NarnyTheGreat's 14 gallon build thread.

[NarnyTheGreat]

Hi all.

I am starting a 14 gallon mantis tank and thought I would start the build thread here.

The tank is a 14 gallon acrylic cube that I got when I attended an acrylic build workshop with my local reef club.



Lighting is an LED light.
It has 18 LED's its 12 white and 6 blue. Its pretty nice.





I have all the rock I will need but I still have to buy the sand. I have been busy with my 65 gallon sps build and to lazy to pick up the sand. I was actually thinking of just using the sand I have in my current 55 gallon as I am thinking of using starboard instead of sand for that tank. I am still debating though.

Do all mantis tanks need a lid? I am planning on getting a wennerae (not sure if a lid is required) if so then I will need to build one.

[Kharn]

Cute setup =D are you going to fill it with water put your mantis in there then wrap it up in christmas wrapping paper and label it from santa to you!?!

I am going to be starting my own nano soon as I know that a special someone is getting me a Fluval Edge 2 for christmas =D your setup should look goood =D more pics as you update is a needed requirement!

What sorta filtration you having on it ?

[NarnyTheGreat]

I have a remora protein skimmer that I will be putting on it. I also have an iceprobe chiller that is connected to a filter so if I need to run carbon I can run it in a bag through that.

I still have to buy the hanging kit for the light. This was a minor but annoying over site on my part. I plan to keep macros mushrooms and zoas in the tank. If the water is easy to keep clean then I might try a small LPS or SPS but thats a long way off if ever.

I do have a question about top off... how do you top off with out a sump? I wont be running one and would still like to have an ato. Ideas?

I currently have a tsunami ato but the water has to go down by an inch for it to top off so with out some sort of modification I will have to say no to that.

[Kharn]

Originally Posted by NarnyTheGreat

I have a remora protein skimmer that I will be putting on it. I also have an iceprobe chiller that is connected to a filter so if I need to run carbon I can run it in a bag through that.

I still have to buy the hanging kit for the light. This was a minor but annoying over site on my part. I plan to keep macros mushrooms and zoas in the tank. If the water is easy to keep clean then I might try a small LPS or SPS but thats a long way off if ever.

I do have a question about top off... how do you top off with out a sump? I wont be running one and would still like to have an ato. Ideas?

I currently have a tsunami ato but the water has to go down by an inch for it to top off so with out some sort of modification I will have to say no to that.

I wish I could help you with that ='[ but as far as topping my tank off goes....I buy these big satchels (10L e.a) for about $6 each, they are "pure" water and on the outside of the box it lists what is NOT in the water like cholrines copper etc etc good stuff and cheap as hell and since there in satchels it makes it REALLLY easy to top the tank up, no rigid containers of bulkynessness I just hang the satty bag from my roof via a hook, then every 5-10min squirt a good 30secs - 1min of the water into the tank over a powerhead thats running to help disperse!

No problems so far =D

Having said that....this is still my first saltwater tank in many years (possibly decade) so I am keeping things relatively easy to teach myself, in the near future I will be looking into an auto top off system.

If you did want to get the tank up and running FAST you can do it really easy =D just whatever you put in the nano you have take it from an existing tank but make sure you take everything for the nano from the same tank/system that way its ALLLL cured and good to go =D

Sorry I couldn't help on your auto top off ='[

[NarnyTheGreat]

Originally Posted by Kharn

I wish I could help you with that ='[ but as far as topping my tank off goes....I buy these big satchels (10L e.a) for about $6 each, they are "pure" water and on the outside of the box it lists what is NOT in the water like cholrines copper etc etc good stuff and cheap as hell and since there in satchels it makes it REALLLY easy to top the tank up, no rigid containers of bulkynessness I just hang the satty bag from my roof via a hook, then every 5-10min squirt a good 30secs - 1min of the water into the tank over a powerhead thats running to help disperse!

No problems so far =D

Having said that....this is still my first saltwater tank in many years (possibly decade) so I am keeping things relatively easy to teach myself, in the near future I will be looking into an auto top off system.

If you did want to get the tank up and running FAST you can do it really easy =D just whatever you put in the nano you have take it from an existing tank but make sure you take everything for the nano from the same tank/system that way its ALLLL cured and good to go =D

Sorry I couldn't help on your auto top off ='[

Where do you buy these? This tank will be in the window between my kitchen and living room so I could easily put one in my cabinet with just the small hose coming down. I might be able to rig something with a gallon distilled water jug if I wanted but not sure that would fit in my cabinet.

[Kharn]

Originally Posted by NarnyTheGreat

Where do you buy these? This tank will be in the window between my kitchen and living room so I could easily put one in my cabinet with just the small hose coming down. I might be able to rig something with a gallon distilled water jug if I wanted but not sure that would fit in my cabinet.

First off...I am australian...so unsure as to wether the product I buy is outside my country as I am pritty sure that...it was australian produced/made water, the satchels are purchased from my local super market =D.

I didn't know what I was looking for or at originally and was paranoid as all hell thinking that an RO/DI system is the ONLY thing you can use and any other water will turn your inhabitants into soup!

All the other distilled waters on offer did NOT list what they "blocked" out so I was not comfortable in using them, I haven't done ANY reseach into auto top offs as its something that I haven't belived to be a complete necessity for my system...having said that the concept behind them is very simple....

sorry again for not being of any real help ='[...

[NarnyTheGreat]

Ok well, I guess I can just order a dosing pump and hook it up to a 5 gallon tank or something. I will have to figure that out because topping off every day sucked the last time I had a nano set up.

[NarnyTheGreat]

I am currently waiting for my Dr. Tim's One and Only to show up. I plan to take live rock and sand from my 55 gallon to put in the nano and I dont want a mini cycle to start from disrupting the bio filter. It should be here on tue or wed and when it gets here I will do a water change and take the water rock and sand from that tank to the nano and it should be completely ready for a mantis when ever I find one.

I wish it would get here sooner rather than later. I really want to order my shrimp.

Do all mantis tanks need a lid? I am planning on getting a wennerae (not sure if a lid is required) if so then I will need to build one.

[Kharn]

Make a smalle mesh lid out of a window fram its your BEST bet...

#1 FAR lighter then glass / acrylic.
#2 Mesh lids promote FAR more Oxygen along with still maintaining a sealed aquarium.
#3 mesh lids can be easy to DIY compared to glass/acrylic and a lot more cheaper.

My big mantis tank the 4 footer has 2 mesh lids on it, was the first thing I made for the tank, I shattered and binned the crap heavy oxygen restricting glass lids!

Have had 0 problems and because this is a 4 foot tank there were only 2 lids so there was a bit of weight to each lid...