small DIY propogation tanks to start hobby out right

[PSYCHO]

I am planning on building 2 small wooden tank stands, 4'Lx2'Wx6'H each, with each 4'L stand holding 3 tanks,(1 60 gallon 4'x2'x1'H on bottom & 2 30 gallon 4'x2'x1/2'H, one in the middle & one up top)
That's 6 tanks, 240 total gallons, all in 8' of wall space. This will be my first time with saltwater aquariums, and I want to start with propogation tanks so that I can trade goods with the lfs to keep costs down and increase my variety of livestock. I plan on using acrylic to make the tanks & I will stick with making my own Aragocrete rocks as well.

[gregt]

[welcome]

Why bother making rock if it's just for propogation? Why not just use eggcrate / PVC racks?

[PSYCHO]

I also plan on growing coralline.
I love good coralline rock! but my lfs doesn't stock any to my liking, so why not supply him some of mine from one of my growout tanks. Maybe he can trade me my rock for some of his corals I like.

[PSYCHO]

Does this sound like a good plan?

[gregt]

Pretty aggressive for a first attempt, but it sounds like you've done some good research.

How do you plan on cycling the tanks initially?

[PSYCHO]

I'm not shopping for corals yet, first thing is to build this thing.

[cwa46]

If you want to cure live rock for sale, try doing it in a plastic tub or swimming pool. Use your expensive tank space to grow coral if that is what you intend. I would also suggest breaking the system in two. This will allow you to segerate diffferent coral in different growing conditions. Also, one system can house your breeding stock in case you have a problem with your growout tanks.
How do you plan on lighting each tank? Will some be more intense for SPS or clams?

[gregt]

Craig makes a good point. The most ideal situation is one that would allow you to isolate any or all of the tanks from each other while still providing them all with circulation. That's probably not feasible, but at the very least you should be able to split the system in half if the need arises.

[PSYCHO]

I heard to grow coralline on rock you have to do so in saltwater with moonlight bulbs, Seachum products, etc.
I have thought of using shallow rubbermaid tubs for coralline growout.
Of the 6 tanks in progress, this is already segregated, unless you mean I shouldn't plumb them all together, if so why not. I can put different lighting in each tank if I have sps in one & softis in another. Are there certain corals that I shouldn't have plumbed together?

[gregt]

"...unless you mean I shouldn't plumb them all together, if so why not"

There's a few good reasons to give yourself the ability to isolate each tank. I'd set it up so that you can run them all together, but if you throw a valve or two you can isolate a tank.

Reasons:


You may experience chemical competition even when corals are kept in seperate tanks.
You can use an isolated tank for quarantining new arrivals
You can isolate a tank with specimens that may have infections / etc
You may want to change / repair one of the tanks and you won't want to shut the entire system down to do so


As I said earlier, it may prove difficult to set them all up so they can be isolated from each other (it would require at least one seperate pump per tank to accomplish this), but at least do it so that you can seperate one side from the other if the need should arise.

[PSYCHO]

I think I can work something up with valves. :beer:

[PSYCHO]

:idea: :reading: