How Easy Are FOWLR tanks as compared...

[lennon]

HI everyone. Since I am new to the hobby and a very busy mother..I was just curious How Easy Are FOWLR tanks as compared to corals and reef tanks?
I was thinking I am going to start FOWLR anyway..but just wanted some opinions.
I have researched everything and read many books. So I am ready to go.
Can anyone who has the time just shoot a reply letting me know what your maintenance schedule is and how often you have to clean filters, water changes etc??
this would help me quite a bit. I was either going to go with the ecosystem or refugium too. Money is not a problem..so I want to get all the best things to make this hobby as simplified as possible.
thanks so much for all the help!!

PLEASE POST PICS IF YOU CAN. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME

 

[daj0424]

I have a 55 gallon FOWLR 2 years runnig and here is my maintenance schedule.
10 gallon water change every 2 weeks and once a month I clean the filter, power head, protien skimmer, and uv sterlizer.
water changes take about 45 min because I clean off any alge and decor in tank.
Once a month cleaning takes about 2 hours.
I am glad to hear that you have done your homework. I decided to rush into this hobby and I definatly PAID for it.
After being in the hobby for a while now, IMO one of the most important pieces of a successful SW aquarium is a QT tank. If procedures are followed correctly you will have minimal risk for losing fish which will save you time and money in the long run.
There are many different types of filtration out there so just do your research and pick the one you feel is best for your situation. I would reccomend a refugium in addition to the conventional filter made for your size tank for optimum water conditions.
A protien skimmer is a must and power heads are important for water circulation.
UV sterilizers are very contraversial. I purchased one because I was having many problems with Ich. I did not want to set up a QT tank so that was my other option. I thought that it would always prevent ich from spreading but I was wrong. Ich can attach to anything right when it falls off the fish and quickly reproduce. It may not ever venture through the UV. Which means it will eliminate some but not all of the parasites, which will remain a consistant problem in the tank until you either use copper, hypo, or a QT tank and prevent it from happening in the first place.
That is all I have to say. If I had to do it all over I would buy a 90 gallon reef ready aquarium (reef ready just means that you have built in overtflows for filtration). I would ad a wet dry filter with a refugium. Protien skimer would be built in with the Wet dry filter. Adding a couple power heads for good water circulation.
Last, I would NEVER rush getting fish in the diplay. Be patient an use the QT tank for at least 3 weeks to insure quality fish will be living in your display. Above all else enjoy!

 

[rumrunner]

I have a 65 gallon reef and am setting up a 125g FOWLR. The biggest differences between the two that I anticipate are: less time messing/adjusting water parameters with a FOWLR compared to reef. You don't need to measure and dose calcium, etc. Just need to buffer water to maintain PH for FOWLR.
Water changes need to be done for both so I don't anticipate much difference there. Depending on whether or not you have a clean up crew, you may have to manually clean FO tank more than a reef, since my reef cleanup crew takes care of most algae.

 

[lennon]

thanks so much. I appreciate the input.
Let me ask you...I have heard mostly about the skimmer, sump/refugiums..but the LFS never recommended wet/dry filter. Is this something that I should have or is it something that is good for a FOWLR tank? Would I get the same results with bioballs in the sump?
thanks much!!

 

[lennon]

Originally Posted by RumRunner
I have a 65 gallon reef and am setting up a 125g FOWLR. The biggest differences between the two that I anticipate are: less time messing/adjusting water parameters with a FOWLR compared to reef. You don't need to measure and dose calcium, etc. Just need to buffer water to maintain PH for FOWLR.
Water changes need to be done for both so I don't anticipate much difference there. Depending on whether or not you have a clean up crew, you may have to manually clean FO tank more than a reef, since my reef cleanup crew takes care of most algae.
Yes, I am going to get a clean up crew for sure. I just thought that maybe the FOWLR would be less maintenance for now. I did also think water changes would be less.
how often do you do water changes??
thanks

 

[rumrunner]

I try to change water every two weeks, but sometimes it only happens monthly. If I do it monthly I change out more water, about 40 percent.

 

[lennon]

Originally Posted by RumRunner
I try to change water every two weeks, but sometimes it only happens monthly. If I do it monthly I change out more water, about 40 percent.

Wow, 40 %...I still am trying to figure out how I will do the changes being that the room this tank is in is elegant and has carpeting. I guess I can run a tube into a bucket in the kitchen or something...How long does that take you when you do it monthly???

 

[yetti]

The FOWLR is much easier. I've had a 30g and a 55g setup for over 6 years and have just converted the 30g to a reef setup.
What everyone has said on here is just about right as far as maintenance and water changes.
If you have a good filter and an appropriate cleanup crew, the maintenance is even easier because they help with the algae.
I also have a carpeted room, so I know how you feel. I usually lay down a few towels around the tank. As you get used to the process you'll find you get less water on the floor. Maybe a painters plastic drop cloth to begin with. It's really not that bad.

