From reef to FOWLR
- Thread starter cfsindorf
- Start date
Stuart60611
New member
For me, it is all about the fish. In a reef, you just cannot house certain fish, and these are the fish that I enjoy keeping. I do like corals, but they are accents to the system, and the fish are the main focus. Plus, it so much easier to maintain a fowlr than a reef since you have far less parameters to worry about. I have done both. I started out with a reef and now have a fowlr. I have enjoyed my fowlr more than my prior reef.
In a perfect world, I would love 3 tanks. One large and long tank for fowlr type fish, like puffers, triggers, large angels, etc. A medium sized cube for an eel or two. A smaller reef tank for corals, a pair of clowns, annenome, and maybe one or two other smaller fish. This would be great. Now I only need the space and time to maintain all of these systems.
In a perfect world, I would love 3 tanks. One large and long tank for fowlr type fish, like puffers, triggers, large angels, etc. A medium sized cube for an eel or two. A smaller reef tank for corals, a pair of clowns, annenome, and maybe one or two other smaller fish. This would be great. Now I only need the space and time to maintain all of these systems.
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Recty
New member
I went from a 75g reef tank to a 210 gallon FOWLR.
I like things that provide interaction and that's fish. Corals are cool, but dont really do much and in the end I just got a lot more enjoyment out of fish than corals.
As already stated, FOWLRs are a lot easier to maintain than a reef tank so that was one other reason I switched.
I like things that provide interaction and that's fish. Corals are cool, but dont really do much and in the end I just got a lot more enjoyment out of fish than corals.
As already stated, FOWLRs are a lot easier to maintain than a reef tank so that was one other reason I switched.
namxas
Things With Stings R Us!
We used to have a mixed softy/LPS/fish setup which crashed for "no apparent reason" following a past move. We had already begun keeping lionfish, and our fancy continued on to scorps, waspfish, and stingfish, so we simply switched over to FOWLR + macro algae. Sometimes we miss having a reef, but not THAT much... 
GoingPostal
Active member
Cheaper to go fowlr and we like triggers, angels and puffers. Sold off all the corals I didn't want to see eaten, put the small ones in my nano reef and left a few in the fowlr. Agree with Stuart though, there's just too many things I'd like to keep and tanks popping up all over the house. It's a disease.
KevWill
New member
I just switched back last week....I had mostly LPS in my 125g but got bored of the lack of character in reef safe fish so I traded all my corals for a Goldflake angel, Passer angel and a pair of wild red sea clownfish. My plan is to get a large anemone for the clowns and that's it no corals.
TTU_Reefer
New member
I went from 75gal sps reef to a FOWLR, really liking it. I have a 29gal custom LED biocube for my corals, much easier and cheaper.
cunningham
New member
Started with a 95g reef, then I wanted a trigger tank so I added a 135 fowlr.
another one for the bedroom. I have 3 :crazy1:
another one for the bedroom. I have 3 :crazy1:
mattsilvester
Team RC
I was always a FOWLR guy, then a few years back I started collecting easy corals..... they grew well and it was pretty sucessful - after a house renoation I upgraded and decided to try a "proper" reef ...... after a few months I grew tired of testing water and messing about adding additives etc. and besides my emporer angel started eating stuff...... a year or so after that I got sick of the electric bills, so switched to some simple T5's, got rid of the remaining corals, and that's that.
If I was retired, or if I lived alone, then I would probably try and do a really nice, big, reef tank with lots of big and interesting fish...... but currently I have neither the time nor inclination..... much less the money.
And besides...... an angel or trigger is much more interesting than an SPS in my opinion
If I was retired, or if I lived alone, then I would probably try and do a really nice, big, reef tank with lots of big and interesting fish...... but currently I have neither the time nor inclination..... much less the money.
And besides...... an angel or trigger is much more interesting than an SPS in my opinion
blumoon reefers
New member
We have a 150 mixed reef that is nice and all, but I really do like the fish better. We are getting ready to set up a 265 FOWLR in addition to the reef, and I am really, really looking forward to it. As said by most everyone, the fish are more interesting than SPS.
ashtree68
Active member
Starting with freshwater I always wanted to have and keep corals. I started with a nice little 10 gallon reef, with less knowledge then I should have, after loosing a couple of low end SPS and such, I learned my lessons about keeping SPS types. I moved and upgraded to a 24g softy/LPS reef, with a 90g FOWLR. As time progressed I accumulated things and the FOWLR slowly became a softy/LPS reef as well. I also have a large 125g freshwater, I'm tearing it down, and changing it to a FOWLR, that will stay FOWLR because I don't nearly have the time/money to deal a huge reef.
I would love to have a large reef, but think I will always like the FO tanks more.
I would love to have a large reef, but think I will always like the FO tanks more.
GCI
New member
Went to FOWLR recently [110gal] to enjoy the fish. Although corals are magnificently beautiful, they don't do much! lol My Humu Humu never ceases to amaze me with his antics! I'm also out of town periodically and I find the FOWLR easier to maintain without bothering the neighbors.
