank...gotta get this display fuge up asap...I have no patience. I have a nice powder coated tank stand that held my pico's until I consolidated them into the 40...it's 31" long and 16 1/2" wide...so I'm considering a 20 Long 1" drain 3/4" return...drilled from the bottom...another d.i.y. black acrylic overflow...the return plumbed into my mag 12 to have one pump running everything.

 

Scape not ready yet...

 

That thing is freakin gorgeous!

 

I know...effin' love her! She comes out to see me whenever I come up to the tank with the puppy eyes asking to be fed...

 

HOLY CRAP! That's the nicest mantis I've ever seen. Is it really that yellow? Very nice! Can't want to see more of this tank.

 

Thank you! She's a P. Ciliata...spearing...and yes she is THAT yellow...

[metrokat]

That thing is freakin gorgeous!

+!

[Coral Theory]

We were so sad to see her go. She had a great personality and would crawl out of the PVC to look at us during feeding also.

 

We're glad that the overflow in the 40B worked out for you. Let us know when you are ready to do the overflow for the 20L. We're more than happy to help out.

 

PS - The baby mandarin and harlequin pair is calling for you.

[Arkayology]

I love the mantis in the display fuge. Great idea!

[MeanGreenEyes]

+!

 

Thank you!

 

We were so sad to see her go. She had a great personality and would crawl out of the PVC to look at us during feeding also.

 

We're glad that the overflow in the 40B worked out for you. Let us know when you are ready to do the overflow for the 20L. We're more than happy to help out.

 

PS - The baby mandarin and harlequin pair is calling for you.

 

I know...but you know I'm someone that'll take very good care of her! I thank you again for all of your help and this is why you guy's are the bestest ever! I hope that I'll have good news and be ready to work on this 20L within the next couple of weeks if everything falls in place. Grrrr...stop it! lmao I know and want to buy them too...fingers crossed...

 

I love the mantis in the display fuge. Great idea!

 

Thank you!

[MeanGreenEyes]

So about a week ago I plumbed 2-standard 30g tanks that I had sitting around into my 40B to utilize as display fuges. Thinking about getting a couple of the d.i.y. dimmable aquastyles kits for the fuges. Need ideas/help on what would be the best color combos/led arrangement. Some say 4500k some say 6500 and should I add red into the mix? There is so much confusing info. floating around about d.i.y. leds. :headwallblue: Is anyone else running these over their fuge? :fun5:

 

This all started because I REALLY want to get my prized mantis out of my sump and up in a display fuge to show her off and from research that I've done she prefers more of a blue spectrum to prevent shell rot. Plus, I already had literally everything sitting around except for a ball valve and a few pvc elbows...well and b/c I dropped a screwdriver behind the tank and when I tried to reach it...broken return line...water everywhere...and since I had to redo plumbing...why not...lol.

 

Going to be a while before any work/purchasing begins on the lighting...so I figure there's no time like the present to get everything planned out to a "T"

[Spirofucci]

That sounds very cool! Love to see some pics of the DF (display fuge, lol) and the plumbing. I'm thinking of doing something similar. I'm a pretty good DIY'er with wood but, anything with electricity scares the crap out of me.

[Lalani]

Holy poo, I want that mantis!

[MeanGreenEyes]

That sounds very cool! Love to see some pics of the DF (display fuge, lol) and the plumbing. I'm thinking of doing something similar. I'm a pretty good DIY'er with wood but, anything with electricity scares the crap out of me.

 

Lmao...have to tidy things up before pics can happen...it looks like a tank construction zone in here...still tweaking things and have to get sand, rock, etc. I also REALLY want to try my hand at breeding mandarins. Typical female, right? I want it all...mixed reef, display fuges, mantis display, pair of breeding mandarins...lmao. I still have MUCH work to do...but I'm in love with the system now. A couple friend's were just giving me a hard time before I decided to go for it...right after my lil' accident occurred and told me I should sell it all and upgrade...but I'm like...I can't keep a bunch of different sh*t that doesn't mesh in 1 big tank though...pics by this weekend though...promise.

 

I'm the opposite...I love to break sh*t and fix it...well not so much the breaking...but you get the point. I even replaced the drain motor on my wash machine all by myself. It's the thrill of the accomplishment. lol I don't have the tools, space or know how to build a tank stand living in the city though...so stuck with metal stands for now...but one day...I'd love to build a whole system from the ground up just to say I did it myself.

[Spirofucci]

If you can't have it all............life is just not worth living.

 

OK, fine, pics this weekend.

[badpanda07]

So about a week ago I plumbed 2-standard 30g tanks that I had sitting around into my 40B to utilize as display fuges. Thinking about getting a couple of the d.i.y. dimmable aquastyles kits for the fuges. Need ideas/help on what would be the best color combos/led arrangement. Some say 4500k some say 6500 and should I add red into the mix? There is so much confusing info. floating around about d.i.y. leds. :headwallblue: Is anyone else running these over their fuge? :fun5:

 

This all started because I REALLY want to get my prized mantis out of my sump and up in a display fuge to show her off and from research that I've done she prefers more of a blue spectrum to prevent shell rot. Plus, I already had literally everything sitting around except for a ball valve and a few pvc elbows...well and b/c I dropped a screwdriver behind the tank and when I tried to reach it...broken return line...water everywhere...and since I had to redo plumbing...why not...lol.

