Backyard coral farm

[Tanzy]

I was thinking of setting up a simple frag farm at home in the backyard.

Although it seems like a random thought, it may be quite feasible. Furthermore, with all that ban and everything, price of SPS will surely go thru the roof.

I was thinking of using one of those big blue tubs where they keep koi in. Dump in glass beads as DSB, place some LR at the sides and use macroalgae as filtration. Plumb in a skimmer directly in the tub, no sump for simplicity. Plonk in some powerheads for circulation. Light it with sunlight augmented with MH. If necessary, hook up a chiller. Hopefully, evaporation will be great enough to use kalkwasser to maintain Ca and Alk.

I bet there are many problems in this setup, can you see any?

For one, I don't know how to get sunlight on to the tank while keeping out the rain.

Like I said, it's just an idea that might materialise but still pretty much on the drawing board. What do you think?

[rrrobt]

i think you have to ask morgan

[Phang]

If the height of the farm tank is short, maybe can get away with jus FLs or PLs... then no need to place them in he open under the sun....

[Achilles Tang]

Plans are already underway, my friend...

[Morgan]

Tanzy

That is what I was think of doing. But I will pipe the frag tank together with my main tank. Plan to start next month.

As for rain, build a shelter and use polycarbonate sheets. I think they last better than acrylic under the sun.

Problem faced:

Heat is one of biggest problem.

Light intensity too high. May cause bleaching. If water is too shallow.

The amount of time, sunlight is shinning directly onto the tank (min I think should be 5~6 hrs)

Green macro algae will grow like crazy.

If you ever try out and is successful, then you can sell back to the LFS and also trade frags with others.

Good Luck.

[Tanzy]

Morgan,

I thought of polycarbonate because acrylic will yellow and haze under UV, but I don't know how well will polycarb stand up to sunlight? How are you going to mount the shelter over the tank? Metal stand?

Actually, those tubs are pretty deep, so no worry about intensity, more of heat! Anyway more light the faster they grow, all the better. Let the corals colour up in the reefer's tank. Aim for growth!

Are you running a skimmer on your farm? I was hoping the algae will grow and use it as a form of nutrient export.

Hope to see your system soon!

[Morgan]

Tanzy

I going to pipe it to the main tank, the output from the skimmer will flow into the frag tank first.

As for polycarbonate, these are use in buliding skylight. So it should withstand UV better.

For the stand, go for stainless steel, should last longer.

[Tanzy]

Sounds good. All the best to your setup. Hope to get some Morgan's frags soon.

BTW, what are you growing? Shrooms? Xenia? Acro? Aiptasia?

Inspiration

[Achilles Tang]

Magic mushrooms... mostly!

LOL! Shhh.....

[Tanzy]

Got reef?

[Morgan]

Tanzy

LOL

Will be growing acros mostly. Also moving some of my agressive torch, frogspawn into it and plenty of flatworm.

[Tanzy]

Why don't you nuke the farm of flat worms first! Are you sure you want to sell frags to people that carry flatworms?

[Morgan]

Tanzy

I am not planning to sell anything, but the idea has cross my mind.

Yes, I am planning to nuke my flatworm.

Have yet to find a suitable way.

Option available:

6 line

leopard

greenex

qunnine

Most drastic is to tear down the whole tank and start again.

[Tanzy]

NUKE'em!

[Achilles Tang]

He aint got the beans...

j/k.... actually if he is really gonna nuke the tank... would you help him underwrite his tank? Any livestock goes... and you'll compensate him... haha!

But it's gonna be a hell lot of work... unless we mobilise quite a few of us to go down and help him!

[bawater]

morgan/tanzy, any thoughts on setting aside a small area for liverock?or linking up an individual tub.

with the unstable supply over the last few months & the difficulty in the future months with more & more ppl starting marine- demand will be there.

On the plus side- since u will have a moderate/high calc levels in the system(because of the corals/clams)- good enough for coralline growth.

cost effectiveness can be acheived by using filtered seawater(which has to be filtered & skimmed for a week to get crystal clear) i tried- usually for volume usage.

U may want to release LR at $5 or $6 per KG- thus income for the runnings of the farm & purchases of new corals to frag.

While the LR seeds & grows, it also provide additional filtration.

Curing is easy.

if u guys need manpower- i'm free most weekends.

[loonz]

Hey why cant glass be used as a shelter instead of polycarbonate sheet??Too heavy?

Does octopus eat flatworms??Hmmm....

[Morgan]

Hi bawater

Do not know about tanzy but culturing LR take up a lot of space. They need good water flow and moderate lighting for the coraline to grow.

Beside that, where to get the base rock (Dead coral boulders). Do not like the idea of DIY using cement. Not worth the effort.

Will take up your offer of help during the weekend through. Thanks.

loonz

Glass is too heavy and break easily to DIY yourself shelter. If you get a contractor, then it can be done but it going to be expensive cos the glass has to be tempered to prevent from cracking under temperature.

Octopus does not eat flatworm!

[robe]

Hi Morgan,

Why not get tempered glass from contractors doing office renovation. They just throw away whole plates of glasses similar to glass doors and even bigger sizes from partitions.

[Tanzy]

Morgan,

You can rent out space in your farm to people who want to 'grow' rocks.

[Morgan]

Hey guys

I do not live on a farm.

I do not have that kind of space.

What I am planning is a very small scale frag growing tank (4'x2'x2').

Thanks robe for the suggestion.

Glass is not feasible. Too heavy and risky to handle. I'll stick to polycabonate.