The build looks good so far. I feel your pain with the mantis and having to hunt him down. I remember spending an entire superbowl Sunday 6 years ago hunting down a mantis in my fully stocked 120 gallon tank. Better get it now before you have any livestock.
For humidity in the canopy, I would suggest DC muffin fans (DC because you can then control the speed with a voltage adapter so you can keep the tank super quiet. I don't like AC fans cause I find most to be loud).
As for stocking list - if you are patient, then look for people shutting their tanks down. I have gotten quite a few nice specimens from shutdowns (the fish seem healthier and are more acclimated to aquarium life than a typical store bought fish. You never know if a store bought is cyanide caught or not). I like yellow tangs, a flasher, solerensis, or myster wrasse is nice, royal gramma maybe, and it depends what kind of corals/inverts you'll have in your tank I always like pygmy angels - either a flame, potter's or coral beauty (I am still on the hunt for one that won't nip at sps/clams).
Hope this helps, enjoying your tank journal so far.
Desmond
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