Starting frag tank, what's needed?

clancaster23

Reefing newb
I got a spare 14 gallon tank laying around doing nothing and I was thinking about starting a frag tank with it but need to know what I need to get it started. I'm guessing something for flow and a heater to start with. I'm not wanting to put a skimmer on it, I was figuring once a week five gallon water changes would keep it healthy. I have a nice new t5 to put over it also so that will do for the light until I feel like getting a mh for it. So basically the things I need to know are is bare bottom better than maybe some sand substrate? What about water quality, do I have to have any kind of rock in it? What about inverts? Should I have snails or anything in it to keep it clean? What about the initial fill up, use brand new mixed water? Anything anyone can add to help out with in this little venture is appreciated.
 
I won't be putting it in with the 75 or the 40 since I don't have an overflow to do it with and really I want this to be a whole seperate thing set apart from either tank.
 
Bare bottom is easier IMO- PVC pipe for legs and plastic egg crate seems to be the cheapest and preferred way. You can get egg crate with different size holes just make sure whatever you plan on using for frag mounts fits in the holes. I have also seen people make the mistake of using whatever they have for powerheads and if it is way too big you can turn such a small tank into a toilet bowl and some of the frags may suffer.
 
PVC pipe, egg crate and no toilet bowls, got it!

Main things I'm concerned with are adding rock and what kind of water to start with. Should I start with brand new water and cycle the tank first? I'm guessing this is how I should do it. I have a tomato clown that I plan on putting in there since her other half passed on a while back. I'm thinking even if I start with new water, with rock in there from one of my tanks, a cycle shouldn't take very long if I need to do one.
 
Well how much rock do you want to put in? wouldn't take much to considerably fill a 14gal, any chance you could grab a couple donors from the 75? I would probably do a premature 20% WC on the 75 and use the refuse water as the fill for the new frag tank. You could add a couple pieces of cured rock back into the 75 to replace what you took out and with such a large bioload it shouldn't skip a beat. Then the frag water and LR are both sourced from the same eco and you shouldn't have any cycle time. (unless I'm missing something obvious) I always use projects as an excuse to aquascape too.
 
Well yeah, I was planning on taking a couple pieces out of the 75 and into this new tank. I just want how ever much is necessary to support a 14 gallon frag tank. My guess is a couple smaller pieces should do the job. I was wanting to do that exact thing you mentioned about the water, just wasn't sure I could. Thanks for the help. I will probably set this thing up this weekend and get it going.
 
No pics yet cause I don't still gotta make me some kind of rack but it is up and running under neath my 75 and looking nice and clear. I put three decent sized rocks from the 75 into it and thinking about a couple more just so it's got enough although I know with just a 14 gallon, I won't need a whole lot in there. Also have to catch the tomato clown and get her in there but I wanted to wait a couple days to let the tank settle before I did that. Also wanted to do my first water change before I put in the clown. Some time this week I will get it all working together and I'll take a couple and post. Right now it's just an empty tank with a heater, cheapo power head (which I'll be replacing) and a crushed coral substrate (wanted something on the bottom and wanted to try crushed coral once).
 
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