Cooper32803's Frag Tank

[Cooper32803]

So here is the first pic of my setup that is still a work in progress. Right now there is the rack held up by four PVC 3" couplers, an acrylic magnetic frag rack on the left side, a Koralia 725 gph powerhead on the right side and a Fluval C4 HOB filter to remove detrius and provide some multi-stage filtration. Tomorrow I will be picking up a Reef Octopus BH-1000 HOB skimmer as well. I am also ordering another powerhead for under the rack so probably something a little smaller, maybe around 425 gph or so... Let me know what you think!

 

[revhtree]

Looks like it's gonna be a good one.

The only feedback I have it that I would cut that egg crate in half or onto 4 sections. It's almost impossible and a pain in the butt to get to frags that fall through the egg crate when you have one full piece of egg crate in the tank.

 

[Cooper32803]

Thats a good idea. I was thinking of cutting it somehow to be able to move the rack for cleaning anything on the bottom but wasn't sure how I should actually do it. So if I get two more couplers and put them in the middle front and middle back, I should cut out one or two rows of the eggcrate in the middle?

 

[wysiwyg]

very nice keep the updates coming

 

[Rob.D]

What lighting fixture?

 

[Cooper32803]

It will be a 36" 6 Bulb T5 fixture that I plan on taking out the stock bulbs and replacing with ATI bulbs. 4 Blue +, 1 Purple and 1 Aquablue +...

 

[revsgirl]

Nice!

 

[Cooper32803]

Thanks Tonya! hoping to get it wet today so I can at least start the cycle

 

[Cooper32803]

Picture update time!! Chiller has been installed as well as a Reef Octopus BH1000 skimmer. Lights should be here at the beginning of next week, but I couldnt wait to get it wet so it has water and some live rock to get the cycle going... Yay!! Any advice or comments is appreciated!

 

[BarbH]

Looking real nice, congrats on getting your frag tank going will be following along

 

[Cooper32803]

Thanks Barb! I definitely felt like it was needed because my poor biocube is packed with coral frags (I just cant say no if I find something I like lol) I made the joke that I am like a crazy Disney pin collector but with corals (If you have hever been to Disney, you will get the reference). So the frag tank was definitely a good decision for me. Plus I want to get into fragging and trading and what not so another good reason for the tank I cant wait til the lights get here so I can get a better look at whats going on in there as my garage lights arent very bright. I also ended up buying all ATI lights for the frag tank so it should keep them all happy :bigsmile:

 

[Cooper32803]

Oh and I was talking to the manager at my LFS and She gave me the great idea of putting another tank on the bottom and I could build a sump tank next to it and run the cooler and skimmer through the sump and double my frag station... Am I going crazy thinking that its a good idea?? LOL

 

[larryl]

Nice frag tank!

 

[Cooper32803]

Thanks larryl!

 

[Steelerfan747]

Looking good, would like to see more pics of the progress

 

[Cooper32803]

I will post pics as it progresses... Definitely after I get my lights and ATI bulbs.. Just gotta deal with the not so great iPhone pics for now...

 

[Cooper32803]

Yep. It's official... I have gone bonkers! I went to petco today and bought another 40g breeder for the bottom of my tank stand and a 29g to use as a sump for both tanks so I can work my chiller and my protein skimmer off the sump. It will be a while until I get the lights for this tank so I am in no rush to get it all set up, but it should be a pretty sweet frag/growout system when it is completed... At least I think so anyways :bounce:Oh and I bought a new camera today so better pics should be coming soon if I can figure out how to use this thing... LOL

 

[BarbH]

Yep I would say that the bug has bit you pretty bad and definitly have a case of MTS (multiple tank syndrome) Look forward to seeing the progress on everything. What type of camera did you end up getting?

 

[Cooper32803]

I ended up getting a Nikon D3100... Now I just have to figure out how to use it LOL... I have tried to no avail of getting nice clear pictures of corals under actinic lighting... Looks like I am going to have to read up on the photography forum to figure it out..

As for the multiple tank syndrome... Yep I agree. But at least It isnt as bad since I can run the filtration and chiller for both tanks in the sump when I get it all figured out. So all I really have to buy for it is lighting, but as I dont have the money for that yet (after buying said tanks and camera), that will wait, plus I dont even have frags in the first one yet, so when that one fills up then it will be a priority. Now to find a display tank for the frags I will be growing out to occupy LOL

 

[faisal629]

I probably missed, but how large is this tank?