Frag Tank Advice

mgoesma · Feb 8, 2017

So I have been thinking about building a frag tank for some time now. I would love one of the rimless ones but that's not in the budget. So I was thinking a 20 gallon long. I would then drill it and have a 10 gallon sump. I was going to try to find a 30 inch T5HO. I'm thinking 2 or 4 bulb. In the sump I was going to put about 20 lb of live rock, maybe a nano skimmer, return pump, and a auto top off. In the display, I'm thinking lifted egg crate and wave maker power head.

azbigjohn · Feb 8, 2017

Sounds like a workable plan.

If you are going to drill it anyway, is there a way space-wise you could plumb it into your main DT, thereby increasing your total water volume and making maintaining your levels easier (and not two separate jobs).

mgoesma · Feb 8, 2017

azbigjohn said:
Sounds like a workable plan.

If you are going to drill it anyway, is there a way space-wise you could plumb it into your main DT, thereby increasing your total water volume and making maintaining your levels easier (and not two separate jobs).

Wouldn't that defeat the point of having the second tank? then pest and hitchhikers could just get in my display. I also couldn't test new things on the frags without affecting my display.

mgoesma · Feb 8, 2017

I also forgot to add that i will have an algae scrubber on the frag tank to keep water changes to a minimum. I also plan to have 2 to 4 fish after i get it all set up. these fish will control pests and produce food for the coral.

azbigjohn · Feb 8, 2017

mgoesma said:
Wouldn't that defeat the point of having the second tank? then pest and hitchhikers could just get in my display. I also couldn't test new things on the frags without affecting my display.

It's a double edged sword. Are you using it as a QT, or a grow out? As a QT, you would want it separate. If you are using it to house frags to grow out to either put in your display, or for trading/selling, by including it in your main water volume you make it easier to maintain parameters.

Rick.45cal · Feb 8, 2017

Following along, because I want to see what you end up deciding to go with. Might be a great little coral QT setup.

azbigjohn · Feb 8, 2017

Just as an aside, I did something similar with an old Cardiff (all in one) tank I had lying around, and, no, I did not tie it into my system, because it was to help sort out an aptasia infestation, so i could observe everything and kill off all the aptasia. I do plan to eventually add a Frag tank plumbed into my system as a place to put frags to grow out so I can trade / sell them once I get full size colonies growing well in my system.

This is a picture of my 29 gallon frag tank:

mgoesma · Feb 8, 2017

Thanks. I think I want it for both. The man reason is to get the frag rack out of my display. Second reason is to see what work best for growth without risking my display. This would be a qt.

mgoesma · Feb 9, 2017

sps_monger · Feb 9, 2017

What kinda of frags are you going to put in this tank? If you are going to do many acros, you might have to dose kalk with such little water volume. With less than 30gal, it's going to be a trick to keep everything stable. But not impossible. Good luck

mgoesma · Feb 9, 2017

I don't currently have many sps. I dose kelk on my main tank but hopefully it won't be a big issue on the frag.

mgoesma · Feb 9, 2017

I was looking at getting a reefkeeper to monitor it though.

AndrewShields · Feb 9, 2017

i have a jbj 20, that is rimless, and a cad lights skimmer. its not that expensive and the skimmer keep the water very clean for the small tank.

Coastie Reefer · Feb 9, 2017

I have a 20g long frag tank. Not drilled and only uses HOB filtration. It's a great little frag tank, but it's a little more work than I figured. It is an SPS tank so there's that to consider.

Not having it connected to a display means double the testing, double the water changes, double tracking the ATO container, double just about everything. It adds up pretty fast, so keep that in mind. It's nothing major... and some, like me, even get a little enjoyment out of the extra "work". This is a hobby after all, and just staring at a tank with nothing to do to it isn't very hobby like... right? ;)

If you're going to use it house frags you're eventually going to put in your display I'd highly suggest that you get a light that is comparable to you display. This helps with the transition and help frags maintain color after being moved. For instance, the PC Rainbow in my frag tank was a dull rust red color for months in my frag tank... after a month in my display tank it's showing green, red, and even blue on the tips!

(I have a super old Chinese black box over my frag tank and a AI Prime on my display)

mgoesma · Feb 9, 2017

Coastie Reefer said:
I have a 20g long frag tank. Not drilled and only uses HOB filtration. It's a great little frag tank, but it's a little more work than I figured. It is an SPS tank so there's that to consider.

Not having it connected to a display means double the testing, double the water changes, double tracking the ATO container, double just about everything. It adds up pretty fast, so keep that in mind. It's nothing major... and some, like me, even get a little enjoyment out of the extra "work". This is a hobby after all, and just staring at a tank with nothing to do to it isn't very hobby like... right? ;)

If you're going to use it house frags you're eventually going to put in your display I'd highly suggest that you get a light that is comparable to you display. This helps with the transition and help frags maintain color after being moved. For instance, the PC Rainbow in my frag tank was a dull rust red color for months in my frag tank... after a month in my display tank it's showing green, red, and even blue on the tips!

(I have a super old Chinese black box over my frag tank and a AI Prime on my display)

I plan on having a t5 led mix just like my display. Good point though.