Advice: Feedback on New Frag Tank Setup!

Pete H. · May 20, 2014

So, I am upgrading my frag tank. I currently have no room in my 40 br. Frags keep falling on each other and stunting each others growth. So, I am looking at designing a new frag tank setup. Looking for suggestions on improvements on design and functionality. The system is going to contain a grow out tank for my base colonies (40 gall breeder) and my frags for trade or to eventually move to other tanks in the house is a 65/70 frag tank. I am looking to use a 40 breeder for the sump.

Equipment is as follows:

40 Breeder
Inky box on side (Drains into frag tank)
Taotronics LED (blues and whites)
Egg crate rack
2 powerheads (850 gph and 1300 gph )

Frag Tank
Inky Box on the back
Reef Breeders Value Fixture x2
2 wp25s
Egg crate rack

Sump
Vertex Omega 150 Skimmer
Eheim Jager Heater 200W x3 plus controller (In cold basement so extra heat just in case)
Refugium - sand bed, rubble rock, and Chaeto (maybe ulva for tangs around the house)
Return pump? (Looking for suggestions. I have a mag 9 and 7. is that too much? How much would you recommend for flow?)
BRS Carbon reactor

Sump chambers - each section separated by 2 pieces of glass 1 inch apart for microbubbles.
1. 10 inches wide with 14 in baffle (11 gallons)
2. 12 inches wide with 13 in baffle (11.8 gallons)
3. 11 inches wide with 13 in baffle (10.8 gallons)
Note: Power outage leaves me 8 gallons.

Schematic of design:

Questions I have:
1. Is flowing from one tank to the other good? Or is splitting the return directly to each tank and joining the overflows to the sumphttp://www.salt-city.org/vbglossar.php?do=showentry&item=sump better?
2. How do I prevent microbubbles from forming in the second tank if it drains into it from the first?
3. Is that a large enough refugium?
4. Do I need to worry about flow through refugium? Or is water just going to go over the top?
5. Do I need to tee off the return back to the front of the refugium to get more water movement?
6. Do I even need a refugium?
7. What size flow rate through the sump to keep water temp uniform and filtration ideal? How many gph?
8. Not alot of space for live rock. Do I need to keep some in the tanks? How much is needed if only 3-4 fish total?
9. How much return chamber is needed for evaporation considerations?
9. Any other things I have not thought about yet?

Sorry for all the questions. I just want to make sure I get this setup right! Thanks!

Reefing Madness · May 21, 2014

Pete H. · May 22, 2014

Bump again. Nobody have any advice? ...

Pete H. · May 22, 2014

close to 100 views and crickets. Is the design really that bad?

Reefing Madness · May 22, 2014

No, I think its a great design, and no one can make it any better than what you've got there.:bigsmile: But I will try to answer some of the list of questions you have at the bottom there.
#1- Flowing from one tank to the other is ok, won't make any difference how you run it, as the water ends up in the same place.
#2- Filter sock
#3- For the use on both tanks, I'd make the Fuge the entire length of your stand.
#4- Might need an additional powerhead for water movement in the fuge partition
#5- No, you could however T off so that you can fine tune the return though. Just use a powerhead in the fuge for movement.
#6- Tough one to answer, if its not big enough, then no, its really not going to do much for you, if its big enough, then yes, it really can maintain your water quality for you.
#7- 5-6 times your total water volume through your sump will work, some run it slower through there, around 3-4 times and say they have no issues.
#8- Live Rock is still needed, unless your running something to help with nutrient removal, like doing alot of water changes, or having one huge skimmer, or carbon dosing. If none of those and your running a normal set up, then I'd suggest at least 1lb of rock per gallon of water.
#9- to set up your system, fill the sump just a little under half way, start everything up, you don't want your pumps out of water, and when the system gets shut down, you don't want the returning water to overflow the fuge, gotta find the inbetween lines, and mark em on the tank.
#10- Looks pretty good to me

Pete H. · May 23, 2014

Thanks for the help! I think I am going to be using a 75 gallon tank now instead for the sump. More water volume for a larger refugium, but means the stand will be a tad taller.