Ninja's Custom AIO Frag Tank

[ninjamyst]

One of the joy of this hobby is watching your corals grow.  So I used that as an excuse to start a frag tank because I am tired of seeing frag racks in my other tanks.  This will be mostly for zoas and easy SPS.  

 

The acrylic tank is custom made by a seller on Ebay.  It measures 20 x 16 x 6 and is only 8 gallons.  It's sooo shallow and wide that it looks much bigger than 8 gallons.  It comes with two frag rack that holds 100 frags total!!  This tank will go into my basement that flooded a couple of months ago and remodeling is just wrapping up.  I originally wanted a 18 x 18 x 8 tank, but it is impossible to find a cheap, modern sideboard / console table that's 18" deep.  I will be running a MJ1200 pump and NanoBox Tide.  I can't wait to stock this bad boy with corals.  

 

I will be using this thread to document growth and also to eventually start selling stuff on the forum when the weather gets nicer to ship 2 days USPS.  

 

 

 

[skyscraper2290]

Looking forward to see this get under way!

[mitten_reef]

very cool - can't wait to see what fun things go into this tank.

[ninjamyst]

Anyone know how I can connect my MJ1200 to the 1/2 bulkhead??

 

 

[Frag Factory]

That looks bigger than 1/2" homie.

 

From the bulk head

 

90 degree elbow - > reducing bush to 1/2" -> hose tail

 

Then use hose from the maxi-jet to the hose tail

[ninjamyst]

Yea I think it's 1 inch although the guy said he uses 1/2 inch in his eBay listing.  Are those things you listed something I can pick up at home Depot or do I have to buy them online for $$ from MD or BRS?

[HarryPotter]

31 minutes ago, ninjamyst said:

Yea I think it's 1 inch although the guy said he uses 1/2 inch in his eBay listing.  Are those things you listed something I can pick up at home Depot or do I have to buy them online for $$ from MD or BRS?

 

Home Depot should work. You want a PVC slip to barb barb to get that tubing on. 

[Reefkid88]

The local HD has them here but they were more expensive than BRS,so I just ordered from BRS. But their slip (street) 90's with a barb fitting would work !!! 

[ninjamyst]

Let there be light!  Anyone has tips on getting the NanoBox gooseneck to be straight?  I love NanoBox but I absolutely despise their gooseneck.  To the point that I may sell this and get a Kessil A160.  Tank been running for 24 hours.  I added two test frags and will probably transfer everything else over tomorrow.  I have some dirty filter floss from current frag tank along with a bag of Seachem Matrix biomedia so it should be fine.  

 

 

[alpinestar]

Following for sure - awesome project 🤙

[ninjamyst]

One thing I need to fix is evaporation.  This tank is in my basement and water evaporates soooo fast because of the large surface area.  And because the tank is so shallow, one day of evaporation will drain enough water from the back chamber to make the pump run dry.  Crazy.  I don't want to invest in another ATO so I am thinking to just Saran wrap the top?

[Paaatz]

3 hours ago, ninjamyst said:

One thing I need to fix is evaporation.  This tank is in my basement and water evaporates soooo fast because of the large surface area.  And because the tank is so shallow, one day of evaporation will drain enough water from the back chamber to make the pump run dry.  Crazy.  I don't want to invest in another ATO so I am thinking to just Saran wrap the top?

IMO i don't think saran wrap the top would be a good idea... i'm sure you can achieve a cheap diy ato instead ! 

 

Following along btw !

[mitten_reef]

If you’re gonna so Saran Wrap, it’s be better to go with a couple pieces of the basic glass cover, maybe the 24” one won’t leave too much overhang? 

How are the other tanks doing? Need some updates on those😁. 

 

[Fish_Wiz]

16 hours ago, ninjamyst said:

Let there be light!  Anyone has tips on getting the NanoBox gooseneck to be straight?  I love NanoBox but I absolutely despise their gooseneck.  To the point that I may sell this and get a Kessil A160.  Tank been running for 24 hours.  I added two test frags and will probably transfer everything else over tomorrow.  I have some dirty filter floss from current frag tank along with a bag of Seachem Matrix biomedia so it should be fine.  

 

My buddy has one, we used two thiccc books and two C-Clamps. Got it pretty straight.

 

5 hours ago, ninjamyst said:

One thing I need to fix is evaporation.  This tank is in my basement and water evaporates soooo fast because of the large surface area.  And because the tank is so shallow, one day of evaporation will drain enough water from the back chamber to make the pump run dry.  Crazy.  I don't want to invest in another ATO so I am thinking to just Saran wrap the top?

I may have an ATO for cheap, drop me a PM.

[ninjamyst]

Decided to get a XP Aqua Deutto ATO since it's 10% off at MarineDepot today.  

 

Stupid tank overflowed yesterday.  The MJ1200 is too strong right now and pushes water over the rim.  I ordered a loc line adapter and nozzle but will be a week before it gets here so I jammed a small flow restrictor into the bulkhead to disperse the flow.  The restrictor came off in the middle of the night and water overflowed all over.  Good thing I have vinyl planks now in the basement =P.  But wife was not happy.  

 

 

[ninjamyst]

Well, this tank filled up quickly....hahahah.  I made like 20 frags of Magician Palys today.  Razored them off the main rock in my 75 gallons to make room for SPS.  In the back chamber, I added some chaeto and more biomedia. Hopefully the chaeto gets enough light back there.  

[SeaFurn]

Do you mean your gooseneck droops?  If so, I’ve fixed a drooping gooseneck by wrapping /spiralling a metal coat hanger (like the kind you get from the dry cleaner) around the gooseneck. It braces it from dropping. The coat hanger

just needs to be stiff enough to hold the weight. 

[ninjamyst]

16 minutes ago, SeaFurn said:

Do you mean your gooseneck droops?  If so, I’ve fixed a drooping gooseneck by wrapping /spiralling a metal coat hanger (like the kind you get from the dry cleaner) around the gooseneck. It braces it from dropping. The coat hanger

just needs to be stiff enough to hold the weight. 

I mean just getting the gooseneck straight.  You can see in my photos, the gooseneck is a little curved.  

[DaveFason]

Want to switch to metal arm?

[ninjamyst]

On 1/4/2019 at 8:53 AM, DaveFason said:

Want to switch to metal arm?

I am used to the crookedness now =P.  

[ninjamyst]

Started this frag tank back up.  My nanobox tide stopped working after the move so I picked up a $50 light from Amazon.  Best decision ever.  LEDs have come a long way.  It's a simple no fuss light.  

 

I added water and some bio media last Wednesday and dropped in about 25 frags of zoas on Friday.  I been neglecting my main tank and zoas have exploded.  Been fragging all week.  Up to 50 frags now.

 

Example of a $50 zoa pack I just sold.  If you are in Orlando, hit me up!

 

[mitten_reef]

On 6/27/2021 at 5:40 PM, ninjamyst said:

Started this frag tank back up.  My nanobox tide stopped working after the move so I picked up a $50 light from Amazon.  Best decision ever.  LEDs have come a long way.  It's a simple no fuss light.  

 

I added water and some bio media last Wednesday and dropped in about 25 frags of zoas on Friday.  I been neglecting my main tank and zoas have exploded.  Been fragging all week.  Up to 50 frags now.

 

Example of a $50 zoa pack I just sold.  If you are in Orlando, hit me up!

 

glad to see you back...and that is a nice lil zoa pack.  

[ninjamyst]

Made another $50 frag pack today =).  Starting to see some algae though so moved a snail over.  So far so good.