Orca Tl-450 Anybody?

[rabbut]

It's fine to run skimmerless, they are optional. Recomended though for a beginner, but optional all the same

 

[leeroysw20]

well everything is finally running at planned with no problems now!
with response to the green 'mantis' looking thing, i had the pleasure of seein it come out of a hole....and grab hold of a small crab (about 7mm in size)....it then forced it into its hole, folding it completely in half as the hole was small, and i can only guess it had a nice dinner that night! lol
is this the knida thing a mantis would do??
ive still had no luck in finding out what it is, but it def doesn't look like a mantis! wonderin if theres diff species ofmantis or somethin which it could be!

ah jus remembered!...wanted to ask a question about coral!....

i have pulsing xenia, which is doing really well in there!
what sort of coral would be best for me to put in my tank??
all i have found at the mo is things such as zoas, mushrooms, polyps, capnella and ricordea, thats what another person on here has in their orca. are these a good selection or are there better things which would suit my tank better???

my xenia....needs pruning i know!!!!!

 

[rabbut]

Crab is one thing on a mantis's menu, yes. One things for shure, if it's predating crabs, it's a baddy and needs to come out

 

[leeroysw20]

god, its literally guna b impossible to get it out, it hardley ever comes out as it is! and wen it does its only for a second as it runs to the next hole!

 

[rabbut]

How bigger piece of LR is it in? Do you know which is it's hole?

I should add, Mantis aren't usualy bold enough to take pray while people are watching, but it has been known.

Do you have a sump? (I'm guessing no)

You could try a mantis trap with a coke bottle. Cut the neck off, add some food to the main body as bait and a small rock to weigh it down, before then tapeing the neck back on the wrong way arround. If the hole isn't large enough to allow the thing in, carefully cut into the neck to widen the whole a bit more. Once done, fill with aquarium water and set it near the things hole After that, all you can do is wait and set free anything you diden't want to catch, like say an un-suspecting cleaner/other shrimp...

All the best
Rabbut

 

[leeroysw20]

ye sods law its in the biggest piece!

hmm ive seen it in 3 diff places, and wonderin around on one occasion, it was diggin into the rock so im persuming it was finding a new home...however all the holes are in the same area so mayb that traps the only possible chance im guna have of catchin it!
what would u suggest i do with it IF im lucky enough to get it?! lol

 

[rabbut]

Keep it in a plastic jar and get a good photo of it up here for ID A mantis could then be sold on if it's one of a few species, as many want to keep them as pets. Other critters you may have to give away to a LFS or local with a sump, others are best euthanised

 

[SkiFletch]

+1 for the coke bottle trap. if you don't see it much during the day, some species are semi-nocturnal

 

[Trod]

Yes your choice of corals are good, and well suited to your tank
I think you should leave the xenia as it is, it looks nice.
My personal favourite is the ricordea, you can get some lovely colours
You could also think about a Euphyllia may be a torch or hammer would be ok or the frogspawn. Slightly harder to keep but not impossible.

 

[leeroysw20]

ah right sounds interestin, will have a look into them corals, thanks!
well since i said about catchin the green thing...ive not seen it!! lol sods law!

had a bit of a bad week this week, 1st a turbo snail kept falling off the rock, so i had to keep turning it over, 4 times this happened, on the last time, i turned it over n it hasn't moved for 3 days now...so i think its well and truely dead

then today before doing my water change..i noticed my sally light foot was gettin a little close to the powerhead, he does this often!...today was to be his fate! as he kinda got stuck on it and died

 

[rabbut]

Daft question, but the "sally light foot" on the pump wasn't a molt was it?

 

[leeroysw20]

i had to check that myself!!!! lol
but no it most def was the actual crab!
he was doin really well in there too. but now ive had one i dont think id get another one as it didn't seem to do much to be honest!! theres no substitute to turbo snails...just cant beat em!!!

 

[cypher1989]

Hi Everyone,

I have a Boyu TL450 (seems identical to the Orca TL450. I have a issue with temperature... its running at 28-30 C! with no heaters running. Has anyone had problems with heat in these tanks? I cannot seem to eliminate the problem? I have had the tank 4 days (so its just beginning to do its cycling thing) it is just because it's cycling? is this normal for a cycling tank?

Regards

 

[woody88]

Hi Everyone,

I have a Boyu TL450 (seems identical to the Orca TL450. I have a issue with temperature... its running at 28-30 C! with no heaters running. Has anyone had problems with heat in these tanks? I cannot seem to eliminate the problem? I have had the tank 4 days (so its just beginning to do its cycling thing) it is just because it's cycling? is this normal for a cycling tank?

Regards

Hi mate! has the stock lighting been modified in anyway! eg halide/s. Are the fans working in the hood, are there any vents in the hood that are blocked (build up of dust etc) is the tank near any external heat source ( eg radiator/panel heater/plasma tv).

I've never known a tank run at that temp without a heater ( are you in a hot climate or are you UK)

I have the TL 550 and never had a prob with temp (you should be able to hear your fans running)