Are FOWLR tanks boring?

[MAXreefer]

Hi guys,
right now I have a 90 gallon reef tank.
I have a 34 gallon RSM (Red Sea MAX) sitting around and playing with the idea to make a FOWLR tank out of it so I can keep some fish I never could keep together with corals.
Now I would like to ask you FOWLR lovers to show me what can be done to get a beautiful tank without any corals.
PLEASE post here some of your nicest pictures and maybe some recommendations what kind of fish I can keep in a 34 gallon preferable some which I are great fish for this type of setup.

Thanks in advance
Michael
MAXreefer

 

[Crazy4salth2o]

There are some more noxious corals you can add to a FOWLR. I have a reef tank and I am getting a bored of watching only coral sit in there. The fish bring the tank to life. JMT

 

[lowendmelody]

I don't think they are boring at all. Not if your into the fish as much or more than the corals. I used to keep a 100g reef setup but about six months ago, maybe more, I decided to convert over to a 125g long and go barebottom.

Here's mine with a couple peices of kenya tree coral which I will be trading in soon.

<a href="http://s159.photobucket.com/albums/t153/saltyfishdude/?action=view&current=Reef1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t153/saltyfishdude/Reef1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s159.photobucket.com/albums/t153/saltyfishdude/?action=view&current=Reef2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t153/saltyfishdude/Reef2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[JustinReef]

Little bit of an older pic...The algae has grown in way more and I have added a HUGE leather but heres my FOWLR...Well it does have a few corals now but its still more of a FOWLR in spirit! (I would not post this as a reef). For me, Im all about the fish, so FOWLR's are way nicer than reefs. I LOVE puffers and they don't work well with expensive sps

 

[LukFox]

You could do a dwarf lion or something in that sized tank. There are plenty of cool options depending on what you are looking for. Even a dwarf angel would be alright. I think some kinds of frogfish kept as a single specimen are also OK for that size tank. You could even try a toby puffer as they don't get too big.

Here's my mostly FOWLR. There's a colt coral and some mushrooms, but you can easily have those with minimal lighting, and even fish known for coral picking don't really go for leathers. I think the fish are far more interesting than the coral, so that's what my tank's focus is on .

 

[chwattscaw]

LukeFox and LowEndMelody,

could you please share some details about your tank and husbandry. Eg, I am interested in lighting, sump or not, how you are filtering the tank, depth of sand bed, water changes etc. Really anything you can share. please know i ahve been setting up FO tanks and full large Reefs since 1980, so I am familiar with most topics. i just am not sure how to handle the FOWLR.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[lowendmelody]

My lighting is very basic.... (3) 24" 65 watt power compacts

I have a barebottom tank which I have probably 140 lbs of live rock.

I change 10 gallons of water weekly, sometimes more.

I use a protein skimmer which in a fowlr is your best friend. Though I need a stronger one myself. But a skimmer of some sorts is better than none. Mine is a Przm pro deluxe rated up to 300 gallons. I wouldn't even try it on a tank of that size, but on my 125, it works pretty decent. Get an oversized skimmer, the best one you can afford. Period.

I also use two aquaclear 110 hang on filters which are rated for up to 500 gph. I use no sponge as they harbor nitrates. I have eachone filled with live rock rubble. As much as i can stuff in there and the smallest bits and peices I could find. Excellent addtional bio filter if you ask me. I have on each side of the tank.
My main bio filter is my live rockwork itself. I use (2)koralia 3's and (1) koralia 4 and point them directly into the rock work.

I also use activated carbon in a sleve that comes equipped in the skimmer itelf. I use this as my chemical fitration. I replace this carbon with fresh unused carbon every other monday.

My setup is very simple, though with regular maintenance it isn't that hard to keep things right. I really feel the best component in a fowlr is the skimmer. I myself will be purchasing an overflow for my tank and will be getting an oversized deltec to keep in the sump along with some macro algae for nitrate reduction. I feel that my tank is pretty well stocked right now. I have 10 fish and at least 4 of them are gonna get some good size and will eventually need a bigger tank. That wont be for like another year at least, but they are big eaters and do eat alot so I feel I need a bigger and better skimmer. Point being, if I would have not held back before, I wouldn't have to worry about it now.

anyway, good flow around your rocks, a tank big enough ofr what you wanna keep (at least til you upgrade), regular water changes, some decent lighting you can live with (though the better the lighting, the nicer your fish look) and of course the skimmer, along with a good husbandry ethic, you can have a very satisfying fowlr.

