Mantis Adventure

[Pinkheine]

Talk around the house for some time has been about setting up a Mantis tank... and well I want a zoanthid tank(not sure if any will go in this or not.. if possible yes they will).. so today we took yet another plunge in the glass box world. :tubI seriously need to have my head examined)

Currently the tank isn't drilled, we are on the fence with that right at the moment.

Opinions... advice... input... all welcome and appreciated. The back of the tank will be painted black (as black is my preference)-- It is a work in progress... though I'm happy that we'll have it up and running sooner rather than later.

The tank hasn't been in the house for an hour-- what is it with cats and new fishtanks LMAO!! :meow:

 

[PurpleTang]

good luck with the tank it looks nice and ya my cat dose the same thing lol with anything i bring into the house hes got to check it first :splitspin

 

[marki24]

i like the zoas idea

 

[DrCooper]

Love it! M A N T IS SSSS

 

[masterswimmer]

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. I just love that picture above that thing in the front of it.

BOL with it, :hug:
R

 

[SirGreeny]

very nice tank.

 

[Pinkheine]

Thanks all. To drill or not to drill that is the question. lol It's only 37 gallons.

Mark--- yea I am liking the "zoa idea" too.

Coop--- you did a Mantis as well didn't you, if I remember with a hot pink backround?

Russ--- the 'artwork' is a picture little man painted in Kindergarten. I'd accept 1.2 for it... (million that is) :lol:. It's funny though there isn't a person that has been over that hasn't commented on Lil' mans fishy artwork.

PurpleTang-- she hasn't gotten into it, thankfully because it was painted last night.. she is a black and white cat... so I guess I'd not notice if she got more paint on her. lol

SirGreeny-- Thanks.

Still undecided on drilling. I'd rather not and just throw a good amount of rock and skimmer in there. Though the pumps etc in tank, I want to try and avoid... I like looking in the tank and seeing limited pumps and gadgets.. especially in a smaller space. :splitspin

 

[Awibrandy]

Syb, is that a new kittie? I don't remember her.

I say drill!! Can you have both mantis & zoa? I've no knowledge on Mantis.
I do love the new tank though... Best of everything with it.......:hug:

 

[Pinkheine]

Syb, is that a new kittie? I don't remember her.

I say drill!! Can you have both mantis & zoa? I've no knowledge on Mantis.
I do love the new tank though... Best of everything with it.......:hug:

She was in hiding.. she rarely comes out when there is anyone in the house other than us three.

I am still reading on zoas/mantis... as far as compatibility. I've been told by a few people that it can be done though I am not sure. I am more the believe half of what you see and nothing of what you hear (Grandpas words to live by)

I want to drill because I feel it's easier though someone we know suggested just making it a berlin system. IDK. I'm so confuzzeled!!!

:inlove:Thanks!

 

[DontXtripNfall]

Drilled or not I think it's going to be a sweeet tank!

 

[masterswimmer]

Drill it. Always better to have it done before the tank is running. Major league PITA if you decide to do it after it's running. If you decided not to use a sump, you can always plug the bulkhead. Much easier to have it done upfront and make all possibilities available to you.

JMO,
R

 

[Pinkheine]

We opted to drill....... plumbing started to get underway today... hoping for this lil' tank to see water by the weekend... if only the days were longer.

Painted the back black...

Started plumbing...

not finished yet...but back in place to rest for the night until tomorrow...

 

[masterswimmer]

Wow, that was fast. Very nice and clean. Keep up the good work and the pix coming.

swimmer

 

[Pinkheine]

Waste no time... even Storm above is waiting for the festivities to begin. :tongue1: She has been sitting staring at the empty tank for about an hour now waiting for something to move?

 

[Pinkheine]

Funny thing is with my aquascaping design we have mixed reviews in house... I like it, Craig doesn't like the big rock sticking up in nowhere kind of (I said it is better than just an empty wall of nothing, brings your eye to something), lil' man says... "I really like it. Now my Mantis can stand up on top of the rock and be King Mantis up high"

Looks like we'll have "Midas" the Mantis soon enough... swap can't some soon enough but is just far enough away for our plans to fall right into place.

 

[Awibrandy]

Looking quite nice, can't wait till it's done......



Storm's the one I remembered.lol

 

[House of Laughter]

nice work sybil, craig and little C -

forget the rock work discussion - the mantis is going to arrange it the way it wants anyway.

Good to see you the other day and see you at the show.

House

 

[Pinkheine]

Jim-- was great to see you again as well. As for him/her moving the rockwork.. I am going to epoxy the end result together and leave some smaller pieces for the bugger to move around as he/she wishes. Though I did pick out some great pieces with caves and holes going through the rockwork so I think the critter will be happy.. as happy as a Mantis can be I guess. lol

Here is what we have now... thankfully set up was easy because of having the rock cured in my fuge already and we used our own water. New live sand mixed with some old. Tests came back great. Lil' man wanted a few Blue Devils (he knows they will more than likely end up food) but at least there is something alive in tank to look at now.


Changed the rocks again and added a bit more since the last pics... I'm sure it will change again before I settle on something...

The fuge.. the sock is icky because I've been messing with the tank so much and it isn't really set in place because we haven't gotten a holder as of yet...

 

[masterswimmer]

I like the way the aquascaping looks. Good job. FYI, a filter sock like that can help your cycle Adds life.

Keep up the great work.

R

 

[CHEMCHEF]

Really nice clean job. great work