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Post by justkeepfragging on Nov 29, 2013 15:17:54 GMT -5
So I'm going to start my first frag tank (20 gallon) and I'm going to just use one par38. This way I can have sps up near the top and softies off the the side . I'm not going to have a sump because this tank is in my room on a dresser. Any suggestions? people with experience with frag tanks?
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Post by jasonandsarah on Nov 30, 2013 17:40:51 GMT -5
If you want it to be a sps tank as well then you may want to try and figure out how to do some kind of sump cause allot of sps need pristine water to thrive. Depending on the species? Only has to be a small sump protein skimmer
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Post by justkeepfragging on Nov 30, 2013 18:54:44 GMT -5
will it need a sump or protein skimmer though if there are no fish creating waste? As long as I do water changes to replenish elements shouldn't it be ok?
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Post by jasonandsarah on Nov 30, 2013 20:54:46 GMT -5
I'm not an expert on this stuff but if you have corals I think at least most coral need low phosphate and nutrients levels so you would need something in the tank. Fish, inverters? Even if it's only one? I could be way off on this so I hope others chime in...
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Post by Matt in Lewiston on Nov 30, 2013 21:24:39 GMT -5
I'm very far from expert as well, but Greg at Cultivated Reef keeps fish in his systems...and I am planning to keep some fish in my frag system as well.
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Post by jess on Nov 30, 2013 21:51:03 GMT -5
If you keep any coral that require feeding and do it in moderation, some frozen foods contain phosphate.
Sps tend to like very clean water, tho there's some that are fine clean or dirty. Most softies tend to like less then clean water, I've found most softies and many lps like somewhat dirty water. You may have better luck with lps and Sps or lps and softies. But, if it's just a frag tank it's to be assumed the livestock will frequently change, so everything would likely be totally fine that way.
Sent from my HTC ONE
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Post by gotareef on Dec 1, 2013 9:10:05 GMT -5
first question is what do you plan to keep for frags in the system? most of the big companys that farm sps dont ever let the tank cycle, just do lots of water changes. without fish and a bare bottom tank this is easy because of the lack of waste. if you plan on having fish, I would go with a dsb. treat it like any other nano tank, let it cycle and do small weekly water changes. with a small tank of mixed frags you will also want to run carbon, they fight constantly (chemical warfare) my suggestion is figure out what type of coral you want(lps,sps,softie) and keep one kind in the frag system. fish thats up to you,but if you do decide to have fish add the fish before the coral so the tank can stabilize before you add fish with a 20g and fish keep it bare bottom and do a 5 waterchange every week. if you have a sump you could stretch waterchanges to maybe every 2 weeks also if you need a sump I do have one for sale  |
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Post by jasonandsarah on Dec 1, 2013 9:46:52 GMT -5
So if you have higher end sps frags you want a bare bottom with no fish or inverts? Is it because you feed them? So that's where you get the nutrients from?
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Post by gotareef on Dec 1, 2013 10:35:14 GMT -5
if the water never cycles you wont have nitrates,phosphates,or ammonia.
if you have things in the tank that create these 3 things you cant keep the tank from going threw a "cycle"
remember stability is the key to keeping a healthy tank! it dosnt matter if your tank is "clean" or "dirty" as long as you keep it that way. its when you have random tank parameters that you run into issues....
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Post by justkeepfragging on Dec 1, 2013 11:39:10 GMT -5
I plan on a doing a barebottom tank with lots of zoa's, come chalice, and some other sps that I purchase here an there. I was going to do small water changes every week to keep pristine water. I'll be getting rid of my 2.5 pico that sits on the dresser now and moving the sexy shrimp from it into the 20g frag tank. I may get a wrasse or something but I plan on keeping it mostly just a plain old frag tank to grow out some corals to trade with all of you people here =)
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Post by jasonandsarah on Dec 1, 2013 12:04:50 GMT -5
But wouldn't you then have to stay away from sps that need to be fed? Cause as soon as you feed them it's going to put nutrients into the tank? Or if something happens and there any kind of coal death? Only asking so I know cause I plan on having a frag tank with mostly sps and maybe a couple lps?
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