Help with 20 long frag tank set up

[nano reef]

Hi I am setting up a 20 l frag tank and need a little help!

I am not sure what to put on the bottom. I was about to place an order from BRS and they have rubble/frag mount rock on sale for 22.99 and its 10 lbs so cheaper than buying rock and the hassle of busting it up into pieces!


I also have some live rubble I bought from lfs and have been adding small rocks of rubble I already had little by little to my sump to make it "live" I am hoping that when I remove it from my tank it dosnt throw it out of balance some how!

I also have a big box of bioballs! Would that be good to use for rubble on the bottom as well? I also have lots of it in my main display sump but then again dont want to throw my tank out of balance removing it! Could that happen?

I also want to point out that for now this is going to be a very basic frag tank just for softies like zoas and shrooms so there is not going to be a sump! I have 2 large HOB filters that have lots of room for media so plan on using those

One other question is should i use water from a WC or just start with fresh rodi salt water?

Also appreciate any advice on keeping track of zoas in the tank and labeling them because my memory sucks! LOL. I just bough an old fashion label embosser and it broke after making one label! I thought that was going to be a perfect plan! Its impossible to write on a wet mount and I am to scared to transfer them to dead or "unlive" mounts! My other though was I have a lot of white surgical tape that I could write on with a fine point sharpie (heard they were non toxic) Does anyone have experience with sharpies and the toxicity! I could also just use a bic fountain pen or something! Not sure if thats toxic!

Thanks in advance and appreciate any tips as well

attached pic is whats in my cart from brs for rubble

 

[Wasabiroot]

Sounds like you have a plan. Using already seeded media will help the ecosystem get a good start. I'd do chunky substrate because zoas are hard to glue and if you decide to use small rock rubble they can attach to that.

As for labeling you could get some sort of underwater plastic number tag on Amazon, or use zip ties . Could even write on the glass with chalk marker like at an lfs.
A p-touch is a very easy to use handheld printer. Makes sticky labels.

 

[Woodyman]

My 20L frag is bare bottom, made a rack to cover the entire bottom out of the plastic egg crate. Sits about 2" off the bottom and has support on the sides and down middle. I just glued extra pieces of egg crate to make the legs. You could also buy legs or use zip ties.

Got rock rubble in there as well, but that is for zoa's/shrooms not as a bottom covering.

There's not really a 'wrong' way to do it, as long as you have all the basics down. Lighting, filtration, flow, nutrients, Ca, Mg, All, etc.

 

[nano reef]

Sounds like you have a plan. Using already seeded media will help the ecosystem get a good start. I'd do chunky substrate because zoas are hard to glue and if you decide to use small rock rubble they can attach to that.

As for labeling you could get some sort of underwater plastic number tag on Amazon, or use zip ties . Could even write on the glass with chalk marker like at an lfs.
A p-touch is a very easy to use handheld printer. Makes sticky labels.

I actually plan on using a frag rack as well. Should have mentioned that! Do you think a mix of rubble and bioballs is good for substrate?

I googled the zip tie and found some 9 mm ones but man are they thin and would be hard to write on so thenI googled plastic tag and found some that I think will work perfectly! I can also use to label all my wires! I always forget whats what when I need to unplug something! LOL

I almost bought a handheld printer but not usre what to use with it that would be waterproof not to mention I am not very tech savvy and probably hard for me to figure out! I have a heck of a time programing lights even..lol I wll look up the p-touch one. Do you know what labels are waterproof? Thanks for the help!

My 20L frag is bare bottom, made a rack to cover the entire bottom out of the plastic egg crate. Sits about 2" off the bottom and has support on the sides and down middle. I just glued extra pieces of egg crate to make the legs. You could also buy legs or use zip ties.

Got rock rubble in there as well, but that is for zoa's/shrooms not as a bottom covering.

There's not really a 'wrong' way to do it, as long as you have all the basics down. Lighting, filtration, flow, nutrients, Ca, Mg, All, etc.

Bare bottom would probably be much easier to maintain! I do have a rock cave/ small half arches that I was going to add for shrooms to attach to so might be enough! I guess I should weigh it! Did you follow the 1 ib per gallon rule of thumb? My cave/arches is those purple caribe sea ones so I have always wondered how good they are at holding bb being they are just purple painted concrete and not very porous! Where did you get frag/egg crate? I was looking on amazon and a lot were being sold as fish dividers and people said they floated! I saw one made by innovative marine but kind of pricey!

