What is required for a good frag tank?

[kware]

What are some good beginner sps corals. I'm looking for fast growth. I'm assuming monti's?

 

[scaryperson27]

Montipora capricornus, Formosa Acropora, Digitata, are three that I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[kware]

I had a blue bottlebrush (I think they are an acropora) It quickely faded and died. I'm wondering are all Acros hard to keep. Should I stick with Monit's, are all montie's easier to keep than Acros or does it just depend on the coral. I've thought about a birdsnest ,I'm not sure if it is a monti or an acro. I currently have in my tank now 2 pink staghorn monti's and an orange plate monti and they are both growing very well.

 

[ohiofry]

10lbs of liverock would probably help with everything and sand bed is good as long as you arent going for like 30~50x which would probably blow your sand to high heavens in a tank like that......... [/B]

Agreed. LR will help, but no need for a ton.
I would argue that sand can be skipped, just more to clean.
Line it up on eggcrate. You can find a lot of pics out there of no sand frag tanks. Less maintenance.

 

[kware]

Here's how I'm thinking about setting up my new frag tank. A 40 gallon tank (36 x 24 x 12 deep) An Icecap ballast with an Icecap 250 watt 10k bulb with an Icecap reflector. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+12780&pcatid=12780.
Frags 2'' above bottm on eggcrate. Two Maxijet 1200's on a wave timer, I might use a mod kit on one of the maxijet's. 10 to 15 lbs of liverock, I will start up using a Seaclone skimmer with intentions of upgrading. I don't know what to upgrade to though I need some suggestions. It will be barebottom with no sand. I don't know how long to keep the light on or how high to put the light , I need some help with this too. What do you guys think, your suggestions are great.

 

[louie07]

sounds good to me!

 

[nes999]

if you want them to grow fast you need a vary shallow tank. ive seen vary successful frag tanks that are 5 inches deep or less

 

[kware]

Shallow so you can get high par,? I'm assuming. Makes sense. Can you expose corals to , a too high intensity of light. I don't know what a PAR reading at the equator would be. I posted a thread asking that question once but never got a response. What do you guys think a PAR reading at the equator would be.

 

[x2uranium]

I had set my frag tank system up seperate from my main tank so I can also use as a QT tank for my new corals. Half the time i get corals off people they usually have RB on them.

 

[kware]

What is RB ?

 

[x2uranium]

red bugs. Acro eating flat worms, montipora eating nudibranchs, When your trading with people, sometimes their tanks have these coral predators.