essentials for a frag tank?

cj7eagle

New member
is it as simple as setting up a QT with better lights?

I am thinking a bare bottom tank, with egg crate shelves for lps frags. Is it a good idea to throw snails or crabs in? any other ideas suggestions?
 
If its for SPS, I would use snails, but not hermits, crabs or shrimp... this way you can bomb it with interceptor if you ever have a red-bug outbreak and not worry about anything.

Its not really about a QT with better lights though. Often, they are shorter tanks... sometimes wider as well. This allows you to use a single halide to light a much larger area since the light doesnt have to penetrate as deep. So the halide can be raised up higher... and this also means more coverage, so the tanks are usually designed to take advantage of this... like 4' wide by 4' long, and only 12" high.

The long, short, and wide frag tank also makes it easier to get great flow... as a powerhead or pump outlet can generate a beam of flow reaching the full height of the tank, top to bottom, and then over a long horizontal spread as well.

The large surface area of these tanks also makes them ideal for 'look down' viewing, rather than from the sides. This helps sell corals better, as they usually look better from the top then the sides... esp with clams.
 
Thanks, very helpful!

I was thinking about starting out with a 40 gallon breeder.

What about filtration? I would be spot feeding the corals.
 
Will you be connecting this to your main system? In that case, all you need is an overflow to the main sump... a couple powerheads in the tank for flow, and light.

This is the best way to do it because then you have a more stable system and your calcium/alk maint will be easier to do.
 
I didnt plan on connecting it to my main system, but i think i will look into that option.

If not, could i just get away with a HOB filter, skimmer, heater and some powerheads?

Or would i be better off with a sump?
 
You could make a fake baffle out of acrylic, and turn part of the tank itself into a sump... thats what I have done on several occasions. FWIW, I would do a 30B rather than a 40B... more light to the corals, less wattage needed. What you need for a frag tank/grow-out is area more than height.

There is also a 45XL tank out there... 48x18x12" high... this would make an idea frag tank because then you could use linear bulbs as well, or, section off the end for a built in sump. This built in sump is the easiest, and most effective thing to do..

You can have the system independent from the main tank, but it means things may not grow as well... stability is key. The food from the main system will also help, as well as the infusion of nutrients, fauna, and bacteria of the main tank.
 
I am about to walk out the door for work, but i am interested in seeing how you made a sump inside the tank. if you could point me towards some links, or plans of how this is done, i would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks again for all of your help today.
 
One thing to consider with it being a part of your main system, when you frag a coral from your display, you can plop it into your frag tank without worrying about acclimating the coral. I never considered this until I watched this month's Talking Reef. Unfortunately for my situation, I don't have the space to connect a frag tank to the main display.
 
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