A successful frag tank "Know-How's"

Sugo · Sep 14, 2011

Is it as simple as maintaining the big three in line, good flow, and lighting? or is there some "special recipe" that has really helped you; you may or may not know why your method works but it just does.
Please advise on both color and growth success and any other bit of information that propagator noobs should know.

Share it all, from the proven methods to your own witches brew that you discovered.

Propagator noobs and the curious thank you in advance.

nayrgaijin · Sep 14, 2011

I went bare bottom for my frag tank to help with maintenance and believe it helped alot, just be sure to have great flow coverage all over the bottom! Didn't have it up more than 4months though, so don't want to comment much on my practice since it wasn't very long.

I would also go with a low, long, and wide tank!

Akwarius · Sep 15, 2011

Be sure not to neglect a good clean up crew and some "maintenance" fish to keep your frags from accumulating algae, detritus, and pests. For instance, a six line or yellow coris wrasse can prevent devastating flatworm or nudibranch outbreaks.

soccerbag · Sep 15, 2011

Yes, a fish or two always helps. I have a simple yellow tang in mine to assist with algae. I agree with Ryan that going with a wide and shallow tank is great. It makes lighting much easier, it gives you more room from frags, and it's easier to manage flow. I have a 40" x 30" x 9" frag tank and I wouldn't change anything about it. It is lit with all T5's (along with a Reefbrite LED strip) and I can keep anything from chalices to SPS frags in there. My biggest recommendation would be to plumb it in the the main system if possible. The extra water volume will help to keep parameters in line, you will ensure that your parameters are identical from tank to frag tank without acclimation worries, and you won't have to buy additional heaters and skimmer for the frag tank.

Barebottom is the way to go as this will make maintenance much easier. I run my frag tank lights on a reverse lighting cycle from my display which also helps keep the pH stable 24 hours a day. Here are a few pics of my frag tank just for reference. There are a lot nicer ones here on R2R - just something to visualize....

AcroholicReefer · Sep 15, 2011

Bare Bottom

Korallias for flow (just my preference due to price)

Tang for eating extra algae

Keep Magnesium and Calcium high

Plumb into the main system

Once the egg crate and pvc has cycled, leave it alone.

Have tons of plugs in the sump that are cycled

Dose H2O2 if you see dinos!

I'm sure there are tons of different routes to take but those are a few pointers.

jcom · Sep 15, 2011

soccerbag said:
There are a lot nicer ones here on R2R - just something to visualize....

So humble, but I disagree. A few nice ones? Sure...but A LOT nicer? Um, no. Take a bow bro.

Sugo · Sep 15, 2011

Yah your frag tank is pretty sweet!

Thanks for all the valuable info thus far, please keep them coming!

Akwarius · Sep 15, 2011

jcom said:
So humble, but I disagree. A few nice ones? Sure...but A LOT nicer? Um, no. Take a bow bro.

Agreed. Go big or go home. I have a 24x24x12 and it drives me crazy because its crowded and I cant keep a tang in there.

Salty Dog · Sep 15, 2011

I just recently finished my frag system. I currently have a 250g display with a 40g fuge, 30g sps frag tank and a 110g sump. Now upon setting up this 48x36x12 frag tank I thought it would be a good idea to do this system alone and not tie it into my main. My main system is stable and has a water volume of 400g so I didnt think 70 more gallons would do much. Having this system alone is an insurance policy if anything crashed in my main. I did two bags of sand for the low light chalices. This is so the chalice can sit right on the sand and will not stick to the glass. A few picts

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Ninjapotamus · Sep 15, 2011

barebottom is a must. lots of flow and lots of turnover. flow without sufficient turnover will still accumulate detritus.

Tank needs to be low as well, or racks need to be high. For me the ideal height is where I can wear gloves during fragging and reach into the tank and place/grab plugs without water getting into the disposable glove.

Lights need to be easily moveable. I have mine so I just slide the t5's backwards and I can access the whole top of the tank.

Having an easy way to turn off all of the flow is another definite plus. Taking top down photos with flow is impossible.

