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Ryan Thompson 
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 Topic: What does a frag tank really need?
Posted: March 30 2009 at 8:47pm |
So I have been planning a frag tank and have started to wonder what I really need. I know I need these things for sure:
1-Tank w/lights, powerheads and heater 2-Protein Skimmer 3-Some sort of biological filtration.
I am wondering if I need LR and LS or can I just run one of them? I want to build some stands out of egg crate to put the frags on so I can't have a lot of LR in the tank. I could put LS all over the bottom however to help with filtration. I know I could run a fuge if I had a sump but I just don't want to spend the extra money on a sump and pump.
Any ideas? It is all much appreciated
Thanks
Ryan
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 9:05pm |
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I would say before you think of a frag system try to learn as much as you can about the type of corals you will be trying to raise cause there many diffrent systems which are better for diffrent types of corals.
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Ryan Thompson
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 9:19pm |
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Acans and some SPS possibly but majority will acans.
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 9:21pm |
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you will want a very stable system the bigger the better alot of live rock, The reason is due to the amount of money you will have in frags
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Ryan Thompson
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 9:27pm |
It will probably be a 38 gallon tank. My issue is where do I put the LR? Do I make it a bunch of rubble and spread it on the bottom or do I build the egg crate around the rock piles? I will be doing water changes every 7-10 days.
Thanks for the help so far Eric  |
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 9:34pm |
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To be honest i would think long and hard about the size and filteration, Could you do it cheaper yeah maybe but is it worth the risk of loosing alot of money, it need to be stable stable stable..
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Ryan Thompson
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 9:45pm |
I can't go much bigger than that. I have my nano cube now and it is doing very very well. I have learned how to keep a small system stable. I know I could lose a lot if not careful.
I just have a tough time swallowing a larger frag tank than my display tank   Frags will be kept in both tanks also for safe keeping. I won't have more than 10 to 15 frags at any one time. |
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mbarizo
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 10:05pm |
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Ryan, are you wanting to have the frag tank separate from your main system? If you can plumb it to an existing "stable" system, you would be good to go.
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chk4tix
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 10:05pm |
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I guess I am following you around today Ryan. For my frag tank (not that I am an expert or even close) I have my main display and my frag tank running of the same sump system. My frag tank is 1'hx2'dx5'l and my display is a standard 120g. My sump for the system is a little small IMO but everything seems to work nicely. I dont have any LR or LS my frag tank but obviously there is a bunch in my main tank and the sump really only has my equipment and some cheato in it. I have had no problem growing anything in my frag tank. (even if I cant get it to grow in my display it grows in my frag tank).
As I said, I am not even close to calling myslef an expert but if your ever out my way you are welcome to drop by and see my setup.
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Ryan Thompson
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 10:09pm |
I have a nano cube right now and plumbing the frag tank into would be difficult IMO unless someone has a great way that is quiet and easy. I want to upgrade my tank to a bigger one but money right now says otherwise. That is why I want a frag tank is to help upgrade to a bigger tank 
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chk4tix
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 10:18pm |
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I just traded off my old frag tank to Eva and Alex, its a shame you missed out on that.
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Ryan Thompson
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Posted: March 30 2009 at 10:24pm |
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I am trying to do the biggest I can and not spend an arm and a leg. I have roughly $500 for the whole thing. If I went with a 55, I could just use the T5's I have laying around. That would save me some money to use on other stuff like a sump and skimmer.
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