Noob frag tank questions

[celticstarb]

We picked up a 30 gallon extra long to use as a frag tank. It's dimensions are 48" X 12" X 12". We plan on drilling it and building an overflow. We have a SCWD coming to use as a less expensive wave maker. Is it correct that alternating currents help the frags grow straighter?

What flow rate should we aim for?

Does anyone use substrate in their frag tanks, or is a bare bottom tank better?

And, lastly, will a dual T5 HO fixture be enough light for most corals, or should we get a quad fixture?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[SABOB]

Need to know if glass is tempered before drilling or it could shatter


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[celticstarb]

Thanks. It's not tempered. I used the polorized sunglasses/lcd screen method to test it.

[12_Egg_Omelette]

I would suggest no substrate and lots of flow. I have a spray bar and it doesn't do much. I would think 2 small rw jaebo would be great and if you can't get 2, 1 would be great.

[Justin]

Flow rate does not necessarily control how frags will grow straight or not. Actually, flow determines how thick the vertical branches will be. The stronger the current, the thicker the branches will be as the coral will need to adapt to the increased flow if it wants to grow toward the light source. Corals like terrestrial plants, will grow in the direction of the light source. This is why some reefers, including myself, will sometimes angle the light toward the corals in the front. This will entice the frags to grow toward the glass, giving you an almost topside view of the colony. There was a reefer in Germany or Europe that talked about this concept in either a Reef Hobbyist or Coral magazine last year I think.

I wanted to go the route of a SCWD but heard and read a lot of bad reviews about the device stalling or stopping due to build up or something. Still a great product, you just need to be on top of maintenance. In my own tank, I run (2) MP40's and (2) Jebao WP45's with a SICCE 4.0 return pump. I'm thinking about adding some gyres as well to totally kill dead spots and increase the overall flow in my tank. I have sand but only an inch or so, which I have to be cognisant when I play with my flow.

[12_Egg_Omelette]

I like the two power heads to keep crap off the frags. Keeps the tissue oxygenated and free of detritus. I still blow them off with a turkey Baster

[celticstarb]

Thans. I have a power head with a Hydor rotating water deflector that might help keeping detritus off the frags. I will also use a turkey baster to make sure the frags stay clean.

I picked up some more corals frags. We currently have several nice frags to grow out as mother colonies.

Zoas:

Fruit Loops
Tubbs Blue
Eagle Eye
Bam Bams

Palys:

Candy Apple
Radioactive
A few others I need to research

Mushrooms:

Fluorescent orange
Fluorescent blue
Purple

Montis:

Purple cap
Idaho Grape
Tyree Flower petal
Monti undata

Birdnests:

Pink
Red
Green

Softies:

Kenyan Tree
Cabbage
Neon green Toadstool
Long polyp Toadstool

LPS:

Small frag of green war coral
Large open brain - pastel green and pink

Do you guys and gals have any other suggestions for corals that we should add to our collection? We do want to add some acans and fungia.

I am researching breeding flower anemones as well, but it will take a while to setup everything for them. It seems fairly straightforward. I will probably plumb a 10 gallon into the frag tank sump and move them into it near their breeding times.