DeltaBlack22's 20L Frag Tank Diary!!!

[deltablack22]

Well last weekend after begging a little with my better half, I picked up this sweet little frag tank from gregghia. Much thanks to Greg for being easy to deal with, and we even worked in a little frag swap - great all around trader/seller.
The tank is a 20 Gallon Long Perfecto on a black pine stand with 130 watt Current power compact, Marineland Biowheel 350 (350 gph) HOB filter without the bio-wheels, and a Marineland Dual Temp 20/40 200 watt heater. It currently has a few small pieces of LR and 20 lbs of live sand. The water is made from my RO/DI unit and Instant Oceans Reef Crystals salt.
I dont plan on adding anymore live rock, but I'm open to suggestions on how to outfit this tank as a good all around soft coral frag tank. I built the rack to enable me to grow out soft corals and possibly some LPS on the upper reaches. I want to increase flow in the tank and I'll probably go with a MaxiJet900 in one corner of the tank for this. I dont plan on adding a skimmer - I'll be using media baskets with carbon and filter floss, intank cheato and 10% weekly water changes coming straight out of my skimmed display tank.
Here are a few pictures to get this thread going... I will update it here and there for all interested parties - Hope yall like it and let me know what you think!

 

[azfishgal]

Look great! I like how you did the egg crate.

I'm wanting to do a 20L frag tank as well, when the frags in my DT get to big that is.

 

[khaari]

I second azfishgal

Tank looks good, can't wait to see how it looks once its full of frags

 

[deltablack22]

Thank you both... I'll put in the new frag rack and start adding some of the frags I have sitting in my DT once I get the light on a timer and add the power head for some additional flow. The heater doesnt seem to allow me to keep the temp over 78 right now and I would like it to be at 80. I'm going to get a digital therm so I can get a true reading - I hope I wont have to buy another heater.
I'm really not sure what I want to do in the tank as far as a cleanup crew or fish. I have a tiny yellow clown goby in there right now (you can see him sitting on the LR front left) with two small nassarius snails to keep the cycle going. I was thinking about adding a pair of black and white percs and a barbershop goby, or some other goby with similar coloration. Tanks are fun, but fish make them so much more interesting.

 

[azfishgal]

I love the black and white clowns and will probably add those to my frag tank.............I mean the frag tank I will have down the road.

 

[khaari]

In my 24 that im setting up for frags I will be keeping the same type of CUC as my 29. Turbo snails, nassarius snails, scarlet hermets and an emerald crab. I just saw a green clown goby for the first time last weekend so most likely I will get one They look so cute!!
Just because the tank is setup for frags doesnt mean you cant add fish for more color and movement.

Keep up the great work!

 

[gregghia]

Man looking great so far! Sorry for the late response as I am not at the home.... at the beach catching fish, eatin them rather then trying to buy them and keep them alive

Keep us posted. The tank looks good and I miss it but I will have to start the mini reef when I get home.
Frags you hooked me up with are doing well!

 

[deltablack22]

Originally Posted by Khaari
In my 24 that im setting up for frags I will be keeping the same type of CUC as my 29. Turbo snails, nassarius snails, scarlet hermets and an emerald crab. I just saw a green clown goby for the first time last weekend so most likely I will get one They look so cute!!
Just because the tank is setup for frags doesnt mean you cant add fish for more color and movement.

Keep up the great work!
I was thinking about adding a turbo snail but I know they get pretty good sized... I might just stick with cerith, nassarius, and some scarlet hermits (my blue hermits are wild and fight all the time and I want peace in the frag tank).

 

[deltablack22]

Originally Posted by gregghia
Man looking great so far! Sorry for the late response as I am not at the home.... at the beach catching fish, eatin them rather then trying to buy them and keep them alive

Keep us posted. The tank looks good and I miss it but I will have to start the mini reef when I get home.
Frags you hooked me up with are doing well!

Glad to hear the frags are doing well. I had to do an emergency repair to the frogspawn frag before we went to the beach yesterday... I guess it continued to crack up its skeleton and was only being held together by its soft tissue. I ran a bead of super glue up both cracks and placed it back in my display tank. Got home today and its looking better than ever.

The tank is still almost identical to how you had it. I think I'm going to place an order tonight for all my dry goods so I can get these lights on timers. I cant run a photo period worth a crap manually...
You should do a little photo journal of the mini reef Greg, I wanna see the progress...

 

[deltablack22]

Well, after getting back from the beach I decided to stop by the fish store and Walmart. I picked up four little nassarius snails (that makes six in this tank) and an astrea. I also got this little shower basket thing to hold my cheato so it wont grow all in the new frag rack. Then I decided "why buy a background?" and picked up some black spraypaint for the back glass and 100 mile an hour tape to trim it. Last but not least, I picked up a timer to control my actinic lights from 8 AM - 10 PM.
Ok, I know this is a picture thread so I thought I would throw in a few more pics so its not quite as dull. I'll probably try to paint the background tomorrow after work and get the new frag rack placed. Then comes a dry goods order so I can put all the frags from my display tank into their new home for grow out (first picture is of them waiting patiently)...
Should have more pics up tomorrow evening.

 

[mike22cha]

Those are awesome corals! Your tank looks great.

 

[deltablack22]

Thanks mike...
Well, I got home and painted the background black. It was my first attempt at painting a background and it was effortless. If I had to do it again I would do it before ever adding water/livestock so it could be done in a "well ventilated area", instead of my bedroom. But it was a last minute idea and looks so much better than a tape on background - guess I'll take the Krylon buzz...
Once the paint dries I'll install the new frag rack and walmart special cheato holder and post some more pics to show the progress...

 

[azfishgal]

Looking good!

 

[khaari]

Tank looks really good so far

Yeah the turbos do get big after a while but I just get them while they are pretty small and move them to the sump or trade them back to the LFS when they get too big and start knocking stuff over

 

[deltablack22]

Well, I got the new frag rack and cheato holder in and the tank set up how I want it. I also included a pic of the little clown goby and the nasty nassarius crew. All thats left now is my dry goods order and I'll be ready to start stocking the tank....

 

[khaari]

that clown goby is cute! And the rack looks pretty cool!

keep up the great job!

 

[azfishgal]

Oh, your little Goby is so darn cute! Whenever I get a nano/frag tank together I'll have to add one of those.

 

[deltablack22]

Wow, quick response... Thanks a lot ladies. The little goby is pretty cute but they arent very active. I'm ready to add a couple clowns or something with a little more personality but that'll have to wait until I get the rest of the equipment.

 

[gatorwpb]

I love the clown goby. And the frag rack is great!!
I just added a small rack to my display tank. Looks out of place, but it helps alot with the placement of frags. One day, when I have more room, Ill start a frag tank as well.
Good work!!

 

[deltablack22]

Originally Posted by GatorWPB
I love the clown goby. And the frag rack is great!!
I just added a small rack to my display tank. Looks out of place, but it helps alot with the placement of frags. One day, when I have more room, Ill start a frag tank as well.
Good work!!

Thanks Gator...
I've got a little frag rack sitting in my display as well until I get this tank up and running on its own. You cant beat a little piece of eggcrate and pvc to keep a handle on frags in your display tank.