First Saltwater Aquarium (Frag Tank)

[BamboozleBean]

Hey everybody, this is my first thread, I was looking for some tips and pointers to create a successful tank. I plan to grow green star polyp and sell it to my LFS. I have a 10 gallon tank with an Orbit Marine LED, along most of my equipment. I have a couple years of freshwater experience, and I’ve done extensive research of saltwater. Does anybody have any tips or tricks for a healthy, stable tank? Thanks much.

 

[Jekyl]

GSP isn't going to be a real money maker. Grows like a weed and usually cheap so you know. 10 gallon tank will swing parameters quickly so make sure you keep testing supplies on hand. Also going to want a fish or 2 in there with the gsp.

 

[Jekyl]

Takes some time for a tank to mature and it will be some time before seeing growth in a new tank. Also as you sell the gsp you will also be selling your rock work. May pay off to keep rock cycling separately for replacement

 

[Brandon Smith]

One thing to remember is that the more water volume you can have, the better. Water parameters swing really easy in small tanks. Also, like mentioned above, you will want a small fish or two to help provide nutrients for the gsp. Keep phosphates barely detectable under0.1 ppm and nitrates probably somewhere between 5-10 ppm.

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

you won't make money with gsp people give the stuff away.

 

[BamboozleBean]

GSP isn't going to be a real money maker. Grows like a weed and usually cheap so you know. 10 gallon tank will swing parameters quickly so make sure you keep testing supplies on hand. Also going to want a fish or 2 in there with the gsp.

What would you recommend instead of GSP?

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

What would you recommend instead of GSP?

I sell high end and rare sps and zoas, some of the rarest around I have, I have zoas that go for $300-$500 a polyp. you can make a lot selling zoas and they are easy. Start with zoas that are in the $20-$30 range and that people want. You won't make the big bucks selling the same rastas and scrambled eggs every joe has. Thats why I sell high end because I have the stuff you are specifically looking for. Some people say cheap frags and sell quantity but I'm a quality guy. You also have to have the right equipment if you wanna get serious into this.

 

[BamboozleBean]

I sell high end and rare sps and zoas, some of the rarest around I have, I have zoas that go for $300-$500 a polyp. you can make a lot selling zoas and they are easy. Start with zoas that are in the $20-$30 range and that people want. You won't make the big bucks selling the same rastas and scrambled eggs every joe has. Thats why I sell high end because I have the stuff you are specifically looking for. Some people say cheap frags and sell quantity but I'm a quality guy. You also have to have the right equipment if you wanna get serious into this.

Quality over quantity, I totally agree. I have low-medium lights, and plan to target feed the zoas when needed. Assuming the tank is stable, what kind of growth should I expect?
And what would be the best type of zoanthid to start out with?

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

Quality over quantity, I totally agree. I have low-medium lights, and plan to target feed the zoas when needed. Assuming the tank is stable, what kind of growth should I expect?
And what would be the best type of zoanthid to start out with?

To be stable you really need to monitor your water quality and get into dosing with a dosing pump once you have built up a demand with hard corals. Don’t do anything different do the same thing every week so if you do a 2 gallon water change every Sunday do that verbatim. I really wouldn’t go to far with that light I’d upgrade to a ai prime and once you get into hard corals a radion xr15 for sure. @WWC has lots of easy going fast growing zoas. Im sure they could help you out. A few of my favorites are
Bloodsuckers
Campfire
Laser lemons
narvinas
Think of that as stage one
Then superstars
Aoi
Bob Marley
Stage two a little more picky
Stage 3
Hungry eyes
Tasers
Illuminati
Pixie dust

Again I’m not saying zoas are the absolute easiest coral but definitely a coral to get used to and like because they are colorful pretty fast growing and sell well. They are not the easiest to frag though but let’s save that till you need it. As far as growth
Some zoas will grow polyps weekly, some High end zoas grow a polyp a month like speckled kraks, some a polyp every few months like Jamba Juice some super high end zoas are fast growers which is good like grim reapers. The more stable and high quality the tank the faster the growth on any coral. A happy coral is a growing coral.

 

[BamboozleBean]

To be stable you really need to monitor your water quality and get into dosing with a dosing pump once you have built up a demand with hard corals. Don’t do anything different do the same thing every week so if you do a 2 gallon water change every Sunday do that verbatim. I really wouldn’t go to far with that light I’d upgrade to a ai prime and once you get into hard corals a radion xr15 for sure. @WWC has lots of easy going fast growing zoas. Im sure they could help you out. A few of my favorites are
Bloodsuckers
Campfire
Laser lemons
narvinas
Think of that as stage one
Then superstars
Aoi
Bob Marley
Stage two a little more picky
Stage 3
Hungry eyes
Tasers
Illuminati
Pixie dust

Again I’m not saying zoas are the absolute easiest coral but definitely a coral to get used to and like because they are colorful pretty fast growing and sell well. They are not the easiest to frag though but let’s save that till you need it. As far as growth
Some zoas will grow polyps weekly, some High end zoas grow a polyp a month like speckled kraks, some a polyp every few months like Jamba Juice some super high end zoas are fast growers which is good like grim reapers. The more stable and high quality the tank the faster the growth on any coral. A happy coral is a growing coral.

Awesome, thanks for the good info. I’m feeling confident in my ability to keep zoanthids, but the fragging is the one thing I’m worried about.