Thinking about adding a frag tank to my main display...need some advice

[Dilan Patel]

Hey guys so my main display/sump has basically turned into a frag tank...And I was thinking why not try and add a frag tank to the existing tank I could move my stock too. The Max size I could fit would be 24Dx15Wx8-12inH. I was wondering other than the extra water volume and the ability to add corals that grow higher what would be the advantage of going with 12in height vs 8in? Also since this will be strictly corals and snails I was just gunna use either acrylic frag racks or egg crate. I was thinking I could fit about 200-300 Frag plugs( does this sound right more or less . Very important and the Main reason I would get a frag tank?). What do you guys think? I would move my radions to light this tank so lighting would not be an issue. The tank would probably be built with glass as easier to clean but acrylic would be lighter would have to see how much of a difference. The tank would be drilled and gravity fed to my sump and would either be plumbed into my existing return line or a new pump would be added to pump water to the frag tank from the sump. I know I didn't list out all the setails but any help/ things to take into consideration would be great. I would personally build the stand and possibly the tank.

 

[dank reefer]

Nothing wrong with plumbing a frag tank to main tank. Things you will need to consider 8s will your current sump be able to handle the extra water from your frag tank. Extra heater to keep up with the extra water volume as well.

If you can redo the exsisting plumbing from your return line and if your pump can support it, then just plumb off your return and add a ball or gate valve to it so you can adjust flow to the frag tank.

I'd go with 12, or even 10 so that you have enough room to add fish if you care to in the future for alage management.

I'm not sure about 100-200 plugs, but you will definitely have space to add a bunch of plugs in there.

Think about what type if flow your going to be adding as well as that will be a factor on how high, and how long your rack can be.

 

[Dilan Patel]

Nothing wrong with plumbing a frag tank to main tank. Things you will need to consider 8s will your current sump be able to handle the extra water from your frag tank. Extra heater to keep up with the extra water volume as well.

If you can redo the exsisting plumbing from your return line and if your pump can support it, then just plumb off your return and add a ball or gate valve to it so you can adjust flow to the frag tank.

I'd go with 12, or even 10 so that you have enough room to add fish if you care to in the future for alage management.

I'm not sure about 100-200 plugs, but you will definitely have space to add a bunch of plugs in there.

Think about what type if flow your going to be adding as well as that will be a factor on how high, and how long your rack can be.

very good points! This would be plumbed in on a 180 gallon tank with a 40 gallon Breeder sump. I have two heaters right now that barely turn on so adding another 20 gallons or less should not be that big of an issue. Also the 40gallon should be able to handle both the water from the main display as well as a couple gallons from my new frag tank if my automatic generator does not kick on for some reason during a power outage.

I was planning on redoing my plumbing this summer so i may end up plumbing it in or I may just have a separate pump as I would have more room in my sump lol.

I was thinking maybe 10in but I do like your thinking of possibly putting in like a blenny or something to help my snails take care of algae.

i plan to have my rack only be 1in off the bottom of the tank and use egg crate/ or drilled out acrylic to line the entire floor of the frag tank. the tank would be drilled about 1.5in from top with a return and a overflow (basically a bulkhead with a screen) w/o a box so I can keep the amount of water that would drain into the sump at a minimum in case of a power outage. I would use some smaller koralia power heads probably two plus the return. This would be lit with two radions that I have currently lighting my sump frag tank.

 

[zoomonster]

Its been a long time but I ran two 4ft hydro trays of a 90g I had. Just a pump to send water to top tray, gravity drain to lower tray and gravity feed back to the sump. It was designed as low flow since I was mostly propagating zoa's, shrooms and ricordia.

 

[dank reefer]

October of last year I plumbed a 50 lowboy to my 90. I'm running 1 return pump for both tanks so I had to redo my plumbing for it and added a ball valve and as many unions as I could for easier pipe replacement or relocating without hanging to cut pvc later on. If you have the room for an extra return pump in your sump, then save it for either running a manifold or as a backup return pump.

 

[Dilan Patel]

would yall recommend acrylic or glass. I have an acrylic main tank but wish I went glass. But the tank is small so glass or acrylic I can deal with. how much of a price difference you think it would be. I know the weight would be halved.

 

[dank reefer]

I have never used an acrylic tank before so I cant comment on which to use.

But you might be better off to buy a 40 breeder if it will fit your space requirements.

 

[Mr Fishface]

I added a 40b to my display system as a frag tank last year as well. I bought a new return pump just for the frag tank though, I didn't want to deal with losing flow into my DT. AS long as your sump can handle the little extra water needed if power goes out you should be ok I would think.

 

[Dilan Patel]

Unfortunately I cannot fit a 40Breeder. The dimmensions . I gave is the absolute max I can fit as it is going between one side of my tank and a wall. I think this tank would hold about 15-20 gallons which is more than enough to clear my front glass of frag racks as well as the bottom of my tank/ sump. I decided I will go with 12in tall if anything. SO it looks like it will be about 24x14x12 How low should the holes be drilled if I do 3/4in return and 1in drain on a rimmed tank vs a nonrimmed tank? I was thining on the rimmed tank if the trim is about an 1in I would drop it another 1.5in from the trim? I was thinking i should just do a strainer instead of an internaloverflow as it would save space thoughts? Cant do external overflow as don't have the space unless I cut 4 in from the tank. Myt sump can handle an extra 10-15 gallons from both the main display and the new tank.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

As already mentioned, as long as your sump can handle the extra water volume, anything will work. You could use a 5 gallon bucket plumbed into your system as a frag tank. It comes down to personal preference and cost benefit for you. I have a 220 gallon tank with a 75 gallon sump that I'm in the process of building a frag system in the sump. I would love to have a 40 gallon breeder frag tank plumbed into my system, but the wife says no more fish stuff unless it fits in the stand.

I suggest picking one, pull the trigger and run with it.

 

[Dilan Patel]

What are the benefits/cons of going with an overflow vs just two drilled holes with strainers? Only thing in this tank would be frags and some snails.

 

[Dilan Patel]

So i think I decided where and what type of tank I will be going with. It will be from advanced acrylic. And it will be a 15x24x8 tank so perfect dimensions like I wanted and it will be pre drilled with an overflow and two returns. I think this works to be the best option for me! Also it will be a peninsula which is even better.