frankdr Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Starting up a new thread a little early.. Just picked up an acrylic - apparently custom made frag tank. I'm planning on keeping all the 'overflow' corals and macros that keep growing like crazy in the display tanks. The dimension are Main Area 13.5" x 22" x 6" deep Rear Area 3.5" x 22" Total 17" x 22" The return pump fits into a hole in the wall. I'm wondering what some good filtration options are. I'm thinking of putting live rock in the back chamber with some live sand in there as well. Chaeto might be an option as well. With that in place, the main display area may stay bare-bottom with the egg crate holding the plugs. Also wondering if some 'working fish' might be something to think about.. No ideas on lighting - it came with a T5 light - 4x 24w - but the bulbs look ancient, and I may drop some $$'s on something that may get re-used somewhere else later.. So - looking for some ideas from folks who have set up similar tanks Link to comment
sangheili Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Kessil 150 makes a nice light for a small frag tank like this. Could even go with a reefbreeders value turned WAY down (although you will likely end up wanting to turn the white channel down even more). Link to comment
frankdr Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share Posted September 6, 2014 Yes - I had one of these over my Nuvo 8 a few months back. If I knew I was getting this tank - I would have kept it. I didn't like the fan noise, but since this tank is going in a storage room, it wouldn't matter. Thanks for the idea - just need to go find one for a good price, Link to comment
Spiderguardnano Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 GET THE NEW kessil a160 Link to comment
frankdr Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share Posted September 6, 2014 GET THE NEW kessil a160 I saw that at MACNA last weekend.. I wonder how soon they'll be available.. Link to comment
frankdr Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share Posted September 6, 2014 I was thinking about getting a 12L that's about 3ft long - so I might get the light I plan to use for it "Current USA Orbit Marine Aquarium LED Light, 36 to 48-Inch" I saw got2envy's 12L and I might make that my next display tank. The light wouldn't fit on the tank edges but I could put some supports on either end next to the tank. Link to comment
frankdr Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 Here are some pics with the equipment in. I separated the back into three areas with filter floss and some rubble Current issue is that evaporation with all this surface area - and the AC outlet blowing - is killer. I'm adding about 5% daily.. ATO is on the way.. Still cycling.. The nitrites spiked really good last week - coming down Nitrates are starting to move up too - about 20PPM now Link to comment
mattguess Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I might actually have one of those orbit LEDs for sale, now that I think about it. It did surprisingly well as an emergency light on my 93 cube. Actually keeping all my LPS and birds nest growing. Good looking tank. As far as filtration, why not just plump it into another tank? Link to comment
frankdr Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 As far as filtration, why not just plump it into another tank? All my other tanks are AIOs, and this tank is in a different building than the other ones - good idea though.. Link to comment
mattguess Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Has everything cycled for you Link to comment
frankdr Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 In the last day, the nitrites have completely disappeared and the ammonia has took a big drop - almost none Added some more ammonia (2ppm) to see if the tank can process it.. Also Added a Tunze ATO - going to be a big time saver Still deciding on the lights - might recycle some IM Skye ones until I get something picked out Link to comment
frankdr Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 Added the Skye from my Nuvo 8 as a temp light - and ordered a Current USA Orbit Marine LED - which was on sale this weekend and Drs Foster Smith. I got the 24/36" for under $120 shipped I also put some chaeto in the rear section and a small light over it - running counter-schedule to the main lights. Did a water check and I can see the ammonia dropping and nitrite coming up. I'm not sure what kind of bioload will eventually be in there with just corals - and i'm not sure if fish in a frag tank is a good idea or not - I'll do some checking here on NR. Link to comment
frankdr Posted October 20, 2014 Author Share Posted October 20, 2014 FTS You'll probably notice the main and rear chamber lights - ATO float on the left and return line on the right With lights on Link to comment
frankdr Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 Cycle is done - Zero on the Ammonia and Nitrites. Did a 50% water change to help with nitrates. My Current Orbit LEDs came in yesterday, so i got them mounted. I'm using the built-in 60% accimation mode Also moved some of the hardy corals I have too much of (mushrooms, GSP and Kenya Tree) Also added a small HOB filter with some Macros and a small light Link to comment
frankdr Posted November 2, 2014 Author Share Posted November 2, 2014 Can't believe it, but the tank is almost full. The Dragon's breath clippings are growing well, and already have some trades lined up here in the area. I may have to switch from collecting to selling.. Link to comment
