Seting up a frag tank

[hans24hrs]

I am going to set up a small frag tank, probably a 20L up to a 40 breeder. Not set on size, have to see what LFS has. I am not intending to use this as a source of income, but rather to help keep my display tank properly manicured and not waste any extras. probably give or trade corals with friends.

These are some questions I have:

1. should I add any substrate or bare bottome.

2. should I have any live rock in tank. (I plan on using frag rack, egg crate)

3. should I have any livestock in tank. I know some corals use fish waste as nutrients, but that also means more filtration. also would I be better with just some snails or hermit crabs

4. would a small filter be enough for water flow or should I add power heads, I have extras if needed.

5. What additives if any should I use. I prefer Salinity salt for my display tank so I will be using that in frag tank most likely.

Again I appriciate the help and input.

[jeff@zina.com]

Setting up a fragging tank is no different from setting up a display. All your answers involve choices you need to make. None are right and none are wrong if they work for you.

Jeff

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[kobelka]

Bare bottom makes cleaning easy

[hans24hrs]

thank you, for the help. I will let you know how it went.

[CLINTOS]

Here's an example of my 20G 30" long frag tank.

4 t5 h.o

1 nano and 1 x # 1 hydor korialia's

fluval 305 canister filter

100 watt heater I think

15 lb's L.R

1" of aragonite sand

1 small percular clown,1 algae blenny, 3 mexican turbo's.



maintenance:

1 pinch of flake food 1-2 x daily.

25% bi-weekly water changes.

1 X a month of vacuming the top layer of sand if needed.

[Nemo4ev]

It also depends if you are going to connect the frag tank to your main tank.

[CLINTOS]

your main tank is always better imo. unless you want back up just in case.

[hans24hrs]

I got a 20L, going to go bare bottom (easier to keep clean). I am going to try to use some HOB filters that I have already, see how the work. I am going to add some live rock that I have in my main tank, probably just a few pounds. As far as fish I have a damsel I would love to get out of my main tank, and maybe add another and some snails or hermits. Not going to be connected to main tank. I actually have to place it in another room than main tank.

[hans24hrs]

just got an Aquaticlife T5 4 bulb fixture. going to try to set up tank tomorrow as long as I don't get called in to work.

[BillyC]

I've tried frag tanks with substrates and it just causes more of a hassle IMO. Here's my barebottom 20L for growing softies.

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/wscaycho/ac5506ef.jpg

[hans24hrs]

that looks good. Hope I am there soon.

[hans24hrs]

Okay so today I started setting up the tank. Got a little cheap and decided to use an extra stand (it goes with my 55 acrylic tank) I had in my attic. It worked out okay though. I reinforced it with 2x4 sections when I first got it so I was able to sit the 20L on there. It actually worked out well because with the extra room I was able to place a plant on the stand to hide the filter and block some of the natural sunlight that area of room gets. Right now I have an old tetra HOB filter hooked up on one end and a small power head on the oposit end (that is at the bottom of tank) to create some decent water movement. I added carbon and denitrator in media bags and have them in the HOB. As far as the water I added half new water 10G from my mixing tank (been mixing for a week so not too new) and then added 10G from my display tank (where my frags are now). I just did a 25% water change 3 days ago, and added 10G of new to replace water taken for frag tank. I am going to add a couple of pieces of live rock from display tank tomorrow, and get some small/ rubel pieces from LFS tomorrow. I would like to put frags in tomorrow also a couple hours after rock goes in.


Any thoughts + or - please let me know. I really would like to do this right the first time so I don't lose any frags.

[hans24hrs]

okay so I have tank set up. still need to add some live rock. I want to take a few small round pieces from display tank and then replace them with some new rock (more branchy/ longer pieces ) from LFS. Not sure if that would be bad for display tank though (if the were not fully cured). Also have to add the other frag rack from display tank. I figured I would test frag tank with a piece of rock that was covered in polyps first. The polyps on the rock are spreading all over my display tank so I was not worried if I lose them.

[hans24hrs]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?pictureid=40475&albumid=5878&dl=1330712499&thumb=1

[hans24hrs]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?pictureid=40474&albumid=5878&dl=1330712499&thumb=1

[jeff@zina.com]

You're going to need a longer fixture... :)

Jeff

[hans24hrs]

yeah I know I got that one real cheap and it was only 2 weeks old.

[buddythelion]

I've tried frag tanks with substrates and it just causes more of a hassle IMO. Here's my barebottom 20L for growing softies.

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/wscaycho/ac5506ef.jpg

I've tried frag tanks with substrates and it just causes more of a hassle IMO. Here's my barebottom 20L for growing softies.

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/wscaycho/ac5506ef.jpg

So am what I seeing here is... A waterflow device, an AC and t5. That's it?

I have a 20L. If I just slap on a koralia, AC with chemipure elite and purigen, and a t5, would that do the trick?

