Think of starting a coral propagation tank

[shromy]

Anyone with that has done this before have any advice, horror stories, etc they would like to share. I've been reading up on this for about a year and have had great success with soft and a few hard/acro corals over the last 4 years in my reef tanks. Just wanting to do it for fun and maybe a real business if it works out that way. Thanks for any advice in advance, good or bad.
Steve

 

[mockery]

Well to be a business you would need a big operation. But as far as i know they are pretty easy to setup, especially if you can tie it into you existing system

 

[shromy]

Thats the main problem i have always had is finding GOOD cheaper frags. Some places want crazy prices for thing that are a problem child for others{i.e. the waving hand polups in my 30g).i want to do it mostly for fun, maybe even doin trades for some harder to find corals to realy add to my own tanks and futures to come( got the g/f into it hehehehe). I know basicly where i need to start and the normal problems incured just want someone to kinda bounce ideas off of. I have alot of softies growing under some what lower wattage than needed(30 has 70 wts, 55 390 wts with oooollllddd bulbs) and i keep just giving money away just so they dont over run the tank.

 

[shromy]

ohh might want to add that they are all cf bulbs

 

[shromy]

in ares defense, one day some corals will be gone. so a wild colony of something hard to find, then aquacultured, could possibly keep that species in existence(be given to true conservationists that can possibly repopulate whats gone).

 

[mockery]

I would get t-5 retro's or a DIY MH.

 

[skriz]

For it to be truly efficient and profitable, you must use the sun. Set it up in direct sunlight or use solar tubes.

Softies are the most profitable, so to make good $$, stick to them. They're fast growers and sell well.

Sps are slow growers and will cost you more to grow than you'll make when you sell unless you do it on a large scale and increase the efficiency.

 

[mockery]

nice setup!! how many gallons, and what type of lighting. And what is that in the second pic above the glare?

 

[stickx911]

I did a small one and wished I'd have plumbed it into my main tank. That additional water change really got old fast.

 

[shromy]

mockery- i love my cfs but will have to go to 15kish mh for the prop tank.

i plan to run it independent of my other tanks(no room), with its own custom fuge, and probley not nearly as nice as your setup. thinking a 55g with a 15-25gish sump to skimmer then back to tank. what you guys think

 

[steve]

My point of view is to try to pay for the set-up you have then drop you're prices so that you're breaking even on everything, unless you do do it in a large scale and can grow thousands of colonies and it's an actual business..

 

[lorenk]

Another way some folks get a good set is to buy a tank from someone going out of the hobby.

 

[shromy]

Yeah thats how i got my blue/white candy cane(never seen others this color), and one leather that will not stop growing( about 8in by 4) and ive given away about that much.