Jarobs 12g Custom Frag Tank!!

Jarob · #1 01/03/2008, 06:05 AM

Well I am setting up a new Frag tank as my 5.5g tank is already at its limits.

The tank will be mostly rare zoanthids and ricordeas with maybe a rare sps or two. Also might keep a few small clams.

The tank will be lit by a 36" 4x39w T5 HO Fixture.

The tank will be 36"x10"x8" and will have a center glass overflow. The overflow will drain directly into a mag 9.5pump which will be directed towards the sqwd then towards both upper corners for flow. The overflow itself will have a foam mesh at the bottom and will be lightly filled with cheato. I drew up the tank on sketch pad, my first time, to give you an idea what it would look like.

The tank will be mounted on the wall and will have a cover for the bottom plumbing.

The white line in the middle of the tank is where the eggcrate will be, and underneath that is 3 inches of space for live rock rubble. I was also considering going with a 2" sandbed of some fine white sand instead of the eggcrate, i could stick the plugs in the sand. What do you think?

Ordering today

stevelkaneval · #2 01/03/2008, 06:30 AM

what kinda lighting do you have on your 5.5 i have one and was thinking of useing it for a frag tank for my zoas and shrooms. and is your 5.5 drilled/ do you have any pics of it?

mathias999us · #3 01/03/2008, 11:40 AM

Gosh, I love sketchup!!

That is a pretty neat design. Is this whole tank going to be glass (you mentioned a glass overflow...)? I have a tank that is a similar shape, and I think with a frag tank, you'd be happier if you could avoid any sort of bracing across the top, because you'll be in the tank a lot, and the improved access will be nice.

Are you planning to run any other filtration on this tank, like a skimmer for your frags? Ideally, you'd want to feed a skimmer raw water directly from the overflow, but that may not be an option with your current design.

You have a small overflow leading directly through a bulkhead to a closed loop pump. All your evaporation is going to quickly alter the water level within your overflow, so I think an ATO is almost a must with this design, since a missed day of manual top off water would risk running your pump dry...

I think the eggcrate is the better approach for a frag tank. You'll have a lot more LR, and you could probably keep it a lot cleaner in the long run. Unless you're going DSB, sand is just for aesthetics, which usually isn't a big concern in a frag tank.