JasonandRay
Non-member
I'm setting up a frag tank, and wondering how much rock i'll need? 
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How much Live Rock is needed for bio filtration and nitrification in a frag tank?
- Thread starter JasonandRay
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JasonandRay
Non-member
no, not tied in, probably around 30 gallon's total.
The Ng Thing
Non-member
Load that sucker up! Here is my train of thought: (correct me anyone if I'm making stupid assumptions lol)
If you overkill on LR you'll have plenty of biological filtration. You can then double up on your feedings because the LR will take care of it, which will in turn provide your frags with more food to grow. Then because of your insane growth you will have no choice but to give me some frags to make space! The only downside here is maybe a lack of space because of the volume the rock takes up. (its personal preference how empty you want the frag section to look)
All kidding aside, this is the basis of my tank. I put roughly 2.5lbs per gallon just to provide extra filtration. Your typical rules for LR still apply but it doesnt hurt to add extra.
If you overkill on LR you'll have plenty of biological filtration. You can then double up on your feedings because the LR will take care of it, which will in turn provide your frags with more food to grow. Then because of your insane growth you will have no choice but to give me some frags to make space! The only downside here is maybe a lack of space because of the volume the rock takes up. (its personal preference how empty you want the frag section to look)
All kidding aside, this is the basis of my tank. I put roughly 2.5lbs per gallon just to provide extra filtration. Your typical rules for LR still apply but it doesnt hurt to add extra.
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JasonandRay
Non-member
thanks I'm going to load my sump up, the frag tank is one of those under-bed units. I built a frame around it so it dosnt bow, and will be replacing it annually because i have been told it becomes brittle after being exposed to lots of light.
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JasonandRay
Non-member
No fish, cuc, or anything.
-mostly softies and zoas, i might put a couple sps in.
-depends if i decide to throw some acans in there.
I will have a skimmer. I think im just going to load the sump, should i add sand to the frag tank?
I've never had a frag tank, but if you're not going to be feeding much since you'd only be feeding a few lps? and you don't really have any livestock other than frags, your bioload should be rather low.. so i would only put one lb per gallon. So like 30lbs? I mean, its cheaper too
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JasonandRay
Non-member
I have tons of rock, I was just wounding. Ill keep you guys updated. Currently theirs flowing fw, and the frag rack is built. I'm working on a stand for the MH
Joel A
Started over.
I'm against convential methods of reef keeping, so personally i wouldn't put much rock...rock does add an element of biological filtration, so it's not a bad idea to have some in a system that's completely on it's own, but personally i'd go minimal..
less rock = more room for frags, more unobstructed water movement, less surface area to house unwanted pests, less area for detritus to accumulate, easy to clean, etc. etc.
edit- and NO don't add sand to the frag tank in my experience... it's a frag tank, not a fuge... look around for pictures of others successful frag tanks, you can find a lot more of them on other sites than here on the BRS, but typically they have very little live rock, no sand, and plenty of water movement.
less rock = more room for frags, more unobstructed water movement, less surface area to house unwanted pests, less area for detritus to accumulate, easy to clean, etc. etc.
edit- and NO don't add sand to the frag tank in my experience... it's a frag tank, not a fuge... look around for pictures of others successful frag tanks, you can find a lot more of them on other sites than here on the BRS, but typically they have very little live rock, no sand, and plenty of water movement.
jayman10134
Non-member
+1 this approach sounds pretty good
Personally I like sand in the frag tank for multiple reasons.
It reflects light and if you push your eggcrate into the sand some just so its covered you can put your plugs in the eggcrate for stability but the sand encourages them to grow upwards and not encrust to the egg crate which is miserable. It also prevents things from encrusting to the bottom of the tank. It keeps corals from encroaching on each other and keeps things like zooanthids, and other polyps a little more contained to their plugs/disks.
It reflects light and if you push your eggcrate into the sand some just so its covered you can put your plugs in the eggcrate for stability but the sand encourages them to grow upwards and not encrust to the egg crate which is miserable. It also prevents things from encrusting to the bottom of the tank. It keeps corals from encroaching on each other and keeps things like zooanthids, and other polyps a little more contained to their plugs/disks.
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