The House of Orange

[Fish Styx]

Don't you need three other reefers chanting to execute the summoning rite?

You may be right. Mind lending a hand here? I'll sacrifice the goat...

 

[tbrown]

 

[907_Reefer]

 

[F i s h y]

Bean... bean... bean...

 

[Stang67]

Greetings, Heathens!

I hope your respective Fridays are going better than expected.

Today's project was to add additional lighting to the mangrove fuge. As you can see in the picture, my mangroves have filled out considerably, and as such, it is difficult for light to penetrate the canopy:

Now, I had already added some cheap, full-spectrum light bars to what can be considered the midpoint to assist the younger trees in growing. They, too have grown and filled out. This is now blocking light from reaching below into the tank, and is shading and subsequently hindering the growth of the cualerpa and soft corals that I have in there.

So, I got another cheap clamp-on grow light from Amazon, disassembled it, and fabricated a new mount out of cable sleeving and some wall anchors to blend in with the current setup. Excuse the bad pictures:

Now that there is a good amount of light down there, it got me thinking: why can't I use this as a mantis habitat and have a little "murderbug" of my very own?!

I have two considerations here, and want to solicit opinions / advice from the collective:

1) This is a 20b and the glass is fairly thin. Do you guys think it can punch / poke its way through? I would be going with a Wennerae.

2) This fuge also doubles as a remote DSB. Do you think by burrowing and disturbing the sandbed, it would pose any problems with the DT? My thoughts are that it won't, because any gas that escapes (think Hydrogen Sulfide) would dissipate from the remote tank instead of making it over to the display.

Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Should I maybe pose this question to reef chat?

1. My little mantis has never punched anything but rock. I think the breaking glass thing is really just a myth. When researching I could not find anyone who had a wennerae bust up their tank so I am calling bs on that.
2. Mine does not burrow or disturb the substrate in any way. I think those are more the larger peacock variety. People use burried pvc for those. I did bury some but they never used it and upon further research realized my mistake. Hense the tank reset. Mine does have a nice rock they have punched out a custom burrow in which to molt. It covers up the entrances for privacy. So I would recommend a rock or two if you have room. Doesn't need to be that big they will burrow in that.

These are just my experiences. I got mine from Tampa bay aquawhatever. Very pleased. Will eventually get my peacock once this one has lived out its days. It has been out and about all day exploring so the removal of the damsel and reset of the tank really accomplished the goal I had.

 

[Stang67]

1. My little mantis has never punched anything but rock. I think the breaking glass thing is really just a myth. When researching I could not find anyone who had a wennerae bust up their tank so I am calling bs on that.
2. Mine does not burrow or disturb the substrate in any way. I think those are more the larger peacock variety. People use burried pvc for those. I did bury some but they never used it and upon further research realized my mistake. Hense the tank reset. Mine does have a nice rock they have punched out a custom burrow in which to molt. It covers up the entrances for privacy. So I would recommend a rock or two if you have room. Doesn't need to be that big they will burrow in that.

These are just my experiences. I got mine from Tampa bay aquawhatever. Very pleased. Will eventually get my peacock once this one has lived out its days. It has been out and about all day exploring so the removal of the damsel and reset of the tank really accomplished the goal I had.

My nickname is Beans does that help?

 

[tbrown]

 

[Stang67]

I belive miss Orchid has one as well as Stateline. May want to pick their macula oblangada's as well.

 

[Fish Styx]

1. My little mantis has never punched anything but rock. I think the breaking glass thing is really just a myth. When researching I could not find anyone who had a wennerae bust up their tank so I am calling bs on that.
2. Mine does not burrow or disturb the substrate in any way. I think those are more the larger peacock variety. People use burried pvc for those. I did bury some but they never used it and upon further research realized my mistake. Hense the tank reset. Mine does have a nice rock they have punched out a custom burrow in which to molt. It covers up the entrances for privacy. So I would recommend a rock or two if you have room. Doesn't need to be that big they will burrow in that.

