Going from fowlr to reef

[Chaos1783]

I wanted to know how much harder it is to go from fowlr to a reef tank. I have never done a reef tank and was thinking of doing one.

 

[Chaos1783]

Also what kind of different equipment would I need

 

[TangingOut]

I made the change a little over a year ago. It's definitely more work, but very rewarding getting to watch your corals grow. Plus the variety of colorful things you can put in your reef.

Things I've had to change/add are reactors, two part dosing, carbon dosing, lights, and a lot more testing to monitor/dial in parameters. I'm sure I'm missing other things that I've done or am doing VS when it was on a FOWLR.

 

[Chaos1783]

Ok cool. Yea I've been doing fowlr off and on for 2 years. I've never done a reef. I just got back into it and I wish I would of went with a bigger tank like I wanted to lol

 

[Quiet_Ivy]

I wanted to know how much harder it is to go from fowlr to a reef tank. I have never done a reef tank and was thinking of doing one.

Assuming you don't mean a full on SPS reef, not much more difficult. The main thing is monitoring your water and actively keeping alk and calcium up and N and P down. You could do a practice run by testing alkalinity, calcium, nitrate, phosphate weekly and keeping them to reef parameters for a month or so.

Equipment can cost ..well how much money do you have? *g* I have a very small tank, no automation and easier LPS/softies so I didn't have to buy anything. You'll almost certainly want new lights. Actually I want new lights too..

hth
ivy

 

[Chaos1783]

Ok cool thank you for the info.

 

[55mixreef8236]

Depending on how heavily stocked your tank is you may want to look into getting a skimmer, if you don't already have one. Powerheads are also a must unless you are running a very high output return pump with multiple returns. Even low flow corals need good circulation. IMO its more than worth the little extra work.

 

[Sk8r]

You need: reef-capable light; decent skimmer if you want stony; nitrates way, way down to 2 or thereabouts---do this with water changes and maybe vinegar dosing if an older fish-only; and if you're going stony coral, you need to track not only alkalinity, but also calcium and magnesium. Proper levels are easy to maintain if you put calcium powder (kalk) in your topoff water. I don't have a controller, and have no trouble maintaining a reef with a fair fish load while out of town for a month.
You need to have no fish that eat corals, or you need some real fast-growing softies that can keep up with them. It's a general rule that if it grows that fast its inedible by most things.

Softies are not as fussy about light or skimming, but they can take a tank very rapidly: two purple mushrooms on a big rock can cover it entirely in months, and in real reef conditions things like green star polyp can crawl right up your tank glass.

The keys to a reef are proper lighting and water quality. The good news is that your fish will be extremely happy with that water.

Honestly, I find a fish-only incredibly hard compared to a reef. My corals tell me at a glance whether the water quality is 'on' or not, and if they're extended and happy, I know the water's ok. Fish just look at you and deny anything's wrong until they're desperate.

 

[rsain]

^^^ well said.

Fish just look at you and deny anything's wrong until they're desperate.

And that is just so true it's hilarious!

-ryan

 

[3dees]

I went from a fowlr to softie/lps tank. without sps I don't need to dose anything, so it's really not much difference. two years with the coral and so far everything is doing fine. as long as you have enough light and reef safe fish, give it a go.