Frag Tank Setup Advice

[viking]

Hi All,

I'm breaking down my reef and upgrading to a FOWLR tank. I can't let go of the coral, so I'm setting up a small 20 long frag tank to house my softies, LPS, and SPS. My goal here is to frag the larger colonies and grow out new colonies. Here's what I have for coral:

• Green Paly
• Blue/Green Zoa
• Dragon Eye Zoa
• Watermelon Zoa
• Orange Eye Zoa (not sure of the real name)
• Purple Gongiopora
• Candy Cane
• Orange Monti Cap
• German Blue Digi (not looking so good)
• Birdsnest (not looking so good either)
• Tyree War Coral

Here is what I am thinking about my setup:

• 20 Gallon Long Tank
• 4 bulb ATI 24W
• Ceramic bio balls under egg crate (egg crate would be ~1 inch off the bottom)
• Aquaclear filter running carbon
• Koralia 750 & Koralia 425 on opposite ends

If you have any feedback on my setup or corals I'd be grateful. Here are some of my questions:

1. If I use the live rock from my display, do I need to add any nitrifying bacteria or will my tank automatically be cycled?
2. Does it help to put one or two clowns in there?
3. If I take out the LPS and SPS coral can I maintain proper level with just water changes?
4. If I keep the SPS and LPS in will dosing 2 part be enough?
5. I'm trying to go without a skimmer, is this dumb?

Any/all feedback is welcome!

 

[jokersplayground]

if your gunna have sps with softies i would run a skimmer cuz softies exreat stuff that the sps cant stand and if there is nothing like a skimmer i could possibly kill your sps. if you are not gunna have any sps or lps you dont need a fish. i have read from books and online that sps and some lps feed off of the fecal matter that the fish produce. i also would not use the ceramic bio balls as they are nitrate factories. i would just use lr.

 

[jarrodsanborn]

i also would not use the ceramic bio balls as they are nitrate factories. i would just use lr.

Thats the whole point. Live rock, ceramic rings and bio balls do the same thing: Provide a place for nitrifying bacteria to colonize. maximizing the surface area gives you more bacteria. Yes there is potential for anaerobic bacteria to populate the innermost depths of the live rock and reduce nitrate A LITTLE, but for the most part it is not a major contributor.
The reason these things get a bad rap in the hobby is: they get dirty and they are not rotated/cleaned, which leads to lots of rotting mass which produces ammonia-nitrate......and they work "too good" compared to other forms of filtration that gets there slowly. Compared to live rock, the speed at which a properly colonized section of bio rings converts ammonia will give you whiplash.
I would keep the ceramics in a hob filter. it is easier to clean them when they are right at your finger tips.


I also like the idea of live rock because it provides micro climates. differing points of flow and light intensity, allowing many different species of sponge/microfauna to grow as opposed to the single/dual culture of nitrifying bacteria alone on ceramics.

for a starter culture of bacteria, place a sponge in your display tank today, and let it sit for a week, then transfer it to the hob filter on the frag tank. Bacteria=done.

That ati is a ton of light for such a shallow tank. Even if you want sps in there, there is no need to have the best par monster 4 bulb fixture on a 12" tall tank.
If you already have the light, then use 1 aquaspecial, 1 blue plus, and 2 real actinic bulbs.......or just use half of the bulbs.
If you dont own the fixture yet, then consider a nice 2 bulb rig.
Tons of light isnt needed if you meet all the other requirements for coral.

2 part or kalk would be fine for maintaining parameters, especially with regular water changes. You might even find it not necessary.

a neat way to provide a growth platform for the coral would be to use tiles like neil's tank did. Just place un glazed tiles on the whole bottom of the tank, and let the zoas and other coral spread like mad!

All just my opinion of course.

 

[viking]

Thanks for all of the advise. I have the light now but will only start with the AB+ and Purple+. If I leave the foam in there for a week and move over the live rock, the tank won't need to cycle; right?