These are just my experiences. I got mine from Tampa bay aquawhatever. Very pleased. Will eventually get my peacock once this one has lived out its days. It has been out and about all day exploring so the removal of the damsel and reset of the tank really accomplished the goal I had.

I'm sold! There is rock in there for it to do its thing.

 

[Fish Styx]

MURDERBUG HAS BEEN ORDERED!!!

 

[BeanAnimal]

I may not be the Ghost with the Most, but I'm Bean and I'm Mean.

Who said my name thrice? This better be important.

 

[Fish Styx]

I may not be the Ghost with the Most, but I'm Bean and I'm Mean.

Who said my name thrice? This better be important.

'Twas I. You'll see the question back a bit.

 

[JoJosReef]

MURDERBUG HAS BEEN ORDERED!!!

WYSIWYG pic?

 

[Fish Styx]

WYSIWYG pic?

Sadly, no.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Ahh RDSB
Yes - I ran one in a 6 gallon bucket for a year or two I would guess. The notebooks with the data were lost (got wet and moldy) but it did reduce nitrates.

The flow was pretty low (mini jet powerhead I think), so as not to disturb the sand that was maybe 6" below the bucket rim. Inflow and outflow used uniseals and there was maybe 2" of water on the surface and 4" or so of air. The lid was fit tight. I am not sure if this hurt gas exchange, but it was not oxygen deprived in the upper layers for sure and the outlflow pipe was 1" so not full and did not terminate under water.

It took a bit of work to get good flow and not stir the sand. I used an upturned elbow and plastic disc under it to try to spread the flow out.

I don't know how much more help I can be. I added a second bucket at one point with the idea to be able to swap one at a time. I took them offline not long after, simply because I got tired of tripping over them.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I messed around with a DIY coil denitrator too but way to much hassle to get right and keep it operating properly.

 

[Fish Styx]

Ahh RDSB
Yes - I ran one in a 6 gallon bucket for a year or two I would guess. The notebooks with the data were lost (got wet and moldy) but it did reduce nitrates.

The flow was pretty low (mini jet powerhead I think), so as not to disturb the sand that was maybe 6" below the bucket rim. Inflow and outflow used uniseals and there was maybe 2" of water on the surface and 4" or so of air. The lid was fit tight. I am not sure if this hurt gas exchange, but it was not oxygen deprived in the upper layers for sure and the outlflow pipe was 1" so not full and did not terminate under water.

It took a bit of work to get good flow and not stir the sand. I used an upturned elbow and plastic disc under it to try to spread the flow out.

I don't know how much more help I can be. I added a second bucket at one point with the idea to be able to swap one at a time. I took them offline not long after, simply because I got tired of tripping over them.

Yeah, mine runs pretty well. My concern was the possibility of gas release should a mantis shrimp burrow into it and whether or not it would affect the DT. I think my concerns have been assuaged. though.

 

[Fish Styx]

I messed around with a DIY coil denitrator too but way to much hassle to get right and keep it operating properly.

Yeah, back in the ULNS days, I ran a Korralin denitrator. It was a royal PITA to dial in.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Yeah, mine runs pretty well. My concern was the possibility of gas release should a mantis shrimp burrow into it and whether or not it would affect the DT. I think my concerns have been assuaged. though.

I put a valve on the bottom portion of the bucket (a John Guest fitting threaded and glued). I never opened it. When I took them offline I wanted to cut the side of the oldest bucket and see what it looked like but got sidetracked and it sat outside for 2 years before it went into the dumpster. I accidentally threw away 2 buckets of fiji and tonga rubble too I think that day.

I don't think I would want anything sand sifting in there... but assume that the little critter would not go deep enough into anoxic conditions to kill himself.

 

[tbrown]

WYSIWYG pic?

Can you ask for that on a family friendly forum though?