Let's talk about frag tanks!!

[WWC Verified Sponsor]

Well I've been thinking on starting this thread for awhile now about the problems that people encounter with frags that get cut from the main display and get placed in the "frag tank", but soon some of them just lose color or can even die :sad:. I'm kind of lost at times trying to figure out what the problem is since its the exact same water, here is some of the issues I thought ......

1- no enough food for the corals
2- not the exact same lights(PAR)
3- not same flow
4- not enough life(ecosystem within)

some feedback would be great :nerd: what do you guys think?

 

[WWC Verified Sponsor]

another problem that I was thinking is that the frags move too much at times

 

[cherokee_dude]

Good question!
I've had PAR shock really stress out SPS in my Display tank. Does anyone light acclimate frags to their supplemental/growout systems?

 

[benny z]

I frag from my frag tank to my display.

 

[mgny]

Set up a frag tank in jan of 09. It's connected to my 180 upstairs . Have had incredible growth over the last year which surprised me. I tried to match the lighting to the display figuring the frags would acclimate better. The lighting by the way is vho which i have used since the tank was set up in the mid 90's. I use 2 super actinic and 1 aquasun bulb and have the frag rack 3 inches below the lights. The problem i have now is many of the corals will grow onto the egg crate if the are left in place too long. The sps i have down there are the higher end ones pink lemonade, purple monster etc. The colors of the frags are a little off compared to the display but they are good. Recently put some small chalice frags down there flamethrower, pb and some others and they are growing nicely. I would think trying to match the lighting will make a difference. Is your frag tank connected to the main system?

 

[Troylee]

Ya know I don't own a frag tank but I have built numerous ones lol...
These are good questions I have noticed I buy most of my corals from the Same well respected reefer and if he frags something for me and it heals in his system for a week or so there good, but sometimes he frags for me and gives me a fresh cut unmounted and I'm only having about a 50% succsess with the frags vs. The 99% percent I normally get with his healed frags... I can't figure it out either unless it's just to much stress...

 

[WWC Verified Sponsor]

Great input guys, keep them coming.

 

[droblack]

My frag tank and main tank are connected, and the frag tank is actually a regular tank with some magnetic frag racks added. Liverock and all. Seems to be working well for me, some of my frags look better than their counterparts in the main tank.

 

[MarvinsReef]

will be setting up our frag tank at my parent's house this month... so, I'm tagging along here for ideas...

 

[SaraB]

I run a frag tank as well and have had decent luck in it with fragging items. As another person stated, I typically frag only what is in the frag tank and not items from the display. I also don't run as much flow as I would put in my display. I tend to actually spot feed the frag tank since it is so shallow as well. I run a single 250W Radium 20K bulb for 6.5 hours a day only.

 

[BayCorals]

I have my frag tank connected to my main display. I have the reverse problem. Also the corals seem happier in my frag tank. I usually cultivate the corals until they are nice looking pieces in my frag tank before I place them in the display. Once they go in my display, the colors arn't as nice as the ones in the frag tank. Maybe it's my stingray, poops too much.

 

[WWC Verified Sponsor]

stingray????? I'm lost now:cry:

I have my frag tank connected to my main display. I have the reverse problem. Also the corals seem happier in my frag tank. I usually cultivate the corals until they are nice looking pieces in my frag tank before I place them in the display. Once they go in my display, the colors arn't as nice as the ones in the frag tank. Maybe it's my stingray, poops too much.

 

[sexycorals]

hey victor,
after i frag it.. i blow of the access slime.. then it goes into my recovery tank thats little to low flow with atinic only at 10 hours a day for at least a week.. then it goes in to my regular frag tank.. and they tend to not loose any color or even get better color because of teh actinic only tank..

At least thats what i believe..

 

[BayCorals]

I got a cortez stingray in my main tank. One of my first addition. Got her when she was 2" and was told it never grows past 4". I should've did my research better, but I was new to the hobby at that time. I raise her with damsels, scooter blenny, citron goby and all other sorts of fish. Doesn't eat any of them, but they do pick on her on occasions. Funny how that goes. I wish I had a photo of it with the citron goby. The goby use to sit on her back and ride it like a magic carpet. The goby died when I introduced a sterilizer into my system, another lesson learned.

 

[WWC Verified Sponsor]

hey victor,
after i frag it.. i blow of the access slime.. then it goes into my recovery tank thats little to low flow with atinic only at 10 hours a day for at least a week.. then it goes in to my regular frag tank.. and they tend to not loose any color or even get better color because of teh actinic only tank..

At least thats what i believe..

I will give the less light a try

 

[akabryanhall]

Victor, I was at your shop the other day and saw like 20-30 powerbrights in the main display canopy, unless this is replicated in your other tanks you cannot get the same color outta them.

 

[benny z]

LED supplementation has become very affordable. IMO everyone should use them to see the full potential of their corals. It is the wave of the future, no doubt about it.

 

[JOSE CASAS]

all of the above lol

 

[JOSE CASAS]

Oh I dont seem to have this problem lol

 

[Titan$]

I have heard of issues with ceramic frags plugs and black egg crate leaching stuff into the tank. Not sure how much is hype or not, but I have seen some frag tanks loaded with ceramic frag plugs and stuff looking like crap that looked amazing when it came in.

Anyone else heard of this?