I need to learn more about a frag tank

[afsportsguy000]

Here is the tank I am setting up to be a frag only tank. 30 gallons.

Here is the sump I am going to use. 20 gallons

I really don't know whats needed for a frag tank or even how to cycle it ect.

What do I put in the sump besides heater Skimmer and return pump? and where do I put them all in my sump. Can I load it up with Live rock in the same chamber as skimmer and heater.

I plan on having a 150 or a 250w MH (what do you think is better)?

What size powerheads do I need?

The return pump I have is QuiteOne 2200 which is rated at 594gph Will this be ok, only about 2feet of head.

I will be going bare bottom and I have not figured out how I want to set up the frag tank just yet. but I need to start making progress slowly and just blasting out questions.

Thanks for the help along the way!

 

[jokersplayground]

i would get a calcuim reactor for them to help them grow faster. i also would have it bare bottom for the main tank that way its easyer to clean. and i would put egg crate racks in the main tank not rock and there should be slow moving water spot for freshly cut corals and med- high flow spots for the already healed corals. i would go with the 250w so you have more coverage but you do need a area that has low lighting for freshly cut corals just until they heal. i hope that helps a lil i know more people will chime in

 

[jokersplayground]

i would put as much rock as you can in the sump so you have your biological filtration

 

[dannyp02908]

mine has a 250 watt halide, koralia 1 (going to a 2 as the 1 sux) and is tied in to my main sump so i dont have to dose. Mine is only 10 gallons but obviously shares the volume of the system. Since you are not tied in, you will need to keep an eye on params. This is going to be slightly difficult given the size and the fact that frags are healing and growing so they will use the ALK and calcium up. also, see if you can add an ATO. will help with stability. Could probably use it to add Kalk to keep things steady.

 

[wrassefan]

if it is stand alone, then it is the same as if you were setting up a bare bottom tank....you will need filtration so I would stuff the sump with live rock. You still need flow and stable water so ATO would help.

 

[dz6t]

There is really no difference between a display tank vs a frag tank. Same should be true for a QT tank, IMO.

 

[afsportsguy000]

Cool thats good to know!

 

[Skeeter7424]

yea the way you are running it, it is going to be almost the same as a regular tank. If you have no fish in there, and feed very little, the skimmer will put out almost nothing. I would also go bare-bottom with egg-crate raised just a little bit (thats how I am redesigning mine, as just bare-bottom was not working as I wanted it to). Other than that, just keep up on your levels and run it as you normally would. Like other have said, with any good amount of healing frags, you will go through calc and alk fairly quickly with that amount of water

HTH

 

[afsportsguy000]

Yea, I will be going barebottom, I have something in there already haha a big white slate thingy(Starboard?), Forgot what it was called. My frag design will start shortly haha with how I am going to lay it out and egg crates.