Frag tank experiment/build

[watchguy123]

So the story starts, my display tank is in the playroom (an unused bedroom that has a tv, pool table , pinball machines, air hockey game, generally a very fun room) and I do not have room for a frag tank. And I really do not want any more aquarium equipment in the room anyway. But my corals are growing and i need to trim the garden so to speak. Well, first I bought a bunch of magnetic frag racks and some egg crate for the sand. And although that works, it made my tank look ugly. I could not clean the glass in fear of knocking over the frag racks, my wrasses liked to flip over frags sitting on the egg crate on sand. Basically, I needed to do something.

Well, next to the playroom is a bathroom with a decent size counter. So, I came up with this idea. How about a 10 gallon frag tank about 2 feet square or so that I could place on the counter. I could put a little pump in it to move the water, a heater to keep it warm, an inexpensive led (have been wanting to try LED's anyway and it won't heat the small room) and voila. No plumbing or other circulation. NO filter, no sand, maybe a rock or two. I plan on using the old display tank water from water changes. I change 10 gallons of water weekly and instead of dumping that old water into the sink, I'll place it in the frag tank. It has basically all the correct parameters. And I will change out all the water from the frag tank weekly with new "old display tank water" to maintain parameters. Sounds simple, hope it really works.

 

[watchguy123]

Here is the start of it:


This is the problem:

My frag tank has arrived from advanced acrylic

Here it is on the sink countertop

And a ball valve installed to drain the tank right into the sink--very cool

 

[watchguy123]

Here is the LED light in the box, it is from reef builder , their value led

sitting on the carpet

unlit

lit up

Hanging over the frag tank

Getting water for the frag tank (basically doing my usual 10 gallon water change of my display tank)

I will provide more pictures and updates in just a day or two

 

[Jlobes]

you may want to test the params on that water.

The whole reason we do water changes is to keep the params in line and export waste.

 

[watchguy123]

you may want to test the params on that water.

The whole reason we do water changes is to keep the params in line and export waste.

Of course, of course, but my parameters are stable and have little nitrates or phosphates. My alk and CA are in line and constant. My display tank is a 180 gallons plus sump and refugium, minus live rock. I am not dumping water that is out of whack, it really should be close to right on and that's why I think it very well may work. But it is always the things that you have not thought of or just surprises along the way, that mess up these type of ideas. So, the experiment begins.

 

[watchguy123]

Got around to taking a few quick before dinner shots. Not great focus or color correction but I had fun with them. Anyway, this is what my tank looks like with the glass cleaned up a little and all those ugly magnetic frag racks removed.

 

[NeveSSL]

What an awesome problem to have. Your tank looks gorgeous!

How do you like the reefbreeders LED fixture so far? I'm thinking about getting some for my next tank.

Brandon

 

[watchguy123]

Nothing to dislike. But I have not had it long enough to evaluate frag growth or color

 

[NeveSSL]

Makes sense. Thanks.

Brandon

 

[Zack]

Very nice. Your tank is beautiful!

 

[SloppyJ]

Beautiful display tank! I'm following along here.

 

[watchguy123]

I have learned a few things already. Water evaporates like crazy from a tank without a cover. Just never appreciated how much. So I got a ATO today for this small frag tank because I had something like 1 gallon evaporation in a week. Salinity went crazy both while I did nothing and then once again when I added a gallon of RO water. So I obviously violated the go slow and steady approach. Also LED lights are new to me. I have Metal Halides on my display. The LED's are like 18 " above the water but the water is only about 6 inches deep. I started the LED whites at 30%, then in a few days went to 50%, then a few days to 70% and then 100%

So in this very short time I have fried some frags with a combination of huge salinity swings and lighting. So now I have salinity under control, reduced my lighting to 70% whites and 100% blues. Frags are somewhat resilient and I think things are doing better. Some acros are looking good but I wiped out a bunch of montis that were sitting about 1 inch in water and just got too much light. Not sure if the LED's are at the right intensity yet, just kind of watching for now.

Last lesson I learned is about photos. I have red, blue, green and white led's (reefbuilders value led) and I am unable to correct white balance in photoshop elements. Pictures from my display tank just need the temperature adjusted to 20K just like my bulbs and voila, correct color. But no adjustment that I can figure out yet to correct temperature of LED's. Open to any suggestions.

 

[watchguy123]

These frags I have recently cut and I am keeping them in the display tank (probably a good idea). They are for a fellow reefer. I definitely do not want to fry these.

 

[buddythelion]

Yup... frag racks in the display is exactly why I rebooted my frag tank as well. What's the filtration on your frag tank, looks just like a cube?

 

[kschweer]

Looking good. Someone is getting some nice frags! Lucky guy!

 

[watchguy123]

Yup... frag racks in the display is exactly why I rebooted my frag tank as well. What's the filtration on your frag tank, looks just like a cube?

Nothing, no filtration. I am using change out water from my display. I do a 10 gallon water change weekly. My frag tank holds about 11 gallons. I dump 10 gallons of the 11 gallons from my frag tank and put in 10 gallons of the "old display tank water" weekly The parameters should be pretty good on my "old tank water".

I only have coral frags (and not that many yet) in my frag tank so not a lot of potential nitrates and phosphates (I think). I have a little chaeto in the frag tank, I forgot about that.

Downside is I am not adding additional fish poo as food but on the other hand whatever is in the water when it goes in the frag tank is not being removed except for what the coral consume. Like I said, it is an experiment. I am considering adding some type of algae scrubber and then maybe adding either some type of coral food like oyster eggs or adding a small fish and letting it poo all over. Not sure which approach yet. Probably will give the frag tank some time on its own to see if I really need to do any more at all. Need to get the light intensity issues worked out first (of course, that assumes the lights are the current issue)

 

[Aqua fire/medic]

Very cool idea. Keep us posted!

 

[watchguy123]

I guess I am due for an update. So I changed my light out from a reefbreeder's value led to a 6 t5 ATI fixture. I have an ATO. I use a cheapo koralia submersible powerhead in the tank. I keep one lawnmower blenny as my only fish and I do not feed him-he just gets to eat algae off the tank. I have been using Salifert All-in-One to keep Alk and CA up. I read about it and decided to try it because i neither want to really dose or add a calcium reactor to this frag set up. I am not sure the Salifert all-in-one is going to do it (anyone have any experience with it.)


My new light:





a few frags for a friend






my algae scrubber but it doesnt grow anything because there are no nitrates or phosphates to utilize but my pods like it a lot



And the all-in-one, I am not sure about this stuff yet.

 

[watchguy123]

Oh a few things I should point out, this tank went through some kind of cycle. I assumed incorrectly that becasue I was using display tank water that this tank would not cycle. Well, apparently all surfaces need to go through some sort of colonization including acrylic and so there were some weird growths, brown hair like stuff. It seems to have totally resolved as of some weeks ago. My alk is really low in the frag tank, so apparently the salifert all-in-one is going to need some supplement. I just tested today and have not been good about it because my display tank is so stable and I just did not think that the frags would suck up much--wrong again.

 

[DavideAM]

Great setup!