NEED help with FOWLR setup

[Mtown]

Hey im new to this hobby and was wondering if this is alright for a full FOWLR setup including livestock. I don't think I plan on starting a reef tank EVER

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FOWLR SETUP

50 Gallon AGA (36"x 18"x 17")

DIY Stand & Canopy

DIY Sump
(w/ intake chamber -> skimmer chamber -> bubble baffles -> return chamber)

(1) Coralife Super Skimmer Needle Wheel 125 with pump

(1) Lifereef U-Tube Overflow

(1) 30" PowerCompact Retrofit Kit (so it can fit in my canopy)

(2) Maxi-Jet 900 Powerheads

(1) Return Pump (ANY SUGGESTIONS)

(1) Intake pipe (Plumbing)

(1) Return pipe (Plumbing)

55 lbs Base Rock

25 lbs Fiji Live rock

20 lbs Caribsea AgraAlive sand

50 Lbs Caribsea Agronite sand


Livestock:

(2) True Percula Clownfish
(1) Porcupine Puffer
(1) Blue Tang


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Please give me any feedback or comments. Give me any suggestions on the best type of equipment I can use. Just type whatever thing you have on your mind to help me.

Thanks and I GREATly appreciate it

 

[angelsj247]

i think a blue tang is a little to big for that tank, i think they need to be in a 75.

 

[Mtown]

thanks for your response angelsj247

but is it true that if you put a very small fish (which has a potential to grow large) it will adapt to the tank size and only grow to a certain size that is fit for the tank? Thus it wont outgrow the tank for good amount of time (several of years)

 

[lt34]

You could use a mag 7 for a return pump. I have a 90 with a 9.5mag. I heard about the size thing with Oscars but not with saltwater. I have two Blue Hippo yellow bellies that are real small, but I plan on getting a larger tank in the future to move them to.

 

[Mtown]

yeah thanks It34

I have heard a lot of positive reviews on those type of return pumps. I guess I'll go for the mag 7 since its rate is 650GPH through 1 ft of plumbing upward. It will match the 700GPH intake of the overflow

 

[Mtown]

hey

I also need some good opinions on the lifereef overflow. Since it can only be bought from one website I was wondering if it is even reliable and worry-free. The price of the overflow is 150$ including shipping. I have heard the CPR overflows are one of the worst since they don't use U-Tube and have siphon problems.

I have no thought of buying a reef-ready AGA megaflow

 

[ambaratur]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7952356#post7952356 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mtown
thanks for your response angelsj247

but is it true that if you put a very small fish (which has a potential to grow large) it will adapt to the tank size and only grow to a certain size that is fit for the tank? Thus it wont outgrow the tank for good amount of time (several of years)

This is a myth.

Check out this thread for information on tangs:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=739380

 

[Mtown]

It seems the blue tang is needy. So is the porcupine puffer alright to keep? I really want to keep the puffer, they are one of the best fish that have personalitiy

 

[Mtown]

Do i need any reactors such as phosban or calcium in a FOWLR tank. Do I need to add any supplements? And is there anyway to reduce evaporation so that I wont need to spend bucks on an auto top off

thanks

 

[Mtown]

Is anyone willing to help me??

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

the puffer will get bigger than the tang and is only reccomended for 125 gal. or more.if you want a puffer get a toby they are a smaller puffer

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7955764#post7955764 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mtown
Do i need any reactors such as phosban or calcium in a FOWLR tank. Do I need to add any supplements? And is there anyway to reduce evaporation so that I wont need to spend bucks on an auto top off

thanks

a phosban reactor would be good just to keep the alage down. but in a FOWLR you shouldn't need to add anything but fresh water for top off. your weekly water changes will add all you need. as for evaporation you want that due to it helps air excange and nitrogen gas release.

 

[all-apologies]

I have a cpr on my 125 and love it

they are very reliable and aren't half as ugly as a u-tube. Plus you can get one for a lot less than 150

here: try this or a cs 100 probalby a good idea to buy the airlifter pump to tho if you buy a cpr

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=CR1513

Also- i have a mag drive and i love it. Make sure your pump can match the flow rate of your overflow at the same head---

Meaning that your pump needs to have the power to push water from your sump all the way back up to your tank, however many feet that may be

 

[Mtown]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7962867#post7962867 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by all-apologies
I have a cpr on my 125 and love it

they are very reliable and aren't half as ugly as a u-tube. Plus you can get one for a lot less than 150

here: try this or a cs 100 probalby a good idea to buy the airlifter pump to tho if you buy a cpr

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=CR1513

Also- i have a mag drive and i love it. Make sure your pump can match the flow rate of your overflow at the same head---

Meaning that your pump needs to have the power to push water from your sump all the way back up to your tank, however many feet that may be

Aren't you worried that the cpr might fail on you and overflow the tank? Or is that airlifter supose to prevent that?

 

[Shagsbeard]

Don't buy the "live" sand. Instead, get some gunk from the bottom of an existing aquarium and add it to your sand bed. "Live" sand is meant to have helpful bacteria in it, but you really don't know what's in it or if it's still viable. Get your bacteria jump started from something you know is established.

 

[theatrus]

Always be wary of overflows which require pumps to run problem free. The little hole where the air is removed from can clog, the pump can get clogged, etc etc.

U-tube is much more reliable. Lifereef is one of the best made U-tube overflows.

 

[Mtown]

Thank you all for your feedback, however I'm still worried about how much I will spend. Since it is only a FOWLR tank i shouldn't go to the thousands.

What is the maximum equipment I need to get a good, basic healthy and stable "Fish Only with Live Rock tank"

 

[ralphie16]

For the fish you want to keep and the money your going to be spending anyways why don't you suck it up, spend a few hundred more and move up to a 125, 150, or 180 gallon tank? Trust me, I am 100% happy I did and its 5% more maintenance work, tops.

 

[Mtown]

Well there is also a space issue. The room I'm keeping it in shouldn't interfere with other things. yet I don't really want to have a huge tank that is why I cose 50 gallon over a 75 gallon which I originally wanted