[hans24hrs]

????

[Big Dog]

2-40 breeders / LPS left (1 250MH & 4 T-5's), SPS right (2 250MH's). No sand with PVC bottom sweeps. Fuge, skimmer, and carbon reactor.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a24/gmsssi/Frag/IMG_0911.jpg

Just put this together with stuff laying around to house rock and do softies and LPS. Only thing I bought was the 150 gallon Rubbermaid on sale at TSC ... :)

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a24/gmsssi/photo8.jpg

[hans24hrs]

that is is nice set up. I wish I had the room to do larger tank (display and frag). I really wish I had a basement so I could pipe everything to a drain and supply. So far my frag tank is going well. I have some sps in there that I just got for my display tank (waiting till they get a little bigger before putting them in display tank. Also rehabing a meat that my foxface bit while stealing some food from it.

Thank you to everyone for the tips and good ideas.

[topshotta]

2-40 breeders / LPS left (1 250MH & 4 T-5's), SPS right (2 250MH's). No sand with PVC bottom sweeps. Fuge, skimmer, and carbon reactor.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a24/gmsssi/Frag/IMG_0911.jpg

Just put this together with stuff laying around to house rock and do softies and LPS. Only thing I bought was the 150 gallon Rubbermaid on sale at TSC ... :)

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a24/gmsssi/photo8.jpg

Nice frag setup. Can't tell from the pics, but I'd you drill those 40 breeders?

[Big Dog]

Nice frag setup. Can't tell from the pics, but I'd you drill those 40 breeders?

The 40's are drilled and I used 1 1/2" PVC as a standpipe overflow for each. Both overflow to a single fuge and 2 way discharge supplies the sweeps for return. Put a bioball on the top of the standpipe to prevent any accidents. Each tank has a 6-line wrasse.

[JasonMHorn]

It also depends if you are going to connect the frag tank to your main tank.

Why does it matter if you connect to your DT or not? I ask because I'm looking to do a frag tank and I'd like to plumb it into my DT.

[Hazratty]

Why does it matter if you connect to your DT or not? I ask because I'm looking to do a frag tank and I'd like to plumb it into my DT.

The reasons I would plumb it into my main tank there are a few goods and bads to it.

Goods:

-Increase in water volume, causing less shifts in water parameters.
-Tank Maturity
-Filtration
-People tend to keep there displays parameters in check so ideally your frag tank would be the same.
-Not having to buy excess equiptment (Carbon, GFO, Calcium reactors, Heaters, Skimmer) Should be just plug andg play and tweak for more water volume.


Bads:

Well if your display has a problem, so does your frag tank. If your display crashes and you lose your coral, well then so does your display!

Potenital problems with adding the water volume and Frag tank into your display. Make sure your Frag tank has flow check valves! or that your sump can handle the water volume in power outage!

Upgrading equiptment Skimmer, Return.

That's all I can think of for a short answer! Good luck!

[JasonMHorn]

The reasons I would plumb it into my main tank there are a few goods and bads to it.

Goods:

-Increase in water volume, causing less shifts in water parameters.
-Tank Maturity
-Filtration
-People tend to keep there displays parameters in check so ideally your frag tank would be the same.
-Not having to buy excess equiptment (Carbon, GFO, Calcium reactors, Heaters, Skimmer) Should be just plug andg play and tweak for more water volume.

Thanks for the info. It is very insightful.

Bads:

Well if your display has a problem, so does your frag tank. If your display crashes and you lose your coral, well then so does your display!

Potenital problems with adding the water volume and Frag tank into your display. Make sure your Frag tank has flow check valves! or that your sump can handle the water volume in power outage!

Upgrading equiptment Skimmer, Return.

That's all I can think of for a short answer! Good luck!

[thereefcanada]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?pictureid=40474&albumid=5878&dl=1330712499&thumb=1

I can't really tell if you have any type of frag rack from your small pic, but either use black eggcrate or acrylic. The white stuff in my experiences seems to grow hair algae like crazy.

[JasonMHorn]

The reasons I would plumb it into my main tank there are a few goods and bads to it.

Goods:

-Increase in water volume, causing less shifts in water parameters.
-Tank Maturity
-Filtration
-People tend to keep there displays parameters in check so ideally your frag tank would be the same.
-Not having to buy excess equiptment (Carbon, GFO, Calcium reactors, Heaters, Skimmer) Should be just plug andg play and tweak for more water volume.


Bads:

Well if your display has a problem, so does your frag tank. If your display crashes and you lose your coral, well then so does your display!

Potenital problems with adding the water volume and Frag tank into your display. Make sure your Frag tank has flow check valves! or that your sump can handle the water volume in power outage!

Upgrading equiptment Skimmer, Return.

That's all I can think of for a short answer! Good luck!

I appreciate the info!!