What do you think is the best system for breeding clownfish?

[Whaledriver]

I am setting up a prototype system for breeding clownfish.
I am planning
2-30 gal
2-20 gal
7-10 gal
1-55 gal sump
They would all be connected to a central sump. Flow can be started or stopped as needed. Air and water valves at each tank along with a plug for individual heaters as needed. Sponge filters as needed.

The question is what is the best sump/refuge system?
I am planning on water going through bioballs first. A one foot square by two foot tall tower that flows into the next chamber. The second chamber would be a one foot by two foot deep sand bed maybe 8 inches deep. The last chamber would be a on foot square for the return pumps. This would give me nice flow over the sandbed and it should function well

Do I need the refuge? Would one of the 20 gal tanks be a good refuge? Would it be OK to use a 20 gal as a refuge and a dedicated grow out tank?

 

[Whaledriver]

How important would a protein skimmer be? could I skip it or should I skip the refuge?

 

[Trademark]

Skip the refug, at least the sand bed and imploy a DIY algae scrubber in that compartment, You will have alot of nitrates to get rid of, especially if you have a large grow out system. I personally do not have my breeders hooked to my grow out because of the large waste that juviniles create. I feel that is extra stress on the broodstock is not good when trying to produce large egg masses. JM2C

 

[john68camaro]

+1 to the algae scrubbers! I have seen a few in action and they do really work. Also +1 on sep. the broodstock and the juvi's. If you do keep them together, get a uv light, biggest one you can find.

I would also suggest a bigger sump. I have a 55G on my setup with 700-800 fish and it can barely keep up.

A Skimmer is def. needed on a system such as this. I think the only way you could get by without one is with a big natural nutrient export such as an algae scrubber or a BIG macro/refug lit 24/7.

I just started a DSB recently but not enough time has passed for it to work yet. but that may be a route to look into as well.

 

[Whaledriver]

At what age do you put the fry into a grow out system? When they are on rotifers you would have them off-line but at some point they are big enough to handle the flow of a regular system and feed.

So for a sump you would do bioballs to protein skimmer to deep sandbed to return pump. ??
As far as water goes would you go separate broodstock egg laying tanks. Water change that water into the grow out tanks. Would you start out the eggs in a tank with broodstock water and then toss that water before the fry enter the grow out system?

 

[Whaledriver]

whats the advantage of a algae scrubber vs refuge with cheato or culurpia?

 

[Whaledriver]

I am now thinking of a 125 as a sump since its bigger and I have an extra one.

 

[Trademark]

I wish I had an extra 125 sittin around,,, I feel like a scrubber will absorb the nitrates alot faster. Also as above a huge UV on your grow out is a must because of the bacteria the juvi"s are prone to(36 wattt min.)

 

[Whaledriver]

I have a UV sitting around also. Probably needs a new bulb.
I think the refuge in the system is more fry friendly. I probably will run one of the 20 or 30 gal tanks as a refuge and toss the odd ball slow growing fry in it.
Maybe I can do a algae screen over the sand bed section of the sump. My guess is the DSB will be 18"x 24". Maybe the exit water from the UV can run over the screen.

 

[ctenophors rule]

I am setting up a prototype system for breeding clownfish.
I am planning
2-30 gal
2-20 gal
7-10 gal
1-55 gal sump
They would all be connected to a central sump. QUOTE]

now. if i understand correctly the newly hatched fry that feed on rotifers are going to be plumbed into this system?


If so how will you keep the rotifers from being sucked into a filter in the sump? even a micron filter mesh on the out take will just clump the rotifers until it is clugged removing them from the water column.

 

[ctenophors rule]

oh and i would skip the dsb and go with either more refugium space, an ATS, better skimmer etc. deep sand beds realy aren't all that great;and 8 inches is realy pushing it!

 

[Onedeadbob]

You could try those new NP biopellets and a big skimmer (instead of a fuge); they are supposed to reduce nitrates/phosphates pretty effectively.

http://www.npbiopellets.com/index.php/home

 

[Whaledriver]

I would put the fish/fry into this system at the 2-4 week point. At this point they should be off the copepods and rotifers.
I can start them of at a low water flow rate and build it up as the get bigger.

At this point I am thinking
Filter sock to
Bioballs to
12+ deep sand bed to
protein skimmer to
Return pump chamber.

I wonder how many gallons of bioballs are needed for 160 gallons of growout tanks holding fish up to the 5 month/1 inch size.
My,not knowing much, guess would be a ratio of 10 to 1. That would come out to 17 gallons of bioballs.

Thanks for the help so far.

biopellets look a little out of my league.