Ebb & Flow Hydroponics to Frag Tank Conversion

[MidlifeCrifish]

I am having a go on my first frag tank. I have been running a 15g nano for my lps/sps and a 25g tank for the softies for just under a year but I've become addicted to checking parameters + water changes so everything has panned out well so far. I would love to have a larger tank but that's financially out of the question at the moment. I have roughly 10 years experience in agriculture specifically in hydroponics so I'm going to attempt to convert my 3x6ft 6in depth + 60g reservoir to a frag tank. I'm posting this build thread to document my progress and track which corals thrive best in the runway type set up. Most of what I've heard zoas will be best there but I intend on keeping mainly lps/sps and will log my progress with that. I'm trying to run an efficient system based off equipment I already own (basically the tank/sump/led lights). So far I only needed to buy 2x4's, a sump pump, heater, 2 powerheads, live rock, and although somewhat controversial water source is Catalina water as I've had success using that water vs premixed. I'm still new to the hobby and respond well to constructive criticism so have at me with your knowledge as we go! I'm going to add a 2nd drain for backup and silicon the crap out of everything.

 

[laverda]

If your in Oceanside, why not use Scripts water? It is virtually next door, comes from a deep channel and is free. Good luck with you project.

 

[MidlifeCrifish]

If your in Oceanside, why not use Scripts water? It is virtually next door, comes from a deep channel and is free. Good luck with you project.

I never thought of that! I was deterred by people saying la jolla water is too dirty so I completely ruled out SD as an option but thank you I'll go check out scripps water parameters over the weekend!

 

[laverda]

I have used both long term. I would stop and get water at scripts a couple times a year any time I went to San Diego for anything. It was my preferred choice. I also used water from the Kirkoff institute in OC for many years, until UCI took over and decided it was to much a liability risk to make the water available to the public. :-(
Since I moved and never go to SD anymore and closing Kirkoff I got rid of my two 100 gallon containers I used to haul water in.
Scripts water was the cleanest and most consistent of the three.

 

[MidlifeCrifish]

Ah that's a bummer they shut ya out at UCI. And come to think of it the guy that downplayed scripts water was the same guy sellin me into catalina SW. I'm rollin this all out on a budget gettin water from scripts will be huge!

 

[LRT]

This is cool following along. I was and probably am going to go with the deep hydro flood tables for my next project.

 

[MidlifeCrifish]

Here's a 1 month update. It is incredible how stable the tank parameters are compared to my first reef tank in a 15 gal nano. I was able to get to stocking much faster gettin all live rock this time around.

Additions:
Cardinal
Blue Tang
Coral Beauty

Corals:
Favias
Dendros
Branch Hammers
Acros
Montipora

 

[LRT]

Awesome. What size bulkheads did you use and how many over flows?
My main issue in my super shallow tubs has been flow. Mainly top movement thats needed to keep top clean without blasting my corals down below at same time.
My next project will incorporate several backflows and just simply more return to keep everything moving more at natural pace.
Real hard to get powerhead or WaveMaker on top of water without overblasting corals directly under it thats for sure.

 

[MidlifeCrifish]

This is cool following along. I was and probably am going to go with the deep hydro flood tables for my next project.

Cheers! I do wish I had a deeper flood table it took many test runs to get my water level as high as possible to get a 6inch depth. My hope is to just frag out anything growing too close to the surface and I have sections with no egg crate for added depth in some spots but it's all cuttin it close! I also use 5 gallon buckets in the refugium as cheap diy filtration stations and my drains go through the buckets and waterfall into the fuge. You come up on any tricks on your table please let me know!

 

[MidlifeCrifish]

Awesome. What size bulkheads did you use and how many over flows?
My main issue in my super shallow tubs has been flow. Mainly top movement thats needed to keep top clean without blasting my corals down below at same time.
My next project will incorporate several backflows and just simply more return to keep everything moving more at natural pace.
Real hard to get powerhead or WaveMaker on top of water without overblasting corals directly under it thats for sure.

