40 gallon Mantis/NPS tank

[Acielot]

MANTIS/NPS Tank

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The star of this tank will be a Odontodactylus havanensis. I have wanted a mantis for quite some time. So since I am going to redo my room I decided that I will ditch the 20 gallon after the 50 gets up and running and have a dual 10 gallon tank setup. I have a google sketchup started but there are some design roadbumps that I have ran into.

 

 

As for coral I am going to only keep dendros, sun coral, gorgonians and other NPS in the display but in the fuge there is going to be a macro tank along with other cool hitchhikers and a DSB if possible. I am trying to get an NPS system similar to how Kgoldy was running his reeftank.

 

As for filtration the 2 tanks will hopefully run off of eachother and only topoffs and ocassional water changes will be needed. I will run carbon and filterfloss just to keep the water clear but other than that the macro tank and DSB should process everything else.

 

Updates as things come along:

• Polished out the flaws in the designs and I have finally settled for something similar to the second diagram. I have picked up a dremel and some acrylic so hopefully this tank will come to life soon.
• Changed the plan from a dual 10 gallon tank to a 40 gallon breeder split in half = Clean slate

[Justind823]

Sounds great. I always enjoy a good mantis tank.

 

Where are you getting the little guy from?

[Acielot]

Sounds great. I always enjoy a good mantis tank.

 

Where are you getting the little guy from?

I was planning on getting it from a LFS but since they are closing shop I will have to source it elsewhere. Unfortunately I can't put it in my current tank because I don't want it to kill everything. But most likely KP Aquatics since they seems to be the only ones who have this species.

 

I guess I could call this tank a biotope also since everything except the macro will be from the carribean.

[Acielot]

updated the first post with the plan for the tank although I am running into the issue of how I am going to connect the 2 tanks without fearing that they will break.

[BadCrab]

I don't have any useful insight on connecting the tanks, but I really appreciate google sketchup in build threads/tank logs.. looks great! I always dig 'pest' tanks

[Acielot]

Haha it's a rough first try with sketchup at best. But thanks anyways.

 

I have another plan that I am working on and it will probably be more feasible but I will need to have some feedback on my overall designs. To catch any flaws that I may miss.

[BadCrab]

Do you have a link to Kgoldy's tank that you referenced? Just curious :]

[Acielot]

Do you have a link to Kgoldy's tank that you referenced? Just curious :]

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/259616-kgoldys-reef-is-retiring/ There you go. It's sad to see it go though. I can honestly say that his tank is what I Inspire to mimic with this new build.

[Acielot]

Proposed stocking list for the display:

• Blueberry Seafan Gogonian
• Sun Coral
• Dendros
• Yellow FInger Gorgonian
• Tree Sponge
• Ball Sponge
• Assorted tunicates
• and of course the mantis.

 

any macros that I must have in the fuge?

[metrokat]

Proposed stocking list for the display:

• Blueberry Seafan Gogonian
• Sun Coral
• Dendros
• Yellow FInger Gorgonian
• Tree Sponge
• Ball Sponge
• Assorted tunicates
• and of course the mantis.

 

any macros that I must have in the fuge?

Dragons breath, blue ochtodes, Red grape

[Acielot]

Dragons breath, blue ochtodes, Red grape

Just out of necessity? What grows best for you?

 

 

 

Any input on the DSB? Should I just use that space for more macros?

[metrokat]

Just out of necessity? What grows best for you?

 

 

 

Any input on the DSB? Should I just use that space for more macros?

All of them grow great. And look beautiful.

I have no experience with DSB, I've read both pros and cons. If considering a DSB, also consider seeding the DSB with a ton of critters like spagetti worms and such.

[Acielot]

All of them grow great. And look beautiful.

Haha it won't be a display fuge. I want function not form.

I have no experience with DSB, I've read both pros and cons. If considering a DSB, also consider seeding the DSB with a ton of critters like spagetti worms and such.

Most of my current sandbed is devoid of life with the exception of a few spaghettis and a ton of vermetid snails on the rockwork. Something in my tank must be doing a number on these little guys because I hardly even see pods.

[metrokat]

who said form can't be functional. Those macros pull nitrates like a boss.

[Nepenthe]

Do you have a decent source for dendros? I need more. MANY MORE.

[Acielot]

Do you have a decent source for dendros? I need more. MANY MORE.

My LFS only has 2 frags with a few heads each. But they have plenty of nps gorgonians. I don't know of an online supplier that has them either.

[Nepenthe]

My LFS only has 2 frags with a few heads each. But they have plenty of nps gorgonians. I don't know of an online supplier that has them either.

Boo. I know that Marine Depot Live had a few and I bought my last ones from Cherry Corals, but every time I go to order they're sold out. I've emailed someone over there to hold a couple for me.

[Islandoftiki]

Sea Life Inc. has a baby O. Havanesis right now. They often have them if you can't find one locally.

 

By the way, O. Havanesis would be my first choice, too.

[Acielot]

Sea Life Inc. has a baby O. Havanesis right now. They often have them if you can't find one locally.

 

By the way, O. Havanesis would be my first choice, too.

Exactly where I am looking to get one. From what I have been reading the only downside is that they have a short lifespan compared to most others IIRC. I like that they look like the peacock but are smaller.

 

The Gonodactylus smithii and Neogonodactylus wennerae were top choices for me also.

 

 

Boo. I know that Marine Depot Live had a few and I bought my last ones from Cherry Corals, but every time I go to order they're sold out. I've emailed someone over there to hold a couple for me.

The only thing that has stopped me from getting the ones from my LFS is the cost.

[Acielot]

I know that mantis like to rearrange the scape but do I have to worry about the mantis touching the gorgs too?

[spectre308]

Holy cow James, that tank design is fantastic! I recently purchased 3 glass 10 gallons from a co-worker for 25$, nothing with them except for metal reptile screens on top. I established one as a small salt tank, and have wanted a smaller smasher variety mantis shrimp for it. Now, with the extra tanks I have laying around, and inspiration from your design, sometime later on this year, I'm going to have one fine home for a lucky lil mantis.

 

Thank you so much for sharing this, I honestly wouldn't have thought to use my extras for something like this without seeing a design for it.

[Acielot]

Thank you so much for sharing this, I honestly wouldn't have thought to use my extras for something like this without seeing a design for it.

Haha thanks. I figured that since I have so many laying around I mine as well use them for something. But the design was truly inspired by Kgoldy.

 

 

 

Update: I am working on trying to prevent salt creep with the free flow-overflow. Also the prop stand to raise the fuge is built.

[spectre308]

Heh... Began work, shattered a 20"X12" piece of glass all over my work bench. Time to go to Lowes and get a piece of accrylic to fix my now 3 sided spare 10 gallon lol. (was slowly cutting the slot from the top of the back tank for the spill over..got half way through the glass and it got too hot I guess. that'd be why I work with sheet metal and not glass for a living....)

[Acielot]

Woah, what were you using to cut?

[spectre308]

Woah, what were you using to cut?

 

Dremel tool. Was using a super fine grit rotary ball thats capable of cutting glass slowly. I just got impatient and went too fast. I had only made it about a quarter of the way through 1/8 inch glass in an hour, so I upped my speed and the pressure I was applying. Gave it too much elbow grease and bam. No biggie though, cheap and easy fix, and the acrylic will be much easier to cut and add a trough to for the over flow in the rear 2nd tier tank.