Hi all..I am about to start a 150g FOWLR setup..theres two options in which i need help on...I am about to purchase a tank with or without an overflow box...which one do i need for FOWLR? I'm planning just keeping the setup clean with only 3-4 fishes max...a puffer, 1-2 angels and a trigger thats it...i currently have about 100lbs of LR from my old tank in which i want to tranfer over..buy some skeleton corals and call it a day.......do i need all the refugims, or can a hang on back filter work just fine (perhaps two powerful ones) and a good skimmer?
SUMP or SUMPLESS FOWLR?????
- Thread starter ealen
- Start date
FerrariStradale
New member
I would suggest a sump and a good skimmer. Triggers are messy and puffers are messy.
I don't know if a refugium or bio balls would benefit you best. For what your doing it seems like bio balls would be just fine.
I don't know if a refugium or bio balls would benefit you best. For what your doing it seems like bio balls would be just fine.
T-T-Trigger
Premium Member
sump sump sump sump, all the way. dont need a refugium necessarily (though they are fun and can aid your H2o quality,, but sumps are excellent for providing added volume of water, place for your (bigger, better) skimmer, heater, carbon, et al. very nice addition, whether it be by a reef ready tank or overflow box, i would do it if space allows.
yea...it appears that a sump would be a better choice...if i was not to have a fug in there, would there be only 2 sections then? instead of 3 like how most reefers have them? Also, with this type of bioload i will be experiencing, which skimmer would work best? I'm looking for something efficient and most important of all, quiet 
...money is not the issue (for now)...because I know the importance of a skimmer for my FOWLR application..thanks in advance...
...money is not the issue (for now)...because I know the importance of a skimmer for my FOWLR application..thanks in advance...
mcbaes72
-Aidan's Daddy.
x4 on the sump.
Also, is there such a thing as a "quiet" skimmer? My first skimmer was a HOB AquaC brand and it was loud as f**k, turned it off at night since the tank was in my bedroom. After that, went six yrs skimmerless (chaeto only). Recently, have an ETSS downdraft skimmer which isn't loud that's it's annoying, but I wouldn't call it quiet either. I don't have the luxury of hiding the sump and skimmer in a basement or behind a wall, so I deal w/ the noise...thank goodness the location in the living room is far enough away that I can't hear it in my bedroom.
Where will your tank be located? The pump for the skimmer is important to consider, too for noise and gph. I recommend Eheim and 5x to 10x gph vs. tank volume.
Also, is there such a thing as a "quiet" skimmer? My first skimmer was a HOB AquaC brand and it was loud as f**k, turned it off at night since the tank was in my bedroom. After that, went six yrs skimmerless (chaeto only). Recently, have an ETSS downdraft skimmer which isn't loud that's it's annoying, but I wouldn't call it quiet either. I don't have the luxury of hiding the sump and skimmer in a basement or behind a wall, so I deal w/ the noise...thank goodness the location in the living room is far enough away that I can't hear it in my bedroom.
Where will your tank be located? The pump for the skimmer is important to consider, too for noise and gph. I recommend Eheim and 5x to 10x gph vs. tank volume.
it will be located in the family room where I will be watching TV..I'm deciding on putting a sump underneathe the display so hopefully i can muffle the sound a bit with the cabinets...but then again, the cabinets are pretty much open in the rear....perhaps i can run some vibration calcuations and design a damper system for it (mechanical engineering background). i'm not sure yet. do you or any of the reefers who replied know where I could find skimmers for an awesome deal? Usually LFS or online? All i know so far is bigalsonline.com...if you guys have any other recommendations...please chime in..thx
T-T-Trigger
Premium Member
Lol at AQuaC "loud as f***" no doubt, awful.
My friend just got a reef octopus extreme, this skimmer is working very well, and I am blown away by how quiet it is - and his stand doesnt even have walls or doors! (custom steel frame)
if i was in the market i would investigate that series of skimmers.
My friend just got a reef octopus extreme, this skimmer is working very well, and I am blown away by how quiet it is - and his stand doesnt even have walls or doors! (custom steel frame)
if i was in the market i would investigate that series of skimmers.
JustinReef
New member
Bubblemaster 250...Its dead silent once dialed in.
I cannot hear it unless I put my ear right to the air intake "muffler thingy" of the pump. And then I can only hear a slight fizz. The pump makes no noise. Is only like 12 watts or something and this skimmer kicks butt. Its incredible how efficient it is. One of the best skimmer you can get for just under $1000.
