FOWLR ---- > Reef Tank Conversion

[00Barracuda00]

I'm confused about the accessories, and the actual timing of FOWLR and reef tanks. In essence, isn't every new reef tank a FOWLR tank? At what stage of the coral adding process, should you really start obtaining accessories to keep your reef happy? How much will the chemistry of your tank change, with your first few corals?

I'm really comfortable with the DIY prospects of owning a reef tank, but the chemistry has me a little gun shy. HALP!

 

[Hulley]

I'm in the process of starting a new reef tank now when my previous tanks were FOWLR. The research I've done seems to be sufficient lighting and water parameters needed for the types of corals you want to keep. I'm going with mainly LPS, Zoas and softies so that should be fairly easy, but I do plan on SPS in the future which requires dosing, better lighting and such. I want my tank to mature for a while before I get to that point.

 

[tdileo]

As early as you can. Assuming your equipment on a FOWLR is pretty decent, I would suggest first upgrading lighting and switching to RODI water if you aren’t already, but you should be. After that possibly switch to a salt closer to your target parameters. The regular red sea salt is great. Then start buying test equipment for alk, Ca, Mg, and PO4 (the most important 4 IMO) but others are important too.

 

[00Barracuda00]

As early as you can. Assuming your equipment on a FOWLR is pretty decent, I would suggest first upgrading lighting and switching to RODI water if you aren’t already, but you should be. After that possibly switch to a salt closer to your target parameters. The regular red sea salt is great. Then start buying test equipment for alk, Ca, Mg, and PO4 (the most important 4 IMO) but others are important too.

But at what stage should you start dosing? If you add a few frags to an already established FOWLR tank, what kind of parameter changes are you looking for?

 

[Maggie321]

But at what stage should you start dosing? If you add a few frags to an already established FOWLR tank, what kind of parameter changes are you looking for?

First, do you use RODI? If yes check that box as complete. Second, do you check for calcium, dkh, nitrates and phosphates? If all that is in line and you have a proper light, you are ready to change to a reef. I am a year in and I use Kalkwasser. I don't have to dose just yet because I can control everything still with a simple 10% weekly wc and kalk. The time that I will have to start dosing to keep my calcium and alkalinity stable is coming soon, so I am doing the researching now. I will prepare by doing all the research. What I will look for is the calcium and alkalinity to drop significantly in spite of what i am currently doing. If you are looking for a magic number, there isn't one. Each reef is different. Some reefs like the CA to stay in the low 400's some much higher. Some reefers like the alk to stay precisely at 8 where others are looking for a 10 or 11 to be the place it stays. There are plenty of resources to give you windows to stay within. Read more than 1 source, heck, you may as well read as many as you can find. Educate yourself on it. That's how you learn. Then you can decide for yourself what you want your "numbers" to look like, and dose accordingly, based on others experiences.