For cleanup crew...

yellow/scopas tang, wrasse, lawnmower blenny(this fish is often overlooked, but if you get a GOOD ONE that eats like crazy it will do the work of DOZENS and DOZENS of snails... they can be hit and miss however, some wont do much at all). SMALL SNAILS. Im talkin snails the size of a dime and smaller. Larger snails simply dont go onto plugs the way small snails can. The absolute ideal snail are small tank bred black footed trochus snails. I am lucky enough to have them breeding like crazy in my display tank. I just go in and grab a few whenever I see some that are easy to snatch and move them into the frag tank. They do an amazing job. I have had full size adult blackfooted trochus in my frag tanks and they just prefer to stay on the sides of the tank and not on the actual rack/plugs.

Salty Dog · Sep 15, 2011

I have a protien skimmer coming next week, the magnum I use for my GFO only, now im thinking of taking the sand out

Gitsoe · Sep 16, 2011

AcroholicReefer said:
Once the egg crate and pvc has cycled, leave it alone.

Have tons of plugs in the sump that are cycled

Why do they need to cycle?

Daniel@R2R · Aug 1, 2014

Bump for an old, but great thread!

Kworker · Aug 1, 2014

I would keep your eyes open for a used frag tank of decent size. I got my 60gal deep blue (48"x24"x12") for $90 bucks and the only issue was it had some teeth knocked out of the overflow.

Flow is just as important as a Display, I use koralias for cost.

Tangs are great, but only should be had for a tank of large enough size. I have a powder blue in mine but thats simply because he is a rescue. A algae blenny can be used for smaller tanks.

Fish that go good in a frag tank as well are typical chromis, and even damsels. A six line or yellow wrasses are great fish for pests and add character to a tank, but make sure the frag tank is covered if wrasses are added.

I prefer NOT to connect it to the display for a few reasons. I plan to keep backups to my corals once they grow in my display, if the display crashes I will lose everything. I use my frag tank at the moment as a quarantine to examine new corals before they go into my display. Also, if you have a disease or parasite make it into your display for whatever reason at least the fish in the quarantine won't be infected. Sure, having the frag tank plumbed to the display is a convenience factor but I prefer if its stand alone.

I would get a skimmer and a ATO system for it, made my life easier.

Lighting can be easier since generally a frag tank is much shallower than a typical reef tank. I am looking into DIY led's with a couple of t5's, but I've had SPS do fine in a frag tank with only two t5ho's.

Barebottom is the best way to go, lets you clean the system nicely of any waste.

Waterchanges are just as important as a display tank.

Isoprene · Aug 1, 2014

Anyone else have some frag tank pictures? I am looking for ideas as well, need to find me a long shallow tank bigger than a 40 breeder. Dont want to break the bank either.

Kworker · Aug 1, 2014

Isoprene said:
Anyone else have some frag tank pictures? I am looking for ideas as well, need to find me a long shallow tank bigger than a 40 breeder. Dont want to break the bank either.

This may sound crazy.. But I once was pondering the idea of taking a old 55 and reshaping it to 48"Lx21"Wx12"H.. taking off one of the 48x21 sides and cutting it down to 48x12 and siliconing it back on. It may work well as a budget build and get to have some fun taking apart a tank and putting it back together. I did a similar thing to a 20High. You can get a glass cutter for like 5-10 bucks at a hardware store. Just make sure the glass is not tempered.

Isoprene · Aug 1, 2014

I had this same freaking idea! Did this work for you?! I sincerely have so many spare tanks at the moment im considering just making my own, and reinforcing it with a wooden frame at the top and bottom?

Kworker · Aug 1, 2014

Isoprene said:
I had this same freaking idea! Did this work for you?! I sincerely have so many spare tanks at the moment im considering just making my own, and reinforcing it with a wooden frame at the top and bottom?

It worked great for the 20gal, However I was clumsy with my silicone job. If you do a nice silicone job and do some kind of a brace on the bottom you won't have an issue.

I would try to build your own if you have that many laying around. Try to brace the bottom and eurobrace the top if you have enough spare pieces laying around. If you plan on having it drilled and plumbing it I would drill the tank before you take it apart to rebuild.