• Folks, if you've recently upgraded or renewed your annual club membership but it's still not active, please reach out to the BOD or a moderator. The PayPal system has a slight bug which it doesn't allow it to activate the account on it's own.

Do I really need a display tank

amado

Dal
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
I am moving. I will be breaking down my tank. I am considering not setting up a main display. I am thinking about just setting up a few frag tanks and skip the display. I really like how easy it is to clean and maintain a frag tank. Corals grow best in shallow tanks.
So do I really need to setup a display?
This will go in the basement so no one but me would see it.
 
I've often thought about doing the same thing.
And probably will at some point.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 

amado

Dal
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
I just think it would make everything soo much easier. If I have to move a fish in a frag tank it’s not a problem. In the display it’s almost impossible. I can easy move corals from tank to tank without any problems. To cut corals will be very easy in a frag tank.
 

David@wegetkraken

Area Local Reef Club
SPS dominant...LPS and Softies...mixed reef...frags... FOWLR...FO.... different strokes for different folks. It is all about what you love and they're all things of beauty! I plan to have one of each...lol.
 

amado

Dal
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
No i disagree the frag tank is a better environment to grow coral. It’s easier to clean
It’s easier to light, it’s easier to move colonies around, even for the fish it’s easier to catch a fish and for the fish to eat. The volume of water needed is also much less. water changes are easier, less power heads less dead spots and no sand.
 
You are only comparing ease of care. And that’s great. I say go for it. But understand for many. That has nothing to do with It. Infarct for some The challenge is a part of the hobby. No different than doing a 10 piece kids puzzle or. 10,000 piece master puzzle. It’s the challenge. Not just getting it done. Also some like the non sterile look of an imitation reef and and like the challenge of pulling it off. But it’s definitely not for everyone and personally I like both the system and the frag. And can certainly see after feeling I have mastered the full system perhaps scaling back to frags and not colonies. But I guess only time will tell :)
 

David@wegetkraken

Area Local Reef Club
Agree with Sponge if your objective is JUST to grow coral then a frag tank is the way to go. Downsides would be significant limits to the number and types of fish and inverts it could maintain, limited/no live rock and sand for nitrifying bacteria growth, unnatural/sterile appearance, etc...No one type of system meets all needs the best, it just depends on what YOUR needs are.
 

amado

Dal
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
You are only comparing ease of care. And that’s great. I say go for it. But understand for many. That has nothing to do with It. Infarct for some The challenge is a part of the hobby. No different than doing a 10 piece kids puzzle or. 10,000 piece master puzzle. It’s the challenge. Not just getting it done. Also some like the non sterile look of an imitation reef and and like the challenge of pulling it off. But it’s definitely not for everyone and personally I like both the system and the frag. And can certainly see after feeling I have mastered the full system perhaps scaling back to frags and not colonies. But I guess only time will tell :)

Yeah I see your point. But the number one reason why people get out of the hobby is because they don’t have time.
Most people when they start have a lot of energy but with time it becomes harder and they just tear down their tank. The easier you make taking care of coral the better it is in the end. Doing a 10,000 piece puzzle may be fun on a rainy Sunday but it gets old very quickly if you had to do one every weekend.
 
Last edited:

amado

Dal
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
Agree with Sponge if your objective is JUST to grow coral then a frag tank is the way to go. Downsides would be significant limits to the number and types of fish and inverts it could maintain, limited/no live rock and sand for nitrifying bacteria growth, unnatural/sterile appearance, etc...No one type of system meets all needs the best, it just depends on what YOUR needs are.[/QUOTE

I am not a big fish guy. I love corals more than the fish. I would keep a copper band/ file fish/tang/wrasses/inverts the same as my main tank I can also put some rocks in the frag tank by the way the little small frag plugs that we use are amazing for growing and housing Bacteria .
 

David@wegetkraken

Area Local Reef Club
If those are your needs then a perfect tank for you. Starting up a frag tank as well so certainly see the appeal. Not going to be able to house my Zebra Moray in there though...lol.
 
Yeah I see your point. But the number one reason why people get out of the hobby is because they don’t have time.
Most people when they start have a lot of energy but with time it becomes harder and they just tear down their tank. The easier you make taking care of coral the better it is in the end. Doing a 10,000 piece puzzle may be fun on a rainy Sunday but it gets old very quickly if you had to do one every weekend.
You never met my sister in law. Works them puzzles every day has for as long as I can remember hahaha
 

amado

Dal
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
If those are your needs then a perfect tank for you. Starting up a frag tank as well so certainly see the appeal. Not going to be able to house my Zebra Moray in there though...lol.

I think a moray eel would be ok it can live under the frag rack and the eel is reef safe. It will also keep other people’s hands out of the tank Lol
 
Lmao, I was talking to my wife about something similar, that i enjoy seeing frags turn in minin colonies and that a frag tank will be something nice to have, and my ideas was a 24x24x12 frag tank AIO, for what I read you will enjoy but i read as well that is a whole different animal than a full reef
 
Top