Fowlr

[canadianeh]

What equipments do you need for FOWLR tank? Do you need dosing equipment, kalk, etc?

What maintenance do you do compare to reef tank?

 

[Flippers4pups]

What equipments do you need for FOWLR tank? Do you need dosing equipment, kalk, etc?

What maintenance do you do compare to reef tank?

Typically the same for a reef. Skimmer, heater, powerheads, lights, ATO.....

Dosing pumps, Kalkwasser...etc isn't needed, though test kits for pH, calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, nitrate and phosphate is recommended to keep water quality near NSW.

Cycling will require test kits of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

A refractometer for salinity.

 

[JumboShrimp]

The lights do not have to be fancy {code for expensive } because you just want to illuminate the fish to your liking; put your money into a properly rated skimmer.

You won’t need to dose anything (although weekly Vibrant can help keep your water clear and keep algae at bay).

Lots of live rock, and do not add fish too quickly so that the beneficial bacteria can keep pace with the bioload.

 

[canadianeh]

I want to go with minimalist route in term of rock. The tank is Reefer 250 btw. To compensate the minimal rock, I will be using one 8x8x4 marine pure block in the sump. I will have Clarisea sk-3000 instead of filter socks, Vortech M2 pump, Nyos 130 skimmer.

So in term of light I can go cheaper route, but if I want to convert to reef in the future I will need to spend more money and sell the cheaper lights and lose some of the value from selling the lights.

In term of wavemakers, do I need one? Do IM oscillating return pump nozzle fits in Reefer 250? Can I get away with one MP40 or Tunze Wavebox just to make sure the detritus stay suspended?

 

[JumboShrimp]

Yes, the purpose in your case for a wavemaker is to keep the detritus for settling. Also the fish might feel they are in a more natural environment with a ‘current’ to swim against.

Big tip, here; With the Marine Pute blocks, if at all possible, find a cheap plastic Tupperware type thing to set in your sump, and then set the blocks in them. This is because they ‘will’ disintegrate slightly (more if handled), and the plastic bin can catch all the very fine sugar like sand that will come off of them and then it won’t be all inside your sump. You might even want to try the MP balls if they fit better into something.

 

[Bryce M.]

skimmer, pump, cheap lights, heater. No dosing really. It's pretty easy honestly

 

[Jesterrace]

skimmer, pump, cheap lights, heater. No dosing really. It's pretty easy honestly

Agreed. Saltwater tanks don't get much easier than FOWLR, unless one is counting brackish, of course.

 

[Bryce M.]

Agreed. Saltwater tanks don't get much easier than FOWLR, unless one is counting brackish, of course.

I had a coral die off a few months ago. Been getting used to not caring for corals except the few polyps of Zoas and a single frag of green star polyps that survived (A whole colony of GSP died but I had a small frag I was growing out that lived)
Super super easy honestly
But I just ordered more corals after fixing my issues, I do miss them

 

[canadianeh]

I don’t need to care about the big three? All, cal, and mag for FOWLR tank?

How about salt? I plan to use tropic Marin when I convert to reef tank. Do I need to start using the same salt from beginning?

 

[JumboShrimp]

FOWLRs are very forgiving; I wouldn't give one worry to what salt you use until you get into some higher-end corals. Same goes for the big three in a FOWLR. Use RODI, use a good skimmer, don't overfeed, and just sit back and enjoy your fish.

 

[SudzFD]

What equipments do you need for FOWLR tank? Do you need dosing equipment, kalk, etc?

What maintenance do you do compare to reef tank?

honestly it’s simple. You can get away with the following:

cheap lights
Recommend live rock or mixed rock
HOB filter or canister
Power head or wave maker
Protein skimmer can help but not required
Every other week 10- 20% water changes.

no dosing needed. Only thing I used to test for was nitrate.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Agree with @SudzFD.

If you want to ‘splurge’— pour in some Vibrant once a week for crystal clear water and no algae (that part takes some time, maybe some months).

 

[SudzFD]

honestly it’s simple. You can get away with the following:

cheap lights
Recommend live rock or mixed rock
HOB filter or canister
Power head or wave maker
Protein skimmer can help but not required
Every other week 10- 20% water changes.

no dosing needed. Only thing I used to test for was nitrate.

Also I will add. Check your salinity. You often will top off with distilled or RO water. Evaporation takes the water and leaves the salt. Constant water changes of saltwater only will result in increasing salinity. So have a way to measure salinity.

and of course a heater. lol

 

[canadianeh]

Agree with @SudzFD.

If you want to ‘splurge’— pour in some Vibrant once a week for crystal clear water and no algae (that part takes some time, maybe some months).

What is vibrant?

also, if I use one brand of salt right now and then I convert to reef tank and switch to higher end salt, any special thing I need to do? Like starting to use the new salt for each water change 1 month or 2 month prior converting it?

 

[SudzFD]

What is vibrant?

also, if I use one brand of salt right now and then I convert to reef tank and switch to higher end salt, any special thing I need to do? Like starting to use the new salt for each water change 1 month or 2 month prior converting it?

if you convert to a reef tank there’s nothing to change. If you want to use a reef salt with all the ion additives and what not beforehand like you suggest, that sounds smart to me. You could also start testing alkalinity and calcium beforehand andstart dosing to get those where they need to be and stabilized.

the hardest part about transitioning may be re homing some fish. Perhaps you have non reef safe fish, or need to reduce the bio load to help maintain water quality.

 

[SudzFD]

Google “vibrant reef tank”. You will see all about it. It’s an additive that “cleans” the aquarium. Keeps algae down and water clear and is reef safe.