I love the fish, and in a fowlr, the combinations are endless.

My dream tank is a 600 gallon display tank and only housing fish from the waters of Hawaii. Soon enough my friends, soon enough.

 

[LukFox]

Lighting is 2 x 96w 50/50 PCs.

I use a 29g sump that houses the skimmer.

Sand depth is about 3", but it varies depending on the area. I use sugar fine aragonite.

I change 20 gallons a week and usually vacuum the sand, though it remains very much alive. Pods are everywhere and I end up feeling very guilty for killing thousands when I have to scrub algae off the glass, and the sand bed is littered with spaghetti worms and feather dusters. I don't think vacuuming really hurts it.

I rearrange the rocks 1-2 times a month so nothing sits too long, and mostly because I get bored with a formation if I have it too long. Also, my flow isn't extreme, so I think moving the rocks so much helps with making sure the water doesn't just sit in dead spots.

I don't know how much rock I have. I bought like 170lbs, but decided it was too much and took a lot out. I probably have around 100lbs, and I keep some of it in my sump.

 

[chwattscaw]

LowEndMelody, and lukFox,

Great info. What about top off and dosing, do you use RO water, or tap. Also, are you attempting to suppliment calcium in any way, kalkwasser etc?

I am assuming you are strongly recommending a reef ready tank with sump if at all possible....

Also, LukFox, your sand bed is approaching a DSB, of which I am an advocate (all my successful reef systems had DSB's). What can you tell me about that...or direct me here for reading on DSB and FOWLR tanks.

Thanks so much for the advice/assistance

Chris

 

[Water Box]

Here are a few pics of my FOWLR.

Sorry about the reflections, sun is actually shining.

It is a 180, PC lighting for now (want to go T5), sump with a Nautilus TE Skimmer, just enough sand to look nice, and a VERY light stock list. French Angel (bought him when he was the size of a quarter), Maculosus Angel, Flame Hawk, Bi-color, purple tang (currently being housed elsewhere due to getting his rear kicked by the French). Had a Blue Throat Trigger but he decided to make a run for it out of an open hood and a few other micellaneous inhabitants that have been tranferred into a different tank.

Rigt now the water you see is tap. I am contemplating going RO/DI and don't really use any supplements. I probably should because I have VERY little coralline growth but I think that may have more to do with the lighting or more to the point the lack of it to keep the algae down.

 

[lowendmelody]

I use a RO/DI filter from my kitchen faucet and filter all my water. Though it is time for me to replace my filters.

I do not dose anything but the occasional ph and alkalinity builder. I myself do not like the corraline algae so I do not want it to grow. Some of my older rock is now getting some really nice red and green fuzzy types of algae (not hair algea) and I think it looks good. When I do add some new lightning, which will be t-5 of some sort and not that strong, I willl not have any actnics, well maybe one outta four on each side of the tank, but I doubt it.

It's a lot easier cleaning the glass without darn corraline all over it.

And yes, I would go with a reef ready with an over flow. My next Fowlr will have one along with a closed loop for the best circulation, oxygenation and filtration I can acheive.

 

[LukFox]

I use RO water, but I've found tap doesn't always hurt. In the beginning it used to give me a lot of diatoms, but I recently used about 20 gallons of dechlorinated tap because my tank's piping sprang 3 leaks on Christmas Eve. When we redid the piping, I used the tap to fill it back up. I've seen no problems come of it. I would still use mostly RO, but in emergencies, tap isn't going to kill the tank.

I'm not supplementing calcium because I've never had to. Even when it was a full reef and I had stony corals, the calcium was fine (though it wasn't a huge SPS tank which likely definitely needs calcium supplements). I still get a lot of coraline growth, and it is then happily munched on by my urchins. In fact sometimes I turn my rocks over to show the white side that was facing the sand because I think it looks "cleaner" than the coraline...

I don't dose anything else, either.

I've considered turning my SSB into a DSB, but I'm not sure right now. I think I would lose a lot of the benefits of a DSB due to moving it around too much, which is an absolute no-no for DSBs. My SSB is basically only there for the radiant wrasse to sleep comfortably (you can't see her in the picture). I think a DSB would work the same as it would in a reef, it's just up to you if you want one and care for it. I think you know what to do on this. It's personal preference just as it is for reefs.

I would recommend a RR tank with a sump, yes.

 

[chwattscaw]

This is great info...thanks so much for help. I will keep you posted...