10 gal grow out tied into existing system?

kbnh · Oct 18, 2022

I want to buy a biota mandarin but am worried about their size when they arrive. I’ve read and heard they arrive 1/2”-3/4”, I’d like it to grow out to at least 1-1/2”.

My plan is to drill 2 holes, 1 for supply and 1 for return, into a 10 gal tank and plumb it into my existing 120 gal display’s sump. The return pump will be plugged into a controller which will turn off all pumps during water changes and feedings to prevent any head pressure changes on the pumps. I’m aiming for about 5x flow on the return pump at the return bulkhead. Temperature and filtration will all occur via existing systems in the sump.

Is there anything else I should consider while adding a new tank to an existing system or specifically with the fish?

Should I “cook” the small amount of new rocks for the 10 gal?

dmsc2fs · Oct 18, 2022

I don't think you need to cure the rock for a 10 gal. If I was going this route I might not do any rock at all. I think I would get a few sponges or Lufa and I would drop them in my sump. You could drop some frozen food or reef roids or something into them and get pods to rehome in them. Rotate one into the 10g every few days to keep new pods going into it. For the 10g you could cut up and stack a bunch of coorigated plastic (think political signs) to give pods a place to home/populate.

DeniseAndy · Oct 18, 2022

From Biota, they sometimes have larger specimens you can buy. Just recently they had a sale on large mandarins. Just FYI.

I have hooked tanks together easily in the past. My current multi tank system has a 40g, 20g and soon 10g hooked to same sump. Just make sure the mandarins are well fed. Get the TDO diet from Biota, they like it.

Good luck! My pair are in my 210g now (outgrew the 6g traveling tank pretty fast) and are doing great. Still smallish, but in the 210g, they do look small anyway.