How much filtration needed for a frag only tank?

[Sharkey18]

I am trying to decide if I should set up my frag tank in-line with the rest of my system or as a stand alone tank. 

 

One question is how much filtration do I need in an sps frag tank if there are no fish?  Or two teeny tangs to eat algae? 

No fish, no feeding, no waste = no filter?  Could I get by with water changes or a simple filter and skip the skimmer etc? 

 

Ideas? 

[YHSublime]

It seems like setting it up in line with your system would be the most practical way to go. Then again, if you have a problem with your system as a whole, both have the possibility of being effected.

 

In my opinion you could set up a frag tank with proper lights and water movement, and be OK without a skimmer, but I think you would have to be diligent about water changes. If it were me (and I wish it was ), I wouldn't want to add an extra chore on top of my DT maintenance. I think in your case it would make more sense to have it in-line.

 

That's all just my opinion, btw, I'm sure somebody with way more experience than me will chime in with stronger, and maybe different reasoning!

[OldReefer]

I just broke down my frag system. I ran it completely isolated from my display system. It was all SPS, but I think the corals missed the nutrients that come from the fish. They did not color up as well as the display. I think if I set it back up I would go with a few small fish and a small skimmer.

 

By the way I did need to dose a bit when I kept it full.

[basser9]

A small frag stand alone system is very hard to do

 with poor results for sps.

If you get some micron bags i like a 3 bag setup

 with a 100 inside a 10 inside a 1 micron bag

then you can run the output from your frag system

through the bags into your main tank.

Any pest will easily be removed with the 1micron bag

 and you can easily have a vibrant frag tank.

[Coral Hind]

I think having the frag tank connected to the main system offers great stability and also prevents you from having duplicate equipment like skimmer, heaters, and doser. I would add a small fish or two to help control algae. I like the micron bag idea and it would only have to be used when you have suspect frags added. If no newly bought frags are added, just growing out of frags from the main tank then the bags can be removed. My frag tank would also act as a fuge for pods that would then make their way into the main tank.

[Sharkey18]

Thanks! Connected it is! 

[Origami]

A small frag stand alone system is very hard to do  with poor results for sps. If you get some micron bags i like a 3 bag setup  with a 100 inside a 10 inside a 1 micron bag then you can run the output from your frag system through the bags into your main tank. Any pest will easily be removed with the 1micron bag  and you can easily have a vibrant frag tank.

Good idea.