Easy Peazy Mantis Shrimp Squeezy?

[Shovelman]

Hey there to everyone on the salty side of the fish force! Many times have I considered saltwater, mainly due to my intense interest in invertebrates and crustaceans which FW seems to be lacking... Mainly speaking my favorite saltwater creature is not a fish but rather a mantis shrimp (not a true shrimp, but a stomatopod). So Even though ive never kept salt water doesn't mean i haven't studied! Here's my set up idea. Bear with me as this is unusual compared to what most people want. Im thinking a cool tank with live rock and such, but making it a macro algae tank! So basically almost all macro algae instead of corals, but arranging it in a way that makes it look unique and functional for a peacock mantis to zoom around in. The tank will probably be about 30-50 gallons, acrylic tank as i don't want the intentional visitor to temp the mantis to show off his strength on the glass tank >.> so anyways... i wouldn't be sump-ing it out, but rather id do the DIY mod of that HOB filter to make it a mini fuge...just for even extra filtration or as a holing tank for say emerald crabs or hermits (aka mantis live food). so just a few questions here!

1st: During vacations were gone usually for a week. Rarely 2 weeks. My parents wont allow anyone to casually come in to check up on things so i was curious as to trying a computer software that hooks up to nitrate, temperature, and ph monitors in the tank which send the daily analysis to my laptop which i can check. I know thing happen fast here but if i find smething thats going down hill, my parents said i could THEN have a family member check on it.

2nd: Does anyone here have experience with mantis shrimp, i was wondering how i would feed them over such a gap in time, i was under the impression they only kill when hungry, but ive also heard other wise.

3rd: whats the best device/ tester for salanity?

And lastly, what kind of contraption can i look at for a DIY auto top off...

Thanks for any comments or thoughts you can leave me with!

 

[Shovelman]

Anyone? I was just looking for any general advice that applies to my idea...

 

[Donya]

1st: During vacations were gone usually for a week. Rarely 2 weeks. My parents wont allow anyone to casually come in to check up on things so i was curious as to trying a computer software that hooks up to nitrate, temperature, and ph monitors in the tank which send the daily analysis to my laptop which i can check. I know thing happen fast here but if i find smething thats going down hill, my parents said i could THEN have a family member check on it.

Never heard of this software/hardware combo. Got a link? Sounds awesome.

2nd: Does anyone here have experience with mantis shrimp, i was wondering how i would feed them over such a gap in time, i was under the impression they only kill when hungry, but ive also heard other wise.

May not even need to feed. My mantis shrimp (that I haven't seen in ~3months now...the big pain, I hear him daily) often doesn't eat for 1-2 weeks. If you make sure it eats well beforehand you might be set. The strategy many mantis keepers employ is one you've proposed with the emerald crabs - live food, which easily lasts over long periods of time, although I've never been willing to go that rout with mine. Some will also eat pelleted food. If yours is trained to pelleted, an auto-feeder would be an option too for when it goes past a week.

3rd: whats the best device/ tester for salanity?

Refractometer for sg, although if you're meaning something that you can use remotely I have no idea.

Can't help with the auto top-off as it's not something I've ever looked into.

 

[Shovelman]

1st: During vacations were gone usually for a week. Rarely 2 weeks. My parents wont allow anyone to casually come in to check up on things so i was curious as to trying a computer software that hooks up to nitrate, temperature, and ph monitors in the tank which send the daily analysis to my laptop which i can check. I know thing happen fast here but if i find smething thats going down hill, my parents said i could THEN have a family member check on it.

Never heard of this software/hardware combo. Got a link? Sounds awesome.

2nd: Does anyone here have experience with mantis shrimp, i was wondering how i would feed them over such a gap in time, i was under the impression they only kill when hungry, but ive also heard other wise.

May not even need to feed. My mantis shrimp (that I haven't seen in ~3months now...the big pain, I hear him daily) often doesn't eat for 1-2 weeks. If you make sure it eats well beforehand you might be set. The strategy many mantis keepers employ is one you've proposed with the emerald crabs - live food, which easily lasts over long periods of time, although I've never been willing to go that rout with mine. Some will also eat pelleted food. If yours is trained to pelleted, an auto-feeder would be an option too for when it goes past a week.

3rd: whats the best device/ tester for salanity?

Refractometer for sg, although if you're meaning something that you can use remotely I have no idea.

Can't help with the auto top-off as it's not something I've ever looked into.

Thank you for your reply! What kind of mantis shrimp do you have? And as of right now i dont know the brand, ive only heard of such a thing.

 

[Donya]

Mine is most likely Neogonodactylus wennerae. Really playful and interactive at first - he'd come out to watch TV and watch me play video games. And then total troglodyte mode started one night...go figure. Most I've caught of him since then are glimpses of his face zipping back into the rock just as he notices my head start to turn.

 

[lljdma06]

The software, I imagine would be similar to software that watches your home while you're away. Super cool application for reef systems. I have heard of this, I'm just not geeky enough to do it, yet... LOLOL

I've seen auto top-offs being implemented and it's something I have to consider for my 8g because of the MH. I suck at DIY, I see them for about $89-100 bucks. I'll buy it. the other two tanks for some reason don't need it so often, but that 8g is a pain. There are DIY ones, a quick google search yielded like way more than 10 pages.

I wanted mantis, but opted not to. 20g would have been fine for a peacock, you planning other stock?

 

[demasonisrule]

Look up apex controllers for the monitors. They can also be used to turn on/off your lights pumps, etc. They are pricey, though I am pretty sure they are coming out with a more affordable model. They also have an app for iPhone so you can check your params and control your tank from your phone.

 

[GrayScale]

It is possible to diy an ato with some float switches and a pump, sure there are videos or instructions on the web. I actually bought the tunze osomolator ato for my setup when I can set it up.

Ill have to check that out for the application. Not only would it be effective while on vacation but you could easily use it for just normal check up instead of test kits all the time.

 

[Shovelman]

Im actually thinking of getting a 40 gallon at the petco 1$ per gallon days and sectioning it off (with acrylic sheets with holes for circulation) so i could have half and half... mantis on one side, and maybe 2 clowns on the other? idk if 20 gallons is fine for a peacock ill probably just do that...