3/4 inch bulkheads with 2 overflows and a 396gph pump. I use 2 koralia nano 565s (bc there was a deal on 2 no real strategy behind it) and will have to let you know how i like them the current is pretty good the grooves on the hydro table seem to create micro currents dispersing it well but only time will tell!

 

[LRT]

Cheers! I do wish I had a deeper flood table it took many test runs to get my water level as high as possible to get a 6inch depth. My hope is to just frag out anything growing too close to the surface and I have sections with no egg crate for added depth in some spots but it's all cuttin it close! I also use 5 gallon buckets in the refugium as cheap diy filtration stations and my drains go through the buckets and waterfall into the fuge. You come up on any tricks on your table please let me know!

You can check out my build in link near my name. Its been quite a journey with lots of modifications to get things as fine tuned as it is now.
Did you use real ocean rock from the ocean?
If so id highly reccomend bracing your rack a little better and get as much as you can up on the rack covering it. Let the rock break in your tables. Plastic takes awhile to build the biofolm needed. Don't go crazy cleaning it up all the time. You can simply vacuum the rack with a hose and get the big stuff off. Minor dish brush on things and take it easy. Keep your nutrients in check. You want at least 5ppm nitrates and don't let your phosphates bottom out. Keep them detectable.
My tables are nearing one year mark and finally starting to settle in
Live rock on the racks will help speed the process much quicker.

 

[MidlifeCrifish]

Oh excellent I'll follow that now! I have just recently started the process of cleanin the table so I'm glad you told me that thank you. I sourced aquacultured live rock from my LFS. I will be sure to add more on top of the table. What did you mean by bracing the rack? Appreciate all this valuable info!

 

[LRT]

Oh excellent I'll follow that now! I have just recently started the process of cleanin the table so I'm glad you told me that thank you. I sourced aquacultured live rock from my LFS. I will be sure to add more on top of the table. What did you mean by bracing the rack? Appreciate all this valuable info!

Was rock Dry or Wet when you got it?
All I meant by bracing rack is try to ensure you get something under it when you put rock on rack so you don't break it..
If it was wet chances are its been sitting in system long enough to get established or cured.
Yeah I'd get as much on rack as you can and cover all empty spots if possible. Rock will help break in that plastic alot faster with coraline algae etc..
What I meant about cleaning plastic is dont scrub it down. You need it to go through the cycle of being broken in and grow a biofilm. Defientely brush the big stuff and siphon out whatever nasties you go through. Which you will.
And just watch your nutrients. You dont want to run sterile system especially at this point. Trick is let it cycle and maintain well.

 

[MidlifeCrifish]

Was rock Dry or Wet when you got it?
All I meant by bracing rack is tty to ensure you get something under it when you out rock on rack so you don't break it..
If it was wet chances are its been sitting in system long enough to get established or cured.
Yeah I'd get as much on rack as you can and cover all empty spots if possible. Rock will help break in that plastic alot faster with coraline algae etc..
What I meant about cleaning plastic is dont scrub it down. You need it to go through the cycle of being broken in and grow a biofilm. Defientely brush the big stuff and siphon out whatever nasties you go through. Which you will.
And just watch your nutrients. You dont want to run sterile system especially at this point. Trick is let it cycle and maintain well.

The rock was wet we pulled it from the lfs' system. Good to know on bracing that rack thanks!

 

[MidlifeCrifish]

~19 month mark since my last post. Made some modifications but continuing to keep it budget friendly. Just recently got some spinning chaeto going without the use of a powerhead so at least that gives me something extra to stair off at from time to time Major issues I've encountered past year and a half (leaving out minor issues although there were many): 200+ aiptasia outbreak>problem solved with 12 peppermint shrimp who now live happily in the 60g sump, had a flatworm outbreak>problem fortunately solved with one very hungry mandarin, and the most recent was bubble algae>problem solved mainly by manual removal all egg crate and live rock hit with toothbrush. Now what did I finalllly learn? QT everything lol