Starting up a new frag tank! What's best??

[Cromileptes14]

Give me your thoughts and opinions on a frag tank I want to set up. Ultimately I want ricordeas, zoanthids, and softies.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

can you give us some more info about it, lighting size etc.

 

[Cromileptes14]

Well, I was looking at a 40 gallon long or 20 gallon, and I was wondering about all the essential questions:

How many pounds of live rock? Sand?
Lights? Halide or T5?
Powerheads?
Type of filter? (I was debating cannister, powerfilter, or a sump/fuge system.)

If you could start the tank up, what would you do? Any reccommendations welcome, I'm trying to absorb as much as I can before I start spending money.

 

[MsBeanCtr]

I kinda am going the same direction as you. I started my second tank for primarily corals and clams. I have a 40 gallon long tank. I went with MH lighting because I wanted to go mainly sps corals. You'll want to think what kind of corals you want to go with. sps corals demand high lighting and water movement.
You'll really want to do a sump for filtration. I'd also get some LR rubble for the sump too. I have almost 60 lbs of LR in my 40 and I'm thinking of stuffing in a couple of more pieces in the tank.
I've also had great luck with two of the Korlia's(2) powerheads. They provide the flow the sps corals need.

Oh, and lastly, I did a sand bed of approximately 2 inches. I don't remember the exact lbs of the sand.

I'm sure you'll get some experts to chime in here

 

[Cromileptes14]

Why MH opposed to six T5? How many halides do you have and what watts? Thanks for the great advice!

 

[bawel]

I went with MH lighting because I wanted to go mainly sps corals. You'll want to think what kind of corals you want to go with. sps corals demand high lighting and water movement.
You'll really want to do a sump for filtration.

I think she said already why she use MH , SPS corals need very strong lighting to survive, although T5 is alright, but MH would be a better choice, so depending of what kind of corals you're heading for. If you just want like rics and zoas, you don't need MH.

 

[MsBeanCtr]

Thanks Jenny! Yes, I went with mh mainly because of the sps corals and their need for very high lighting. You'll really want to think about the corals you want to keep.....and consider what you might want to go with in the future. I started out with a cheap compact lighting fixture and quickly found out that I should have gone with the T5HO (on the 72 gallon)....I learned that lesson so well that I decided to go with the mh and avoid any issues with the 40 gallon tank. That way I'm not limited as to what I can keep.

Can't wait to see the tank when it's up and running!