I cannot hear it unless I put my ear right to the air intake "muffler thingy" of the pump. And then I can only hear a slight fizz. The pump makes no noise. Is only like 12 watts or something and this skimmer kicks butt. Its incredible how efficient it is. One of the best skimmer you can get for just under $1000.
tall_jason79
Active member
i'm a reefer and a fowler guy , first go with the sump, on my tanks i just bring my over flow pipes to one side where my skimmer sits then i have egg crate zip tied together in this "section" i have live rock and cheato then the return. all in a 55 gallon tank. works great
lol....looks like the verdict is to include a sump! sump it is! I've been reading about sumps too and the design seems confusing...it is a simple concept but quite confusing...the first section should be an area for the skimmer like tall_jason said, second will be the DSB/LR/Chato and third will be a return...is there a way to calculate how high the baffles need to be or how can i control the water level of it? if the power fails, the overflow will drain down until the water reaches just below the top of the overflow. The remaining water will go into the sump and flood the sump..how can i control or design in that extra "buffer" room? because that depends where the operating water level is right? I used the calculator here, it gave me the extra gallons that will go back into the sump...but if the sump was designed wrong, i can see it flooding that too...anyone with awesome paint or photoshop skills care to illustrate? pictures = a million words....lol..
as far as skimmer..the bubblemaster like justinpsmith said looks awesome but it seems a tad out of my price range..im looking into something between $300-$600..but thanks for the info though..
as far as skimmer..the bubblemaster like justinpsmith said looks awesome but it seems a tad out of my price range..im looking into something between $300-$600..but thanks for the info though..
T-T-Trigger
Premium Member
needlewheel best bang for buck and quietest option.
JustinReef
New member
Oh ok...you said money was no issue before
I was going to suggest a BubbleKing which is double the price!
JustinReef
New member
Hey just realized that this is a 150G tank. For some reason I thought it was a 250G.
A Bubblemaster 200 would be more than enough then and is about $550. I think a lot of sites have it for $600 but if you look hard enough you can get it less.
http://www.atiaquaristik.com/index.php?id=95,0,0,1,0,0
A 200 is good IMO for tanks "well" stocked up to 220G. I think they are rated up to 250G and actually ATI's ratings seem to be pretty darn good. The Bubblemater 250 is rated for 500G tanks
More like 300-350 I think but again a great skimmer.
The reason I said the 250 would be good is because its a relatively small skimmer in size that would work for your tank now but can be used on an upgrade if you go bigger. The 200 would be fine too though. More than enough for the 150G and enough for a 200 or 220G if you ever upgrade.
A Bubblemaster 200 would be more than enough then and is about $550. I think a lot of sites have it for $600 but if you look hard enough you can get it less.
http://www.atiaquaristik.com/index.php?id=95,0,0,1,0,0
A 200 is good IMO for tanks "well" stocked up to 220G. I think they are rated up to 250G and actually ATI's ratings seem to be pretty darn good. The Bubblemater 250 is rated for 500G tanks
More like 300-350 I think but again a great skimmer. The reason I said the 250 would be good is because its a relatively small skimmer in size that would work for your tank now but can be used on an upgrade if you go bigger. The 200 would be fine too though. More than enough for the 150G and enough for a 200 or 220G if you ever upgrade.
yea very true...also i think the cabinet is about 30" tall...if not a tad taller..so I'm not sure how that will fit in the sump..all i room i have if i build a sump is underneathe the tank (like most folks)...yea i would like to go bigger but unfortunately, im using that TV hole cutout (found in some houses) as my fish tank location. it measures 24" deep and 55" across so a 48" will fit in there nicely.
ok so i will go with the needle wheel like trigger said....are coral life skimmers or ASM G3 skimmers any good? but then again, i guess im too general when it comes to "good"..by that I'm referring to its efficiency..now sure what typical efficiencies we're looking at for skimmers nowadays...
ok so i will go with the needle wheel like trigger said....are coral life skimmers or ASM G3 skimmers any good? but then again, i guess im too general when it comes to "good"..by that I'm referring to its efficiency..now sure what typical efficiencies we're looking at for skimmers nowadays...
StripestheEel
Premium Member
Regardess of what system you intend to have a sump is beneficial.
It adds mor water volume which in turn makes it easier to maintain the correct water parameters.
It adds mor water volume which in turn makes it easier to maintain the correct water parameters.
