Seconardary Display Tank Question

I am new to the hobby and just setting up my system. 55 gal display, 40 gal Sump/Refugium. In looking at my set up, I have some vacant counter space next to the display tank that a 10 gal tank happens to fit perfectly in.

I could simply set up a syphon from the DT to the 10 gal and gravity feed overflow into the sump or I could allocate a pump fed line from my sump manifold to the 10 gal and gravity feed overflow back to the sump.

I would cost me virtually nothing since I have a 10 gal sitting in the garage, spare valves on my pump manifold. Drill the tank for the overflow and tubing and it's done. I would need some new light bulbs but no big deal.

The question is what to do with it??

I thought of using it as Frag Tank, but I haven't even bought my first coral yet. Mid-January I'll be starting with some Ricordea. I think I am a long ways away from fragging anything. Thus frag tank seems a bit too 'forward looking" to me.

I like the idea of adding 10 gallons of water volume to the system.

I also thought of maybe a planted tank. Effectively moving the refugium to display level.... but then what to do with the refugium area in my sump.

I would be interested in hearing ideas.

Is addiing the 10 gal not worth it? What would you do with it?? It will be in plain site in my living room, so the answer needs to be "display worthy".

Thanks
Mark

 

I know someone who has something similar as a setup...they put together a seahorse display tank. My girls love going over there and seeing them, and ask every time we leave if we can get one.....seahorses and pipefish would be cool. You can keep some macro algae in there with it to "add" to your fuge in a display kinda way.

 

Mantis shrimp are very popular and that would certainly be "display worthy". I personally really like your idea with the refuge, it is its own world with all kinds of interesting critters. With the extra space in your sump you could put extra LR for biological filtration (never enough).

 

If you decide to do it I would definitely pump feed it and get an overflow drain to the sump, don't use a siphon. Just make sure you have a good strainer/overflow box on it so it won't get clogged up.

If you wanted to move the refugium (I assume you mean to grow macro) to the 10g I would just put live rock in the area in the sump where it used to be. It could be a separate unlit cryptic refugium which different types of critters might prefer, you will probably eventually find different critters populating those rocks down there.

A mantis tank would also be really cool I think and could potentially double as a frag tank in the future.

Whether it's "worth it" I'm not sure I can say, I think it's a cool idea and I love the idea of stringing multiple tanks into a system. There are some really cool refugiums out there growing different types of macro etc. You just have to be careful with some of them spreading to the display tank if you don't have any herbivores in the tank that will eat them. One thing though since it's only 10g I'm not sure how much real nutrient removal you will get from it but it will be some and it could look great and be a cool habitat for little shrimps and stuff, maybe even a little goby or something (I'm thinking like 1" adult size).

For other ideas I would refer you to Eric Borneman again, he has some pretty cool ideas about this type of thing I think.

 

Great feedback. My NASA background gives me some strengths and weaknesses for reef keeping. Stengths : Very open to feedback and critiques, don't mind technology, precision, etc. Weakness : Tend to over complicate things sometimes.

I am reading several articles from Eric Borneman now. Basically, I am trying to envision my "complete" system very early on and plan for it rather than do and re-doing along the way. I know some of that will be inevidible, but I'd like to minimize it. Trying to do that planning also forces me to ask questions and read... last week I dove into Ca Reactors versus automated two-part dosing. Stock plans for coral and fish... Algae Scrubbers.... A lot of reading and learning. This is fun though and relaxing. My life at work high stress, in fact VERY high stress. This is something to sink my brain in that is enticing but not stressful. I'm hooked....

THANKS
Mark

 

There are plenty of options. Jellyfish, cuttlefish, non reef safe fish, etc. Have you considered a coral propagation tank? Not a drag tank but a tank for sexually propagating corals. Borneman has done quite a bit of work and has had good success with it with certain corals. Different tha borneman's process the 10 gallon could be set up as a settling and growth tank for the gametes. You'd have to cover the outlet of the 10 gallon to keep em in but would be well worth it if successful.

 

Duel fuge, the sump fuge will have live rock/macro and the display will have mangroves growing out the top and kelp. Cool litle crabs like pompom crabs and or spider crabs/decorator crabs wold be fun.

 

Definitely feed it with a second pump from the sump or a T off the main pump line - trying to tie it into the overflow/siphon from the main could be a recipe for disaster.

 

Are you a TX Longhorn?
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