29 gallon mantis shrimp tank build

[Phillipjlael]

Well I set up the tank and have started making saltwater for it. I may pick up some substrate for it today. Was wondering.... Does anyone have any idea on what kind I should use?

 

[hiltymj]

I would suggest just some kind of live sand or crushed coral

 

[hiltymj]

Or crushed shell. Whatever it is

 

[Bige]

I agree, crushed coral or shell. I suggest those because mantis can be messy. Sand might get blown around all the time. What kind of mantis you getting?

 

[Phillipjlael]

I agree, crushed coral or shell. I suggest those because mantis can be messy. Sand might get blown around all the time. What kind of mantis you getting?

Maybe a peacock. Doesn't crushed coral hold more gunk then sand? I plan to burry a PVC pipe under what ever I end up getting for a burrow.

 

[Phillipjlael]

Well I'm back from the lfs! I got 40lbs of aragonite 12lbs of dry rock and 5lbs of live rock to seed the dry rock. I know I'll need more but that's all I could fit into the budget at the moment. Right now I have the live rock sitting in my 46 gallon till I'm ready to use it. Now I'll let all this sit for a month and I should be ready for my shrimp!

 

[Bige]

Crushed coral can but you have to think of it as decorative. Meaning, you clean it. Dont make it 3" think. But argonite will work.

 

[Bige]

Peacocks are very nice looking. Get bigger than others.

 

[Phillipjlael]

Updates picture

 

[Phillipjlael]

Well sorry about no updates but here's the final rock work. Tank finally cycled. And I just got the shrimp home now and I'm acclimating him now.

 

[alLexX]

looks good,i wish i had room for 1 of those guys...and the cash for a saltwater tank

 

[Phillipjlael]

looks good,i wish i had room for 1 of those guys...and the cash for a saltwater tank

Thanks. Ya I got the tank used for 80 bucks. Rock and sand was about 120ish and the shrimp was 80 with 25% off so he was 60. I was gonna get one from my one lfs that has been there for months but I saw this guy and he was half the size and has so much more brighter colors so I had to take it.

 

[Hinds04]

Those things are awesome, you may have over paid for the used tank though. My LFS sells NEW tanks every other week for $1/gallon

 

[Phillipjlael]

Those things are awesome, you may have over paid for the used tank though. My LFS sells NEW tanks every other week for $1/gallon

Yea but that's for the tank. This was tank stand hood light and aquaclear 50 filter for 80. So that made it a deal. And yes they are awesome. He's still waiting to go in the tank. I wanna take time with the acclimating

 

[Phillipjlael]

He's in.

 

[Sqasnatch]

Those things creep me out. Cool though.

 

[Phillipjlael]

He's not creepy!! Lol he's so cute

 

[alLexX]

He's not creepy!! Lol he's so cute

+1

 

[hackteck]

how much did you pay for it?

 

[Phillipjlael]

how much did you pay for it?

It was 80 but I get 25% off so he or she was 60. Is that good or bad? It's 4 inches and good colors.