best filter for FOWLR tank

joel911

Member
Hi i bought my 75 gal tank used, it came with a fluvill 404 canister,
i add 80 lbs LR and LS, and on order a turbo twist UV 9W,
I'm setting up a pradeter tank,
now i would like to upgrade my filtration,
and to add a protein skimmer as well,
I don't know where to start, there is so many options,
hoping you guys can help me out,
go with a nice size Eheim canister its simple and easy but then i will have to put the PS in the tank,
i will not be drilling my tank, so a sump will be more complicated,with the overflows, and plumbing,
now what sump, wet dry,trickle, refuge, buy pups, how to set it up,
maybe buy ready sump, like megaflow3, what i have read that's the best, now some people say take out the bio balls,
and also i wanna keep my options open for a possible upgrade in the next couple of years to a bigger tank,
as you can see I'm confused, would appreciate if someone can point me to the right direction, thanks in advance.
 
F

flukes

Guest
Hello Joel,
what you might want to do is ask yourself "what are you going to upgrade to later?" I would plain on drilling the next tank, I can't stress how much nicer it is to have a drilled tank vs a tank with a siphon overflow box.
but anywho back to the problem at hand, I would skip buying another canister filter just use the one that you currently have now, and save your money. If you're a handy person then maybe you might want to build your own sump, it's not hard and you will end up with a much better sump for less money. Everything that you do now you should think about the bigger tank that you will be setting up later.
As far as bio-balls, if you do buy a setup that has them, try them out you can always take them out later if you don't like them.
To setup now on your 75 gallon tank you will need a siphon overflow box, sump and a pump to return the water to the tank. In order to determine how much flow you want you first have to decide what you want in your sump. Are you going to have any macro algae in your sump? a sand bed? refuge? All of these things help maintain a healthier tank. If you do use some of these things in your sump then you will want a slower flow if not then you can run it as fast as you want too.
 

joel911

Member
Flukes Thanks so much,
the reason why i wanna upgrade my filter is because i don't know when, and if, i will upgrade my tank, its in my had for the future, 2-4 years ahead.
tell me if I'm right, what understand from you is, that a new canister, will not do much of a better job with the canister i have now, so stick with it till you upgrade your tank, even though it might take couple of years?
and if that's right what do i do with a protein skimmer i don't really wanna put in my tank, but if i buy a hang on, i wont be able to use it with the sump in the future, any other idea?
and about the sump, how do i know what i want to put in there, is it the same setup for reef and FOWLR sump,
whats the options, anyway if i will decide to go for a sump, i would definitely wait, for a bigger tank,
Thanks.
 
F

flukes

Guest
sorry for leaving you hanging
Is it possible to add a sump to your existing tank now and then use this sump for your future tank? I guess this is what I was trying to say, just so that you don't waste money on something else that you may not use later on. This I feel would be the best thing for you to do. If so, anything extra that you do will increase the overall health of your tank. Adding a refuge is a great idea for a fowlr or a reef tank.
For a in sump protein skimmer I would suggest a ASM (IMO the best bang for your buck) and get as big of one that you can. I don't have much experience with OTB skimmers,, sorry.
 

joel911

Member
thanks Flukes i will take your advice and start working on my sump,
now my question is, is there any difference that you would do in a FOWLR tank, then a Reef?
Originally Posted by Flukes
http:///forum/post/3176942
. Are you going to have any macro algae in your sump? a sand bed? refuge?
you tell me what kinda sump should i look in to,
and thank you for your advice you saved me money and regret for the future,
 
F

flukes

Guest
I personally wouldn't do anything differently. A fowlr tank doesn't require the pristine conditions that a reef tank does BUT it is not that much harder to achieve. Take a look at this thread https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/369258/is-my-sump-ok I posted some of my pictures from when I built my sump and it turned out great and I maybe spent $150
 

joel911

Member
i actullay went true this thread, didnt take it seriously, but i will now,
thanks, now i have to read like couple of nice threads to see where i can take it,
thanks again,,
 
T

toppetssupply

Guest
Experienced aquarists often only look at the wattage when choosing a fish tank water pump. They just talk about a one-meter small fish tank. If there are not many fishes, if it is an old-fashioned AC pump, generally speaking, a one-meter fish tank is chosen. A 25-watt water pump is almost enough. If it is a DC variable frequency water pump, the power is reduced by 50%. But now it seems that this selection method is not so accurate. Therefore, when we choose a water pump, we not only look at the wattage but also the flow and head of the pump. We don't need to elaborate on the pump head. Suppose your fish tank is one meter high and the pump head is only half a meter, then he can't get the water at all. Regarding the flow rate of the pump, we also have to choose according to the species of ornamental fish that we are raising. For example, if we raise quiet ornamental fish, such as goldfish and small tropical fish, then the choice of pump flow rate should be 5 to 7 times that of the water body. That's it. In other words, we must ensure that the water in the fish tank circulates about 5 times per hour. If it is the filter that comes with the fish tank, there is actually a very important problem.

I wrote an article about filters-The 8 Best Filter for Saltwater Tank, hope it can help you.
 
Top