 

[kjord97]

Hey there Lennon,
we have been speakin on the salt thread, and i really hate stepin on other peoples subject so i found this you started and moved over here. I will tell you everything i have going on in my tank. My maintance schedule is very little. I have a 45 gal FOWLR. here is a link to it. http://www.smmas.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=161 The filtration on it is a CPR AQUAFUDGE refugium, hang on the back. I chose that one due to very easy to set up and maintain. ALSO NO PLUMBING, so i dont have to worry about over spills or water shortages, or unwanted plumbing running everywhere. I use basic lighting, a 20 watt plant bulb. Fish do not need light. The rock does not need light, unless you want the colorful red and pinks and purple alga to start growin on it. But in my pic you can see i have nice colors on the rock with the 20 watt bulb. I also have 2 shrooms and a couple polyps, but those i just threw in last week to see what would happen. They are doing good, but will not grow as fast. As i had also mentioned i do not run a skimmer, i let my sand and live rock do the work. my live rock is over 5 years old. If you are goin to be using new live rock i would use a skimmer, they are not that expensive and very easy to set up. On my 125 reef i use a sea clone protein skimmer that hangs on the back. Only maintance with a skimmer is dumping the collection cup when it gets full. Back to the lighting, i know you said eventually you want the tank to be a softy reef tank. The lighting you were lookin at 4x65 or the 4x95 will both do good, i would reccomend goin with the 95's though. 4-6 watts a gallon is roughly all you need, but you can go higher or lower. the blue lookin actinics are only to make the corals stand out brighter. they come in the 420nm to 490nm range. the white light is the 10k or 20k bulbs that make the corals grow. you can also get the 50/50 bulbs which are 50 % actinics and 50% white light. Any other ?? just ask. Also i think you mentioned something about tube worms, as long as you add cyclopezze or some form of micro bacteria, they will do fine, they do not need light to live.

 

[lennon]

Thanks so much for your time. I really appreciate it. I am getting a reef ready tank and doing a refugium in it. I was also considering the ecosystem in which they say that I do not need a skimmer...but maybe I may be complicating things that way.
I kind of wanted to hide as many pieces of equipment as I could..So I am probably going to do the hang on skimmer in the sump below. Plus, I would get nervous kiddies would touch the skimmer on the tank or something. diddo on the hang on refugium. I take it that you don't have a predrilled tank and that's why its on top?
Are there lights that I can get ...say for example the orbits and use different bulbs on it at first and then add the others later? Basically can I just change the bulbs to different wattages..or do I have to get a whole new lighting system when I go reef?

 

[kjord97]

When you order your lights, the watts they come as, are what you need to stick with. Each lighting setup has a ballast designed for that light. So a 65 watt lamp would need to stay a 65 watt lamp. You can run the lights now on a FOWLR and just continue to run them when you get the REEF. As for my tank, no it is not pre drilled, i dont like them to much, just a personal opionion. Let me tell you that cpr hang on refugium is realy heavy, i cant even move it when it is full. it does hold about 5 lbs of sand along with 5 gallons of water, also for the extra cash. CPR makes a hang on aquafudge with a built in skimmer that works great.

 

[lennon]

Originally Posted by kjord97
When you order your lights, the watts they come as, are what you need to stick with. Each lighting setup has a ballast designed for that light. So a 65 watt lamp would need to stay a 65 watt lamp. You can run the lights now on a FOWLR and just continue to run them when you get the REEF. As for my tank, no it is not pre drilled, i dont like them to much, just a personal opionion. Let me tell you that cpr hang on refugium is realy heavy, i cant even move it when it is full. it does hold about 5 lbs of sand along with 5 gallons of water, also for the extra cash. CPR makes a hang on aquafudge with a built in skimmer that works great.

when you say water shortages..what exactly do you mean?

 

[kjord97]

i dont have first hand exp, but from club members and other friends, when runnin an under the tank refugium, if the main tank runs low on water due to evaporation, the water will stop flowing into a overflow box, that again is for a reg tank, you have a pre drilled, so you will not worry about that. just dont ever add to much water to your refugium cause you may over fill your main tank. you can do that. this stuff rarely happens but it can happen.

 

[lennon]

ah, I see. Thanks for the help.
I am surprised there are not more replies to FOWLR subject.
Please anyone..jump in. I would love to know how it works out for you too...

 

[lennon]

Anyone else with some input ??

 

[lennon]

Anyone?

 

[promisetbg]

I suggest putting a 20 long below your tank,find some one in your area{ask around a reef shop} that can turn it into a sump/refugium for you.
Get a good skimmer rated for your size tank.Cleaning the neck and cup of the
skimmer should be done every other day or so.Place your heater along with the skimmer in the first chamber.In the second put chaetomorpha w/ a clip on light from HD.Remove the reflector and also at HD,look for a bulb like this:It is a 75 watt par 38 bulb ,that only uses 19 watts and is cool to the touch,it has it's own reflector.It grows macro like crazy.

In the third chamber put your return pump.Mag drive is a good solid pump.
In my 65 gal tank I do a quick 5 gal. water change weekly.

 

[promisetbg]

Here a couple pics of my 65.This tank uses no mechanical filtration...it relies on the rock,live sand,clean-up crew and refugium to keep it clean...no filter media is needed.
EDIT: also a good skimmer.

 

[promisetbg]

This tank uses no mechanical filtration...it relies on the rock,live sand,clean-up crew and refugium to keep it clean...no filter media is needed.

 

[promisetbg]

Here's a couple of my 75 reef..just for fun