For those of you running a 'prop' system.

[bleedingthought]

Do you have your prop tank tied into your display/main system? Or do you have it separated altogether?

I'm debating setting one of these up but don't know whether to just connect it to the main system or have it separate (with either a power filter and HOT skimmer or the HOT skimmer and a small sump for carbon and such).

I know that the main benefits of it being tied into the main system are:

• Same water chemistry therefore frags are already adjusted;
  Added total volume to main system;
  No need for separate top-off and water changes;
  Save on extra equipment to a certain extent.

Benefits of it separate:

• Potential hospital/quarantine tank as well as prop;
  Separate from main system so any possible die-off from fragging won't affect other corals/fish in display;
  If corals need to be 'cleaned up' (of algae or aiptasia, for example) no spreading to main system.

So, what are your thoughts on this and what do you have running and how do you like it?

 

[trido]

Looks like you have it pretty well figured out. I will have my prop system seperate from my 120 display for all of the latter reasons you posted above as well as room issues in the laundry room. Also, its one less 250MH creating heat on my main display tank.
I will however put a 65G display along side of the prop system so I can have the extra stability, fish poo, and something to nice to look at when Im working in the frag room. I will then have seven lineal feet of glass front display tanks to look at as well as the 40 breeder. Now thats alot of acros to look at.

 

[kmagyar]

I debated over this for quite a while before I made a decision. I wound up plumbing my 50 gal prop system into my 120 circuit. It was too easy for me because my prop room is on the other side of the wall of my sump room. Its a time saver but there are risks. I don't have a true quarantine system as I should. I treat everything very carefully and so far it has worked for me. If you can afford the time of extra maintenence of another system, I would go separate. My only problem is a livestock overload issue. Mainly too many sps.

Keith

 

[doughpat]

This is totally unsubstantiated, but I have a feeling that there are defense chemicals released during fragging that aren't good for neighboring corals. I remember cutting apart leathers, putting them back in the tank, then noticing that some of the other corals looked a little irritated. Anyone else seen this?

Apart from that, I'd say having an extra tank is a really nice insurance policy. You have to be *really* unlucky to have two systems crash simultaneously.

Also, it gives you the ability to do a little bit of (very uncontrolled) experimenting, seeing the same coral react to different conditions.