Frag tank?

Reefinny · Jan 22, 2014

Hi all - I am setting up a new system and am trying to think a little ahead. I will be putting my sump / Refugium in the basement -I n the room (its a large room) I also want to set up a frag tank - I have plenty of flow and already built in a line with a ball valve to direct water to the tank.

I picked up a 40 breeder from petco (on sale $1 a gallon to end of month I believe) its little larger than I wanted but is not as deep as the other tank.

Okay - so I have some black eggcrate to build up a platform - I have a light and a powerhead - but what else do I want to put in it?

I have some rubble live rock not using in the DT I was going to put in the sump - but also could get some more for the frag tank if recommended? I assume it would be under the eggcrate as I will build this up about 8" from the bottom.

Also what about a fish? I see some In my LFS sometimes in there frag tanks - I there a better fish to use o recommended?

Thanks for any input - I really want to set this up the right way.

HiddenUser · Jan 22, 2014

Snails and herbivore fish are what I most commonly see in frag tanks at my LFS's

jduck · Jan 22, 2014

No rock in frag tank. Keep them bare bottom so they dont collect detritus. Couple power heads for flow. Livestock - a few snails, bristle tooth tang or alage blenny.

Reefinny · Jan 22, 2014

jduck said:
No rock in frag tank. Keep them bare bottom so they dont collect detritus. Couple power heads for flow. Livestock - a few snails, bristle tooth tang or alage blenny.

that makes sense.

thanks

McAllyn · Jan 22, 2014

Agreed. Put the live rock in the sump to do the work and put some in the display to create a habitat. Frag tank just needs to be utilitarian enough to do the job (racks, flow, light) A couple fish for nutrients and a couple workers for cleaning. I got carried away recently with my frag tank, and now I have to strip it back down to the necessities. Kept asking myself, "But what if someone wants to come see the frag tank!?!" Then I realized no one wants to see my display tank either, so get rid of the extra junk.

Mac

Reefinny · Jan 22, 2014

McAllyn said:
Agreed. Put the live rock in the sump to do the work and put some in the display to create a habitat. Frag tank just needs to be utilitarian enough to do the job (racks, flow, light) A couple fish for nutrients and a couple workers for cleaning. I got carried away recently with my frag tank, and now I have to strip it back down to the necessities. Kept asking myself, "But what if someone wants to come see the frag tank!?!" Then I realized no one wants to see my display tank either, so get rid of the extra junk.

Mac

You mean no one will want to see my sump and frag tank??? hahahaha I spend hours looking at my set up and there is no water in it yet! LOL

Rob&Gab · Jan 22, 2014

i would do a crushed coral half sand bed like we did. so you can keep hermits and sand sifting creatures and opens the door to more things.

Rob&Gab · Jan 22, 2014

Reefinny said:
I spend hours looking at my set up and there is no water in it yet! LOL

LOL!!!!!!! if you spend hours. just picture me lol. i spend stoooo many hours on this site as well looking and fragging things and just watching stupid things move around on the rocks or hermits jump from the top of the rock work to the sand bed and start there journey again to the top lol!