 

Going to be a while before any work/purchasing begins on the lighting...so I figure there's no time like the present to get everything planned out to a "T"

 

 

Tank is coming along great. Love the look of it and keep up the good work, im definatley tagging along. Give my build thread a peeksy. I did 1 led chip over my refugium and everything has took off in there. Its a 6500k btw. Love the mantis makes me miss my peacock mantis from my old tank.

[MeanGreenEyes]

Holy poo, I want that mantis!

 

Lol...you can have the manchild, the kid's and the cat...but my dog and my mantis...over my dead body...lmao

 

If you can't have it all............life is just not worth living.

 

OK, fine, pics this weekend.

 

Exactly...thanks for the patience...

 

Tank is coming along great. Love the look of it and keep up the good work, im definatley tagging along. Give my build thread a peeksy. I did 1 led chip over my refugium and everything has took off in there. Its a 6500k btw. Love the mantis makes me miss my peacock mantis from my old tank.

 

Thank you...I can't wait for these fuges to come together and I have no patience. Grrr! It's a never ending battle. lol Just tabbed over your thread...as soon as I get these kid's in the bed...I'll sit down to read it. It looks like I have a lot more reading to do...but I'm really worried about the spectrum required to keep the mantis happy v.s. macro happy. Really need to find a happy medium. She's happy in my sump at the moment b/c there's a cloud of chaeto blocking the light from her...

[gena]

Woah!!!! 2x 30g display fuges plumbed to the 40b????? That is beyond awesome!!!! "manchild" made me laugh

 

Looking forward to seeing this in action!!!!!!

[metrokat]

Bump for updates! Hopefully all good ones.

[MeanGreenEyes]

Woah!!!! 2x 30g display fuges plumbed to the 40b????? That is beyond awesome!!!! "manchild" made me laugh

 

Looking forward to seeing this in action!!!!!!

 

Yes...I'm loving absolutely loving being able to keep multiple things that can't be kept in the same tank together...

 

Bump for updates! Hopefully all good ones.

 

Will post pics tomorrow after water change/maintenance...still on the hunt about the other thing. So all plans for this are at a standstill/running on autopilot...

 

On another note...heard that MACNA '13 is gonna be in Miami...so I mentioned it to my sister and she says..."Of course the only reason you want to finally come visit me is b/c it's effin' fish related." Lmfao...not the only reason but it's a hellova motivator! So...I gotta make it happen! What's really scary is that she said she wants to go with me...even talked about wanting a tank... (What the eff?) She's not the type in any way shape or form should ever even own a goldfish bowl...much less a reef tank.

[metrokat]

Will post pics tomorrow after water change/maintenance...still on the hunt about the other thing. So all plans for this are at a standstill/running on autopilot...

 

On another note...heard that MACNA '13 is gonna be in Miami...so I mentioned it to my sister and she says..."Of course the only reason you want to finally come visit me is b/c it's effin' fish related." Lmfao...not the only reason but it's a hellova motivator! So...I gotta make it happen! What's really scary is that she said she wants to go with me...even talked about wanting a tank... (What the eff?) She's not the type in any way shape or form should ever even own a goldfish bowl...much less a reef tank.

Will be fun to meet up at MACNA, I've been PMing with a bunch of friend fromt he forum from all over. We can have a NR table and have a great time. Group buy FTW. lol.

[Jacob042426]

is the mantis you have a spearer or a smasher? its really nice!

[tennis20]

How's that stand. I was thinking about starting a 40b with that stand. Does it wobble at all?

[MeanGreenEyes]

Will be fun to meet up at MACNA, I've been PMing with a bunch of friend fromt he forum from all over. We can have a NR table and have a great time. Group buy FTW. lol.

 

My fingers are crossed that I can make this happen...it's time that I start doing something for me!

 

is the mantis you have a spearer or a smasher? its really nice!

 

Thank you...it is a spearing mantis. Here's a link to some info. on them:

 

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/cr...?name=p_ciliata

 

I love her...hands down favorite piece of livestock in my tank! Amazing personality. Whenever I do maintenance or come near the tank she's watching...sometimes will come out and do these kinda back flips and swim right back into her cave...

 

 

How's that stand. I was thinking about starting a 40b with that stand. Does it wobble at all?

 

No problems/complaints with the stand besides being a p.i.t.a. to level...I also run a 24hr fuge light...got used to sleeping with the lights on...lol...still wish that I would've gone with a wooden stand aesthetic wise though...especially since it's right beside my bed...build a stand...you'll be much happier...trust me...

 

Gonna go try to get some decent pics before lights out...