The beginning of my Mantis tank!

[bueller]

I have been wanting to have a mantis tank for a while, I found this tank and got a great deal on it, it's a tenecor 20 gal long w/ built in filteration system. I think this should big enough for a mantis..you think?

there are alot of scratches on the front...more then i thought there was when i got it. 1st step - remove the scratches....or at least try myself.

here's a picture:

 

[samster]

thats a nice looking tank scratches doesn't look to crazy when you run your finger nails thru it, does it catch in the pits?

 

[bueller]

when i run my finger across them i don't feel the scratches? guess that's a good thing

 

[EmilyT]

this is going to be a sweet tank i can tell! i think the scratches wont show up as clearly once you put water in it. i might be wrong though.

 

[bueller]

I worked on the tank tonight, i was very happy with the results. I used novus scratch remover #3 then #2 then polished it off with a hand sander. I put a cotton tee shirt over the sander so it wouldn't damage the tank. I would reccomend to anyone who plans on attempting this to use some kind of power tool for help. I started to do it by hand but by the 3rd beer I said F*ck it use the sander! lol

here's a few pictures of the tank now:smoker:: THE 3RD PICTURE - IT'S LINT ON THE TANK FROM THE TEE SHIRT

 

[jaymo]

Wow looks perfect !!!

 

[autoponicz]

very nice...came out blingin...

 

[bueller]

Thanks, I'm happy with it. Next....Start the design of the stand & canopy, Will be a little more tricky with the rounded corners. I'm thinking Mahogany stain...:scratch:

 

[EmilyT]

wow! good as new!

 

[steveo32]

OOOOhh thats sexy, lol. Very nice looks like you got all the scracthes out. Where did you get the novus from ? I wanted to get some but had difficulting online.

 

[bueller]

ebay, just do a search for Novus. Here's a link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NOVUS-PLASTIC-C...ryZ11893QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[crox99]

You did an excellent job on that tank. it looks brand new.

 

[bueller]

thanks, looking for some opinions on lighting for the tank. it is only going to have a peacock mantis in it, but i was thinking on possibly adding some corals...pc...t5...mh...???

bueller

 

[JHOV2324]

Put some T-5 cause u now u gonna want to add some type of coral in there....make it a peacock/Ricordea tank....

 

[bueller]

that sounds pretty cool....any other suggestions.....

 

[inked]

Good lord those things are freaky lol! You tube has a bunch of videos, they mash the crap out of stuff lol

 

[junglebase]

Nice work John! you can see all the details on that budweiser can... :wink1:

 

[bueller]

LOL:spin:

 

[NDY]

Looks Good to me

 

[bueller]

I finally set up my mantis tank in my office. Russ from saltwatercritters is holding my 6 inch peacock mantis for me..THANK YOU RUSS! until I finish the stand I'm doing for him. Russ is really starting to like my mantis SO...I better get going and finish this stand before he keeps him...LOL

Bueller

here's a photo of it in the office: