Frag tank systems, lets see those systems.

[Coastie Reefer]

When we save enough to build our forever home my plan is to have a dedicated 20x40 building (dubbed Frag Shack 2.0) Plan on having a 250-300g display, but also anywhere from 3-5 raceways for growing as much coral as I can! I'll literally have 8 times as much room.

 

[LRT]

Right, you're just adding water volume. The main tank is already cycled.

Just thought I'd add a little here.
I started with 2 tables and 1 sump and added basically twice the volume as I went.
I did experience a brief re cycling of the system when I did so.
Keep in mind though my original system was just barely over it's original cycle.
I think I'm at around 180 gallons total now.

 

[ScottB]

So I gather you have all your frag tanks connected? What happens if one system has a problem? Won’t all get messed up?

Yes, they are connected. I do have a separate display system upstairs. I try to keep my favorite acros duplicated -- one in each system so I have a "backup" specimen in case of failure on one system.

I can quickly isolate the 40G tank from the other two if needed. I did that last year to fluconazole treat a couple of colonies that had bryopsis. Didn't want to risk all of my sticks.

If I were to start from scratch, I would not do it this way, I would just get one huge long raceway, huge sump, run a closed loop with a few big pumps. Too much clutter in this configuration. (Of course I would need to move some basement lolly columns.) But it was all stuff I had (or had cheap access to) and it happened very incrementally.

let me get a better pic of that water bridge if you don't mind

The term "water bridge" might be a tad overly dramatic. It is merely 1.5" reinforced hose that I hacked together. I chose hose to help minimize any torque placed on the sump walls. It is functional, but lacks any aesthetic appeal. My wire management skills really have not dramatically improved since this photo.

 

[ScottB]

If you are adding a frag tank to a display tank that is already well established I take it no cycling is needed?

Right, you're just adding water volume. The main tank is already cycled.

I will share my (painful) experiences with adding sterile tanks to live ones. You can see my post in this thread about how I connected 3 tanks & sumps together. I had a 40G then added an 80G and another 40G sump to it. That is A LOT of:
a) nutrient dilution
b) new sterile surface without bacterial slime or algae

Bam! Dinos. There goes a month of my life. Six months later, I repeated the same mistake. Another month -- poof!

Moral of the story? Dose up the new water with PO4 and NO3. I would even suggest you run it separate for a while to get some film coating on the surfaces. Don't waste on month of your life fighting dinos.

 

[ScottB]

Looking to utilize my space a little better in the frag tank. Any recommendations on how to best utilize the layering of frag racks.

I have toyed around with this a few times. Not sure I am quite there yet. In my true SPS frag tank, I have 3 level Kaotic Acrylic racks that staircase up to the middle and then descend down. I run 2 opposing MP40s full tilt reefcrest on each end of the 4 foot tanks. The direct flow passes UNDER the third level middle. Hopefully a picture makes this clearer.

A bit of an optical illusion that makes the powerhead look so big relative to objects in the water.

 

[Deep dive coral]

I have toyed around with this a few times. Not sure I am quite there yet. In my true SPS frag tank, I have 3 level Kaotic Acrylic racks that staircase up to the middle and then descend down. I run 2 opposing MP40s full tilt reefcrest on each end of the 4 foot tanks. The direct flow passes UNDER the third level middle. Hopefully a picture makes this clearer.

Definitely would love to see a pic

 

[ScottB]

Definitely would love to see a pic

Refresh the page. I edited the post to include a poor photo.

 

[vetteguy53081]

@Daedalus8311
@Coralfuture

 

[Southpawblues]

My current Zoa frag tank and new growout system that is almost ready

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

Not really a "frag" tank but it does currently have some frags in it. Here's one of my grow out tanks.

 

[Orthodoc]

I’m new to the hobby and just finished my first frag tank build. I built it in a basement storage room. Corals are a bit sparse, but I’m having fun with it

 

[Daedalus8311]

Here's some setup with @Coralfuture, revamping my whole setup currently, huge fan of deepblues

 

[PurpleMonsterSlayer]

Not much but it works

 

[Eviega]

Here is mine: 1,5mx0,7mx0,35m ;Happy
Pollips were a bit closed because I took this photo early in the morning.

 

[Coastie Reefer]

Not really a "frag" tank but it does currently have some frags in it. Here's one of my grow out tanks.

Nice! I've been seriously considering removing the eggcrate racks from my lowboy. They seem to more hassle than they are worth. Do you have any issues with gunk settling between the tiles?

 

[kevinl]

Here's my 100gal frag system, sps dominant.

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

Nice! I've been seriously considering removing the eggcrate racks from my lowboy. They seem to more hassle than they are worth. Do you have any issues with gunk settling between the tiles?

LOL, ironically, I am adding egg crate on some 3d printed legs to get the tiles off the bottom. Yes they accumulate a ton of detritus. I plan to move both Gyres down to the bottom so the flow comes from under the egg crate to keep the detritus suspended so it will filter out. My other frag and grow out tanks are set up like that, and they have much less gunk in them...

 

[2Wheelsonly]

Here's some setup with @Coralfuture, revamping my whole setup currently, huge fan of deepblues

Orphek lights? Looks awesome!

 

[Reefermadness775]

Pretty spartan, getting ready to plumb a second tank into the system and upgrade the sump and add a algae scrubber. once all thats done ill build the facade around the outside.

 

[ScottB]

Pretty spartan, getting ready to plumb a second tank into the system and upgrade the sump and add a algae scrubber. once all thats done ill build the facade around the outside.

Very nice. Dimension & volume? Brand of tank and stand?

When you add that second tank to the system, take care to control for the dilution of NO3 & PO4. Further, I would suggest that you run it separate for a while. Let a little film algae and bacterial film get started.

Further up in this thread you will see my 3 tank frag system that I built incrementally, one at a time. Each time, the new tank developed dinoflagellates. Kinda sucks the fun out of it for a month or so. Take care.