Colorful Tank Question - Input Please

[john-nyc]

Is there a way to get a FOWLR tank as colorful as a Reef tank ??
Fish only always look so much more drab than reef tanks. Is it a choice you need to make at the very start whether you want fish or corals ??
Side by side reefs just look so much better in my opinion.

 

[bruder]

A really easy and hardy coral to keep are zoos and mushrooms. They can be kept at fairly low to medium lighting and would probably do well in a FOWLR.
Or fake corals if you like the look?

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by John-NYC
Is there a way to get a FOWLR tank as colorful as a Reef tank ??
Fish only always look so much more drab than reef tanks. Is it a choice you need to make at the very start whether you want fish or corals ??
Side by side reefs just look so much better in my opinion.
Take a look at this...it's on page 2 post #56. Very pretty and colorful FOWLR tank.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/252632/lets-see-full-tank-shot/20
If I was doing a FOWLR, that would be what I would strive for...
Lisa :happyfish

 

[petjunkie]

One of the main differences I notice in Fowlr is a lack of corraline, making the whole tank look very brown and dead, I assume this is mostly because not many people bother putting reef lighting over it or dosing calcium. However if you put some t5s over it, dosed a bunch of purple up and bought fast growing hardy corals, ie mushrooms, xenia, gsp, you could brighten up a fowlr pretty good, depending on what coral your fish decide to munch on.

 

[john-nyc]

Thanks for the replies.
I'm starting to think I'm gonna go with a 75g Reef for the simple fact that in a 75g FOWLR you really cant put many fish in it anyway due to bio overload so then might as well go with a Reef and just 3 or 4 fish. I know cost is more due to the lighting but everything else pretty muuch stays the same.
Please feel free to disagree if I'm missing something

 

[bruder]

You can do a reef and have more than 3-4 fish, depending on size. Check out the member's tanks in the photo threads for some ideas.

 

[john-nyc]

Exactly, since the amount of fish in a FO system will be the same as a reef system I might as well go reef and get the correct lighting and fish that are reef compatible and forget FOWLR