Frag tank users need criticing on mine!!!!!

[grubsnaek]

i have a 20L that i set up as a frag tank, only growing softies and LPS.
My DT is a 125g with 760w of VHO=6.08w/g.
so i went with 150w of VHO on my 20g=7.5w/g. i wanted to keep it around the same wattage and the type lighting system. easy for transfer.
now a quick description of the frag tank.
20L all glass aquarium
Custom made stand and canopy
Custom made frag shelf
Seaclone 150
Hang-on fuge (18"Lx12"Hx3"wide)
13w 6500K compact light for hang-on fuge
Heater
Two Maxi-Jet 1200
150w of VHO
Basically a dusting for a sand bed.
Put some base rock with some tonga live rock. so all rock is live by now.
Two 24 LED lunar lights(48total)
The baffles for the hang-on fuge are 7.5" tall. so i am going with a 3.5-4" DSB along with some macro, and some fiji+tonga live rubble rock.
I will add pics in a sec. i have just a couple of questoins.
are VHO a good type of lighting to use as a grow out light source for softies and LPS. Also are two Maxi-Jet 1200 to strong of a flow for these corals.

 

[grubsnaek]

some more

 

[grubsnaek]

this is the live fiji and tonga rubble rock, with the live caribean and fiji sand for the DSB for the hang on fuge.

 

[grubsnaek]

realalisticaly say santa gave me a halide for this frag tank, to get some SPS frags. what wattage should i get. and is a 20L big enough frag tank for SPS. i want to do a 55 with with halides for all types of coral.eventually but right now out of pic.
put if i can start with this frag tank then what the hell. what wattage should i get.
oh if you know who i am and you seen my other threads i will be adding halide for xmas. so i want to keep the pattern going for the easy transfer.

 

[maxalmon]

So far looks good. I would increase the amount of LR, can't ever have enought LR.
I would think about swapping out the seaclone skimmer for something like a superneedle wheel, if you can afford it, maybe a MRC.
Lighting will be ok for softies and some LPS, If you want to upgrade and your serioulsy wanting to frag SPS, then at some point switch over to a 250w halide system.
Salt, I would use Tropic Marin PRO. Make sure you topoff one or better yet twice a day as your SG can really fluctuate on a 20g tank and the goal is to keep all perameters as stable as possible
Other wise the system looks good, can't wait to see your first frags..

 

[grubsnaek]

well i nixed the hang on fuge cause im adding a sump. i bought a 10g for a sump. it will have a fuge in it. will be drilling holes also. should come out good. will post pics in the next couple of days.

 

[deltablack22]

Sweet, just found this thread and cant wait to see how your 20L frag tank comes along... I think I might swap out my frag rack for something like you have and then have LR on the other side of the tank.... Still up in the air on it. Lookin good!

 

[grubsnaek]

funny cause i want to change my frag rack to something like yours. i will post some new info in a minute. major upgrades are in the works.

 

[grubsnaek]

alright the hang on fuge split at the seem dumping water everywhere. so since this happened. i planned on doing changes. so here is a list of what the tank will be looking like.
20L all glass aquarium
custom made stand and canopy
custom made frag shelf
lunar lights
150w of VHO
heater
2-maxijet 1200
drilled tank with 2-1" drains = 1200gph
drilled tank for return 3/4"
10g all glass aquarium for sump/fuge
i bought a via aqua 2300(609gph) pump for a return
custom made baffles, also made a bubble trap
clip on aluminum lamp with 6500k spiral bulb for fuge
adding about 45lbs of live sand
adding about 20lbs of live rock
the sand will be split between fuge and DT
fuge will have 4" sand bed
the rest will go in DT for fallin frags
probably no need for a skimmer since its a frag tank so i eliminated it from the set up.
im going over board now so when xmas comes around that santa will drop off a 33L with a 20L sump. i am 26 years old, so the santa thing means my girl and family. so by drilling and seting every thing up will help for a future tank. how does everything sound

 

[maxalmon]

What kinda frags are you going to growout? Well thought out...

 

[grubsnaek]

is it thought out well. mostly softies and LPS. nothing hard. when i get the 33L i will be using 440w of VHO when its first set up then upgrade to halides. but not bad lighting starting off with left over lights.
however this tank, the 20L i dont think i need a skimmer. and everything else looks like it would be a go.

 

[grubsnaek]

Originally Posted by maxalmon
I would increase the amount of LR, can't ever have enought LR.
I would think about swapping out the seaclone skimmer for something like a superneedle wheel, if you can afford it, maybe a MRC.
Salt, I would use Tropic Marin PRO.
Other wise the system looks good, can't wait to see your first frags..

i increased live rock based on your recommendation. also needed sand for fuge so i ordered enough to cover all grounds. skimmer i will be going with an octopus when i get the 33L. i do use tropic marin pro, and regular sometimes, mostly pro.
i do have frags sitting on the sand in my 125DT ready for this tank,but will have to wait.
question im def going with a 33L DT and a 20L sump. with having 55 total gallons would a mesh modded octopus skimmer rated for 150G tank be good enough. or am i over thinkin and one rated for a 90g would be enough.

 

[maxalmon]

Noticed something odd, off topic...grubsnaek the last 4 post you have made all have the #1275 as the # of postings you have made. Shouldn't it be 1275, 1276, 1278, 1279 or be sequiental?

 

[maxalmon]

just noticed the same thing about mine as well, maybe once you address a topic you only get 1 posting credit even if you address the topic multiple times? Not a big deal as I rarely look at my posting #'s, just an interesting observation that I just noticed.

 

[grubsnaek]

hahaha funny you posted that and didnt answer the question. i always thought it went up with every post.

 

[grubsnaek]

mine just went up this post should make 1278

 

[deltablack22]

Originally Posted by grubsnaek
funny cause i want to change my frag rack to something like yours. i will post some new info in a minute. major upgrades are in the works.
Mine is pretty nice, but I dont have an area for LR. I was thinking of cutting out the right side just past the center tier so I could have a pile of LR. Maybe I will, maybe I wont... Just a thought.
The changes sound pretty solid to me. Bigger is always better right?

 

[grubsnaek]

thats what they say

 

[grubsnaek]

alright well got some major advancement and some set backs. so it goes like this. i had a 20L tryed drilling it=cracked, went got another=cracked, so i bought a third one. three strikes your out or third times a charm rite. so success. i drilled two 1" drains. i kept crackin the glass when i got to the 3/4" return near the top. and POP EVERYTIME. so on the third tank i didnt drill that hole.
i installed the bulkheads and then plumbed everything. made the baffles for the sump and the overflows in the 20L. also made two stockman stand pipes for the overflows. i think it came out sick. i do have lots of pics and now that i think of it the whole set up is DIY. except for pumps, lites(retro fit),heater,tanks....not bad i think......
i painted the overflow baffles black, and will be painting the tanks on saturday 9/15....
now the picks.

 

[grubsnaek]

more.....