Adding frag tank to system

[KJoFan]

If all goes to plan I'll be plumbing a frag tank into my display in the near future. But, I have a few questions/seeking opinions on a few things from those who've walked the path before me.

My concerns are return pump and skimmer mostly. Current display is 150g with an RO Varios 8 for return. I'm thinking this will not be powerful enough to run both tanks. Frag tank will be 60g. Is there a submersible pump that will be able to serve both tanks? Current drain setup is herbie with dual/split returns. Frag tank would be single drain and single return most likely.

Second, my skimmer is a Lifereef 24" powered by a Jebao 9000 (I think). Is this going to be able to handle both tanks?

My sump is an acrylic Trigger sump so I don't know that I could modify it to accomodate an external return pump.

 

[ZoWhat]

Any reason you want to plumb the two tanks together?

I'd have two separate systems so the frag tank can also serve as a QT, hospital tank

If your DT goes sideways with dinos or gha, your frag tank is unaffected

 

[KJoFan]

Any reason you want to plumb the two tanks together?

I'd have two separate systems so the frag tank can also serve as a QT, hospital tank

If your DT goes sideways with dinos or gha, your frag tank is unaffected

Mostly just for parameter stability. It is/will be mostly sps. I don't know if I want to fight with keeping two tanks stable vs just one....also known as a bit of laziness? lol

 

[BadPanda]

I agree with Skim. I would keep them seperately as a contingency plan. I wouldn't buy another $$$$$ frag due to a crash. If the display goes down, You'll have little colonies at least on your frag tank to recolonize your DT. Again only an opinion.

 

[LouisianaReef]

A 60g frag tank, in my opinion, has enough water volume that it shouldn't be too hard to maintain stable perimeters as a stand alone system.

 

[KJoFan]

A 60g frag tank, in my opinion, has enough water volume that it shouldn't be too hard to maintain stable perimeters as a stand alone system.

Well no, you’re right as far as that goes. I was thinking more alk, cal, mag etc. Easier to move pieces between tanks if parameters are all the same.

You all are making me re-think my plan though....

 

[iDeath]

I kind of agree with one system if possible. I have two right now and it's like having 2 extra children instead of just 1 and I do regret that . Yes all your eggs are in one basket, but you'll be more motivated to keep that basket going properly. In fact I'm planning on moving my tanks closer together so I can plumb them together.

 

[Ron Reefman]

What are the dimensions of the 60g frag tank? And why so big? Are you planning to start coral farming and selling a lot?

I had a 180g DT, 75g hexagon DT and a 65g shallow reef. I attached a 25g frag tank to the 65g shallow reef (which had a 125g sump/refugium). I think keeping one system is easier than doing two seperate systems. But with way more grow out coral than I had use for, I sold a lot of coral and the 25g frag tank (2'x2'x10") was about all I needed. And one of my refugiums would hold a magnetic frag rack if I had over flow of frags. Even in my current system with no frag tank, I use my sump/refugium with a magnetic frag rack. It's just easier than keeping a second system.

 

[KJoFan]

I think I’m leaning toward keeping them together on the same system at this point. I’ve maintained multiple tanks before and it becomes a chore and I just stop doing it properly. I won’t have much more to maintain with a shared sump.

Also, why so big? It’s what came up for sale local to me. I’d rather go bigger than I need instead of too small. Heck, I might even only light one half of it to start.

This way I should have ample space and more volume is more stability so I don’t see a real drawback to the size of the frag tank, at least at this point.

 

[ca1ore]

Pros and cons to having a connected frag tank versus separate systems. Mine is connected, but I did consider having one separate. Can you use the herbie siphon to feed the frag tank?

 

[ZoWhat]

So you're saying your motivated enough to have a frag tank but NOT motivated enough to do the work to keep two systems.

I really dont think it's that much additional work...and you'll have an Emergency tank in Emergency situations.

But I'm not you.....and you're not me



.

 

[KJoFan]

So you're saying your motivated enough to have a frag tank but NOT motivated enough to do the work to keep two systems.

I really dont think it's that much additional work...and you'll have an Emergency tank in Emergency situations.

But I'm not you.....and you're not me



.

I can do it if I have to. But I’ve had various numbers of tanks over the years with varying levels of maintenance. I just know myself over the long term. If I can do one water change vs two I’m more likely to do that. If I have to find time to do two (doubling my maintenance time), I’ll be less likely to do either one. That’s my truth.

 

[KJoFan]

Pros and cons to having a connected frag tank versus separate systems. Mine is connected, but I did consider having one separate. Can you use the herbie siphon to feed the frag tank?

I have not considered that angle...but it’s a possibility. Do you think it would have enough...force to feed it adequately?

 

[ca1ore]

Depends a bit on the 'drop'. That's how I feed mine, but it's 8' down.

 

[KJoFan]

Well I can make the frag tank whatever height I want. But it will be on the same grade/level as the display.

I don’t need a ton of flow through the overflow of the frag tank really as I won’t rely on that for my overall flow of the tank.

The frag tank will for sure be lower than the display tank though. But I would anticipate a max of 2’ difference from water level in overflow of display to water level in the frag tank, if that makes sense.

 

[KJoFan]

Ok, so the plumbed together display/frag system is happening. Will my Varios 8 be able to handle the load? Right now I'm figuring 5' of head loss with my current display of 150g. The horizontal run will be somewhere around 5', which I'm not accounting any head loss for. Then, figuring another 5' of loss for the vertical run to the frag tank.

Do you combine the headloss for a total of 10' and figure flow of return pump from there or, how would one really calculate the needed pump size, figuring 1.25 and 1" plumbing?

 

[KJoFan]

Bueller?

 

[DocTock993]

Is there a way to gravity feed the frag tank from the DT, then into sump with return to DT?

 

[KJoFan]

Is there a way to gravity feed the frag tank from the DT, then into sump with return to DT?

They'll be on the same level so I don't think I could generate enough force for that, though I wish I could, as that would be easiest.

My other option, if I don't think my current return pump can handle it, is to just add a second return pump to the sump for the frag tank.