Frag Tank Build

I decided to build a frag tank with a 20 gal long I had laying around. I picked up another 20 gal long for the sump and refuge.

Here is a full shot of the setup.




the overflow is a dyi design based on Donkeys design. The clear tube is the inner tube from a seaclone skimmer, I siliconed it to the bottom of the tank and cut notches in the top for the overflow. the pvc pipe is a 1" that goes to the refuge. It was origanly used on my 55 gal before I picked up a eshopps overflow.




The return line is a 3/4".



I decided to make the refuge as big as possible. The LFS ran out of sand so I'm still waiting to get more for a DSB. Half the refuge will be liverock (I'll start with base rock) And some macros from my other tank.


I'll be picking up lights in a few weeks and building the frag rack for the top tank. I'm still undecided on whether to go with bare bottom in the top tank.

It was filled on may 30,2010.

Well that's about it for now, more updates to come as it grows.
Thanks for looking.

 

Looks good. I'll be following along to watch the progress. I also would like to build a frag tank in the future.

 

So far so good.

 

Could you post a pic of the overflow? I see the seaclown body as an overflow "box", but I don't see how the overflow goes through or over the tank. I'm assuming it goes through the side of the back pane, right?

Nm, I see that it is basically a U tube style.

I hope you don't run into any issues with that. I see the tube for an air sucker at the top of the u tube, but this style of overflow has been known to fail.

 

more pictures please..

 

Looks like a good start, i be looking for new pictures as it grows

 

Have you tried a power outage test? looks like that sump may overflow

 

yes I did that many times to test it. The sump part where the water returns can hold a little over 3 gallons.

It was actually the same one I used on my 55 gallon for about 7 months before I bought a overflow. Luckily it never failed on me but I have heard the horror stories about them. I will probably end up buying a overflow later on for this one also.

 

more pictures it is!

I picked up about 15lbs of base rock and more sand for the refuge. all they had was black sand.






Top of the overflow.





Thanks for looking!

 

Do you mean buying another u tube style overflow? HOB I assume?


All of those designs that go over the top with a u tube are floods waiting to happen.
A bulkhead through fitting style one will never leave you worrying as long as you leave enough flow capacity.