The Ultimate Multi Mantis System...
Hello all :D
After going to my LFS today to discuss more about my plans with this large setup I have in mind, I got the all clear from there head of marine staff there that what I have planned shouldn't be a problem and it will look amazing in the end, which just further more boosted my confidence in the system altogether, I described everything in detail in order to ensure that nothing was missed, everything is good to go! I'll describe things here as best I can, this system is what I like to call a MOWLR (Mantis Only With Live Rock) to help maximize space (more display tanks) and minimize overall mechanical equipment usage.
There are 3 stands aptly named....Stand 'A', Stand 'B' & Stand 'C' total volume of all 3 stands is roughly 860L. Now in order to maximize space I am not using a sump having said that there isn't going to be anything special in the tanks beyond sand / rock & the mantis. Each stand is a single system in order to get away with certain filtration requirements (protein skimmer for example), by doing this Stand 'A' holds 220L while Stand 'B' holds 350L and Stand 'C' holds 290L. Each stand is filtered via a large external canister filter, the fluval FX5 (after personal use with this canister...I'm officially in love with it). The FX5 also acts as the source of flow for each stand with the inlet to the canister being positioned in the bottom tank of each stand and the outlet of the canister in the top tank of each stand, plumbing is going to be exact to match the flow of the FX5.
Stand 'A' is going to house the smallest of Mantis shrimp species (50mm - 100mm) and also be able to hold the most amount (total of 7-8), the stand holds 4 tanks, the top 3 are 600mm L x 300mm W x 350mm H each of the top 3 tanks are halved via a black drilled acrylic sheet, I intend to keep breeding pairs in these 2 foot tanks, with each mantis occupying its own foot, I have constructed a DIY door made from the very divider that is used, where I can lift it and expose about a 10cm X 10cm gap so the breeding pair can interact for a bit. The forth tank or bottom tank of Stand 'A' is going to be slightly taller for exactly what you guessed...system failures, the bottom tank is the same width and length however it is 450mm H and will still be filled to the same height as the tanks above, it just has the air space for when power failures happen. Each compartment in the halved tanks holds roughly 25L each/per mantis.
Stand 'B' will house the medium sized Mantis shrimp species (100mm-200mm) it will be capable of holding 5-6 of them, there are 3 tanks on this stand the top 2 tanks are 900mm L x 300mm W x 450mm H once again the bottom tank is slightly taller to account for power failures etc so its 600mm H. Each tank is halved again in this stand via the dividers I create along with the DIY doors that are on them. The volume for each of the compartments within this stand is 50L each/per mantis.
Stand 'C' is going to house the largest of the mantis shrimp most likely the big L.maculata spearers. There are 3 tanks in this stand and It will be capable of holding 3-6 Large spearers depending on if they pair up or not. I like to refer to this stand as the "Mantis Farm" an underwater large ant farm look-a-like, your probably wondering where I am going with this......the dimensions for the top 2 tanks on this stand are 1500mm L x 450mm H whilst the bottom tank is 1500mm L x 600mm H here is where it becomes the "underwater ant farm thing..." each tank is only.....150mm wide that is 15cm! Sounds crazy I know but after speaking with the Professor in California (Dr. Caldwell) about it personally, it is the same dimensions of HIS large spearer tanks. Essentially each tanks is filled 3/4 with sand leaving a small open water space above. Hence the "Ant Farm Look a Like" being such a thin tank it will make the mantis dig 1 way and also provide much greater chances at getting windows into his lair under ground like an ant farm.
All up the systems can hold a total of 15 - 20 mantis shrimps, spearers and smashers accommodated as required.
Here is the overall short of what it should look like.
Earlier design (abandoned now) smaller but shows the plumbing which will remain the same
[Broken External Image]:[URL]http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/9688/multimantissetup.png[/URL]
More to come as it gets built, I have been informed that even though there are 10 tanks in total it will only take 1 week (2 tops) to actually have them built!
