Need help making a prop system

[elegant_reefer]

So I am going to start propagating corals, I want to do mainly SPS. I do not need/want that big of a system.

Now question is should I buy a tank that's already drilled and all, or would it be better for me to DIY and make it all myself?

What equipment list would I be looking at?

How would I go about plumbing the DIY system (if I go about doing that)?

 

[MimicOcto8]

where are you going to set this tank up? next to your DT? in the garage? are you planning on connection the two tanks?

as far as equipment goes you're gonna need some top of the line stuff(to keep sps). ATI T5 vortech pumps, apex controller. the list goes on. my advice would be to pimp out your main tank you have now. dump all your money into that tank and just buy a small tank that you can put next to your main tank for the frags to be in. that would probably be the cheapest and best way to do it. IMO and little experience with it

 

[elegant_reefer]

I no longer have a main tank. I had gotten out of the hobby a while ago and I am looking to get back in to propagate. My starting budget is $2000.

 

[MimicOcto8]

hmm...this might be harder to help you than I thought. for SPS an established tank is pretty important. i think it would be much easier to buy a tank than to build it. I would build the sump tho. I had a frag tank that was 24'W 12"H and 48" L at one end was the overflow to a 100g sump. I use 3 powerful powerhead in there and my SPS thrived! only problem was the heaters went out and I love everything. I figured that I started to fast and too big. So play this one slow my friend and put lots and lots of thought into it.

 

[Alattner]

one thing about it also is how big of a propagation tank do you want. i would buy the tank and light set up

 

[elegant_reefer]

one thing about it also is how big of a propagation tank do you want. i would buy the tank and light set up

Well like I said, it doesn't need to be too big. Under 50g maybe?

 

[dougers31]

Well like I said, it doesn't need to be too big. Under 50g maybe?

You could go with a 33L 48x13x12. You would just have to drill it.

I was contemplating using a 33L as a all in one frag tank, with 1/3 of it used as a sump/LR area and the rest for frags. All you would have to do is set up some baffles.

 

[elegant_reefer]

I've been looking at this

Reduced Price - Complete Frag tank setup $250 - Reef Central Online Community

It's $200 for everything other than the light

 

[RonMidtownStomp]

At $2k you can build a very nice system, but it's just going to come down to what you want to do. Not very big to me would be 8'x2'x12". I love my 4'x2'x8" tank that's plumbed into my system. You're going to have a difficult time keeping any small SPS system stable, and it's even worse in the case of a propagation system because you can consume massive amount of Alk/Ca/Mag due to your possible coral density.

Design for easy water changes and as much water volume as possible.