Tough decision

brayden

New member
I have a 135g reef tank. I am thinking about adding my 30g tank to the same system. I would run it off the same sump. Since I don't have that many corals in my larger tank, I was thinking about taking them and putting them in the 30 with some of my smaller fish and putting my 250 halide above the 30. Then I would use the larger tank as a FOWLR. Or I could keep the 135g the way it is and use the smaller tank as a frag tank. What do you guys think? What advantages or problems would I run into on either one of these systems?
 
The problem that I could see if you made the 135 a FOWLR is that you would still have to worry about water quality since the 30 would be attached to it. Depending on the fish you want to keep in the 135 you could be fine, or you could run into issues if you have a lot of messy eaters.

Still can be done without issues, just have to remember that the water will have to still be "reef" water. But, if you keep that in mind it could work out really well.
 
Will most fish do well in reef water? I figured that if I had the reef and some extra live rock in the fish only tank it would be really good for the fish. Is this true or should a FOWLR be on a totally different system?
 
The fish will be fine, and odds are will be happier for it. I wouldn't worry about the fish one bit, more so the corals if you if you don't keep your parameters in check -- which can be done if you don't overstock the 135.
 
I was thinking maybe 3 or 4 large fish and a couple smaller ones in the 135. Do you think that would work along with the live rock? Also are sailfin tangs compatible with a lot of larger fish? I was planning on leaving him in the larger tank as he would not be compatible with the smaller one.
 
The sailfin will be fine, they can hold their own without issues. Get yourself a good skimmer, and you will be ready to go.

And start off slowly, and just monitor the water and use that as a judge if you can add more --- and assuming that they would fit in the tank.
 
I've got a really good skimmer and am assuming since I have the corals and live rock that I would not need anything like bio balls. Is this correct?
 
So what would you do? Make a larger fish tank and put the corals in the small tank or would you make the small tank a frag tank?
 
Should be noted that I am really partial to SPS and other corals, so I would make the 135 a full blown reef tank. :) But then again, there are a good amount of fish that I would like to keep that aren't reef safe that would be neat to have.

Heck, just get another 135 and do both. ;)
 
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