Actually it just dawned on me I shouldnt use the cave for mushrooms to attach because probably be to hard to remove them to sell! I just spent a LOT of money on high end shrooms and zoas so thats why I am setting up the frag tank. So do you have half the tank rubble and other half bare or something? Why did u decide to do part of it bare, if you dont mind me asking? Do you happen to have a pic of frag tank? Thanks for ur help!

 

[nano reef]

Sounds like you have a plan. Using already seeded media will help the ecosystem get a good start. I'd do chunky substrate because zoas are hard to glue and if you decide to use small rock rubble they can attach to that.

As for labeling you could get some sort of underwater plastic number tag on Amazon, or use zip ties . Could even write on the glass with chalk marker like at an lfs.
A p-touch is a very easy to use handheld printer. Makes sticky labels.

Do you have a frag rack as well. I just noticed both of you said you use rubble for zoas to attach to. I am not sure I follow you on that! Do you just let them grow wild all on the rocks and do you take them off plug they are on and attach to rocks? Then break up the rubble later to attach to plugs for sale or is it just to keep zoas in and not for sale?

I notice most all the zoas I buy are attached to what looks like a cut up frag mount/plug. I always figured they let it grow on the mounts then cut up the plugs/mounts to attached to a full plug/mount to sale! I have been reefing a few years but never sold anything or had a frag tank! As you well know how expensive this hobby is so I thought I would sell some to help support this hobby/addiction! LOL

 

[Woodyman]

I actually plan on using a frag rack as well. Should have mentioned that! Do you think a mix of rubble and bioballs is good for substrate?

I googled the zip tie and found some 9 mm ones but man are they thin and would be hard to write on so thenI googled plastic tag and found some that I think will work perfectly! I can also use to label all my wires! I always forget whats what when I need to unplug something! LOL

I almost bought a handheld printer but not usre what to use with it that would be waterproof not to mention I am not very tech savvy and probably hard for me to figure out! I have a heck of a time programing lights even..lol I wll look up the p-touch one. Do you know what labels are waterproof? Thanks for the help!

Bare bottom would probably be much easier to maintain! I do have a rock cave/ small half arches that I was going to add for shrooms to attach to so might be enough! I guess I should weigh it! Did you follow the 1 ib per gallon rule of thumb? My cave/arches is those purple caribe sea ones so I have always wondered how good they are at holding bb being they are just purple painted concrete and not very porous! Where did you get frag/egg crate? I was looking on amazon and a lot were being sold as fish dividers and people said they floated! I saw one made by innovative marine but kind of pricey!

Actually it just dawned on me I shouldnt use the cave for mushrooms to attach because probably be to hard to remove them to sell! I just spent a LOT of money on high end shrooms and zoas so thats why I am setting up the frag tank. So do you have half the tank rubble and other half bare or something? Why did u decide to do part of it bare, if you dont mind me asking? Do you happen to have a pic of frag tank? Thanks for ur help!

Got the crate at my LFS, I know BRS carries it as well. I'm sure Salt Water Aquarium does to? Don't worry about them floating. You will be filling them with frags, they really don't require much weight to hold down. A handful of empty plugs would do it as long as your flow isn't super high.

I do not have a mix of bare/rubble.

I only have ~8 pieces of rubble currently.

2 are growing out some zoa's, and the rest is in a corner for mushrooms as they propogate.

 

[Woodyman]

Do you have a frag rack as well. I just noticed both of you said you use rubble for zoas to attach to. I am not sure I follow you on that! Do you just let them grow wild all on the rocks and do you take them off plug they are on and attach to rocks? Then break up the rubble later to attach to plugs for sale or is it just to keep zoas in and not for sale?

I notice most all the zoas I buy are attached to what looks like a cut up frag mount/plug. I always figured they let it grow on the mounts then cut up the plugs/mounts to attached to a full plug/mount to sale! I have been reefing a few years but never sold anything or had a frag tank! As you well know how expensive this hobby is so I thought I would sell some to help support this hobby/addiction! LOL

Yes - I cut off thin slice of the plug and glue it to the rock with ~3-7 zoa's. I let them grow out until it covers the rock, then I cut the rock up and glue a small piece of rock with a handful zoa's onto a new rock rubble piece.

I also do them on frag plugs, but I prefer the look of them growing on rocks. The rock pieces blend in better when you want to glue something to a scape.