After going to my LFS today to discuss more about my plans with this large setup I have in mind, I got the all clear from there head of marine staff there that what I have planned shouldn't be a problem and it will look amazing in the end, which just further more boosted my confidence in the system altogether, I described everything in detail in order to ensure that nothing was missed, everything is good to go! I'll describe things here as best I can, this system is what I like to call a MOWLR (Mantis Only With Live Rock) to help maximize space (more display tanks) and minimize overall mechanical equipment usage.
There are 3 stands aptly named....Stand 'A', Stand 'B' & Stand 'C' total volume of all 3 stands is roughly 860L. Now in order to maximize space I am not using a sump having said that there isn't going to be anything special in the tanks beyond sand / rock & the mantis. Each stand is a single system in order to get away with certain filtration requirements (protein skimmer for example), by doing this Stand 'A' holds 220L while Stand 'B' holds 350L and Stand 'C' holds 290L. Each stand is filtered via a large external canister filter, the fluval FX5 (after personal use with this canister...I'm officially in love with it). The FX5 also acts as the source of flow for each stand with the inlet to the canister being positioned in the bottom tank of each stand and the outlet of the canister in the top tank of each stand, plumbing is going to be exact to match the flow of the FX5.
Stand 'A' is going to house the smallest of Mantis shrimp species (50mm - 100mm) and also be able to hold the most amount (total of 7-8), the stand holds 4 tanks, the top 3 are 600mm L x 300mm W x 350mm H each of the top 3 tanks are halved via a black drilled acrylic sheet, I intend to keep breeding pairs in these 2 foot tanks, with each mantis occupying its own foot, I have constructed a DIY door made from the very divider that is used, where I can lift it and expose about a 10cm X 10cm gap so the breeding pair can interact for a bit. The forth tank or bottom tank of Stand 'A' is going to be slightly taller for exactly what you guessed...system failures, the bottom tank is the same width and length however it is 450mm H and will still be filled to the same height as the tanks above, it just has the air space for when power failures happen. Each compartment in the halved tanks holds roughly 25L each/per mantis.
Stand 'B' will house the medium sized Mantis shrimp species (100mm-200mm) it will be capable of holding 5-6 of them, there are 3 tanks on this stand the top 2 tanks are 900mm L x 300mm W x 450mm H once again the bottom tank is slightly taller to account for power failures etc so its 600mm H. Each tank is halved again in this stand via the dividers I create along with the DIY doors that are on them. The volume for each of the compartments within this stand is 50L each/per mantis.
Stand 'C' is going to house the largest of the mantis shrimp most likely the big L.maculata spearers. There are 3 tanks in this stand and It will be capable of holding 3-6 Large spearers depending on if they pair up or not. I like to refer to this stand as the "Mantis Farm" an underwater large ant farm look-a-like, your probably wondering where I am going with this......the dimensions for the top 2 tanks on this stand are 1500mm L x 450mm H whilst the bottom tank is 1500mm L x 600mm H here is where it becomes the "underwater ant farm thing..." each tank is only.....150mm wide that is 15cm! Sounds crazy I know but after speaking with the Professor in California (Dr. Caldwell) about it personally, it is the same dimensions of HIS large spearer tanks. Essentially each tanks is filled 3/4 with sand leaving a small open water space above. Hence the "Ant Farm Look a Like" being such a thin tank it will make the mantis dig 1 way and also provide much greater chances at getting windows into his lair under ground like an ant farm.
All up the systems can hold a total of 15 - 20 mantis shrimps, spearers and smashers accommodated as required.
Here is the overall short of what it should look like.
Earlier design (abandoned now) smaller but shows the plumbing which will remain the same
[Broken External Image]:[URL]http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/9688/multimantissetup.png[/URL]
More to come as it gets built, I have been informed that even though there are 10 tanks in total it will only take 1 week (2 tops) to actually have them built!