frankdr Posted November 3, 2014 Author Share Posted November 3, 2014 Some new additions I traded for this weekend. A piece or two may end up in the JBJ 28G . . . . . Link to comment
frankdr Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share Posted November 5, 2014 More pics.. I think these zoas are going to a display tank soon Some Dragon's Breath I'm prepping to sell/trade Link to comment
frankdr Posted November 22, 2014 Author Share Posted November 22, 2014 After a week out of town I noticed some issues... The Dragon's breath turned from deep red to a washed out light red. I moved some back to my other tanks to see what's up.. I'm thinking either low nitrates or not enough light. I also dropped in a turbo snail from on 28g tank to help clean up some algae growth. The current tank params: Alkalinity: 8.4 dKh Calcium: 400 (dosed 9ml of Red Sea part A) Magnesium: 1400 Link to comment
frankdr Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 The turbo was a good call.. It's pretty much got the post-cycle aglae under control. When you look up close, there are thousands of little tongue marks where it's been eating. It's hard to believe that one snail could clean up as much as it has. Very impressed. The Dragon's Breath is still looking washed out, while everything else is fine. I moved some pieces back to my 28G and it's colored back up. I'm figuring the issue is either light or food. Since there aren't any non-coral/macro life in there - I took 2 gallons of water from my 8G - which is a bit high on nitrates and used it for the WC. I might be looking for a higher power light source too.. Link to comment
frankdr Posted November 30, 2014 Author Share Posted November 30, 2014 Added a section for things that need sand. I started with some Calurpa Fern Here's some Dragon's Breath that's a bit white (looks lighter in person) - I'm been moving it back to my other tanks until I get some better lighting These pieces of Codium are doing well Some Xenia Mostly Kenya Tree frags but some Gracilia, Mushrooms and some Dragon's Breath Looks like the Chaeto is taking off . . Link to comment
defender.TX Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 That Macro won't grow in the frag tank if you don't have anything putting nitrogen in the water. Photosynthesis requires nitrogen and CO2 to produce sugar, which is why it works so well to clean the water in a fuge or algae scrubber. Why don't you add a small fish and do light feedings? It will probably help the coral grow faster as well. Also, if you have Chaeto in the sump it's going to starve the Dragon's Breath for nutrients. The Chaeto grows much faster, which means it can pull nutrients out of the water faster than the Dragon's Breath. It's similar to the concept of a heavily planted tank with high light not growing algae - the algae can't grow because the plants out compete it for nutrients if provided the right amount of CO2. Link to comment
thomas8man Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Defender.TX Has everything on point you need waste to help with keeping the tank running maybe goby or clowns can work too. Your LFS should have lonely clowns that don't get along with the other ones. The fish store I work at we put clowns that get picked on into a smaller tank and people buy them all the time Link to comment
frankdr Posted November 30, 2014 Author Share Posted November 30, 2014 Thanks guys - all good ideas.. That explains why they grow so well when I move them back to the other tanks. Within a few days they darken up and grow like crazy but languish (don't die - just don't do much of anything) in this tank I have a mean little Damsel in my 8 gallon that keeps trying to rearrange the landscape. I might put him in this tank and get something else to replace him in the 8G. I was trying to avoid having another tank to feed since I have to have someone else do it when I (frequently) travel - and this tank is in a different building at home. But to get this to work - it sounds like that's going to be the way to go. Thanks again for the pointers - I kinda was thinking the same and glad to get some second opinions... Link to comment
defender.TX Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Damsels are great for frag tanks from what I hear. That should do fine. Also, if you're using this tank to grow out clippings of pretty macro you could also remove the Chaeto from the rear chamber - it will ensure the macro you want to grow gets all the nutrients. As a bonus, it will be providing the exact same benefit as the Chaeto would have been anyway. Link to comment
thomas8man Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Thanks guys - all good ideas.. That explains why they grow so well when I move them back to the other tanks. Within a few days they darken up and grow like crazy but languish (don't die - just don't do much of anything) in this tank I have a mean little Damsel in my 8 gallon that keeps trying to rearrange the landscape. I might put him in this tank and get something else to replace him in the 8G. I was trying to avoid having another tank to feed since I have to have someone else do it when I (frequently) travel - and this tank is in a different building at home. But to get this to work - it sounds like that's going to be the way to go. Thanks again for the pointers - I kinda was thinking the same and glad to get some second opinions... Another Idea is having a tang which are great for frag tanks and will love the micro algae. Link to comment
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