Constructing The Perfect Frag Tank

[jharding08]

I want to implement the perfect frag tank for my house. I have a nice display with some decent sized colonies and would like to grow out some frags. I will be doing mostly SPS and LPS.

I currently have a 3'x1'x1' tank with a 20 gallon sump for my frag setup. Its too small for the stand

It will be a standalone system and the stand I have is this oneL: http://www.petco.com/product/101395/...ium-Stand.aspx

it is 19.37" L X 37.37" W X 28.25" H. I would like to make the tank span the entire length and width. My father in law can make anything out of acrylic so I am looking for a tank and sump for this application.

For the tank, here are some questions:
- How tall for the tank?
-What kind of overflow?
-What kind of frag rack? Stairs? one rack on the bottom?
-What kind of flow and how much?
-What kind of return? I currently have a sicce synchra silent 2.0 (569 GPH) for my current implementation with a SCWD for alternating water flow
- What kind of lighting? I am using a Rapid LED Onyx Dimmable LED fixture right now (80 degree optics) I have it hooked up to my main display Apex system. The display has 2 onyx units which grow SPS nicely.

For the sump,
I want to make the same design that I used for the display, with a return section, filter socks, in sump skimmer, maybe a section for live rock and a return section big enough for water siphon on feeding/power outage.

THis is for my display (except pump is internal to return section and will be in frag tank too)


I run a bean animal on my display and a 1.5" durso on my current frag setup with an emergency. For the 568 GPH, the 1.5" handles it quietly.

I'd like to keep my hardware (sicce 2.0, reef octopus in sump - rated for over 400 gallons , onyx LED and stand) but can design all new tank and sump and frag racks. I can even add another Onyx if necessary.

So , what do you think? Oh, I also have a pair of black and white ORA ocellaris that will live in this tank, so I'd like to be able to remove detritus as easily as possible (depending on the frag rack setup)

Thank you for your feedback

[jharding08]

I am planning on building a 37"W x 19"D x either 12",14" or 16" tall tank of 1/4" or 3/8" acrylic.

The sump will be the same as my current sump, 30" W x 14.5" D x 16" tall. I will fit in 2 4" filter sock holes, room for skimmer, live rock and return pump with overflow water.

What type of overflow is best for this size to be able to get the best surface skimming and turnover? I dont want an overflow box in the back of the tank because I will be using frag racks - egg crate either built in stairs, pyramid, slanted or flat on pvc risers on the bottom. Plus I want as much room for corals as possible and all possible light positions. I do have room for a coast to coast overflow box on the back. If I do 1" PVC overflow pipes, bean animal style (siphon, open and emergency) then I can do an overflow box, just high and deep enough to hold the pvc elbows. I could do the holes on the bottom of the overflow and then the valves below the overflow box.

Does coast to coast work best for frag tanks of this size and turnover rate,568 GPH on a 36.5 gallon (12" tall), 42.5 (14" tall) or 48 Gallon (16" tall) tank?