Dustin’s Cheap Frag Tank

PerplexyHexy · May 15, 2018

Hello guys... So I just recently quit drinking and smoking and have alot of time on my hands... I decided I wanted to dive into the coral world... I already have a few in my 72 gallon display tank, but my turbo snails keep knocking them over. I wanted to make this tank as cheap as possible with most of the stuff I have lying around.

Not very sure If this will all work out, but I have alot of time on my hands now. I finished putting the tank together to cycle on sunday. So its been cycling for 2 days with some live rock and some bio-cylinders I took from my display sump and some dry rock that I was given a year ago from a local reefer. Just checked my water parameters and things look on track so far.

Im pretty sure people are going to give me a hard time with the power filter Im using as well. I had a 300$ budget for lights and an ATO... I purchased the Tunze nano ATO and also purchased a sbreef sbox pro 16” LED thats on the way. I guess Im just looking for your guys’ input. I think I screwed up though. I put all the rock in the tank to cycle it, but I really want the tank to have no rock. Just the Carabsea Hawaiin Black Aragonite and egg crate to put the corals.

Did I do something stupid? Im also running the skimmer... Ive heard mixed things on that as well. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Im eventually going to plumb this to my display which is directly behind in our living room. Just dont have the knowledge of plumbing and dont feel like pulling the washer and dryer out and start drilling holes in the wall yet.

Jr'sReef · May 15, 2018

I’d cycle the tank without the rock if your going to have the tank rockless. You may cause a second cycle by removing the rock if you wait to long to do so. Also I’d add the sand and have it running with the HOB till it’s done cycling

PerplexyHexy · May 15, 2018

The sand is already in the tank... Im gonna have to take the rock out then... dangit! Thanks for your advice

PerplexyHexy · May 19, 2018

PerplexyHexy · May 19, 2018

Went and picked this up today instead... way better

User · May 19, 2018

That looks pretty great... dimensions?

PerplexyHexy · May 19, 2018

30X24X8

PerplexyHexy · May 19, 2018

Thanks man... Yeah, I just didnt like how the 20L was looking... found this cheap... sucks though, the ATO doesnt work... so now I have to return it through Amazon... Could be awhile... sucks!

User · May 19, 2018

Man, that’s perfect. I’m looking at a 50 low boy, but it’ll be real tight in my fishroom with plumbing and overflow box. 30 inch length would be perfect. Where’d you find it?

PerplexyHexy · May 19, 2018

On craigslist... Got it for $250 he gave me a 300 GPH Rio pump and also some frags... He was about an hour or so away... They go for $4-500 on advancedacrylics.com

Clownfish2 · May 19, 2018

I’d make sure to use display tank water plus a seeded sponge or some live rock into the frag tank.

I learned the hard way. When I started a 20gal L frag tank, I thought freshly mixed saltwater with a bottle of birospira bacteria would work just like adding some fish. I lost several newly purchased frags.

PerplexyHexy · May 19, 2018

I have some live rock and ceramic rings that came from my display tank sump... Been in there for 2 years... If you look in the middle compartment you can see them in there... I have them sitting on top of 4” thick filter floss... and I used a gallon or so of display tank water... thanks for the heads up though! I appreciate it