Newbie FOWLR Questions

[laconic]

My wife and I got into the hobby in January. We each have reef tanks, hers a Red Sea reefer 350 g2. Mine in an IM 10g in my home office. We are looking to do a large fowlr and from what I have pieced together, there are some differences. My main concern is getting everything I will need so that the installation can be as clean as possible from day one. This will be in our main living space, so nothing can be external to the tank, e.g., ato container. We are looking to have all the common fish we cannot have in our mixed reef including an eel. I want to continue to run apex for monitoring and automation. Thank you for helping me plan.

• will I need to dos if so 2 ports or 4 ports and what?
• Do I need a UZ sterilizer?
• what do I really need for lighting?
• is a refugium helpful?
• how much flow do I need mp40s or 60s, and is it 2 or 4 of each?

 

[X-37B]

Tank size?
UV yes make sure its large enough for the system.
Fuge is good.
Media reactor for carbon po4 media.
Mp's depends on tank size.
One 60 on each end of a 6-8 foot tank is plenty for a fowler.
Get whatever lighting you like that will give your fish good colors.
You dont need high end light but lights that give your fish good colors and are adjustable are a plus.
You can get away with WC or dose small amounts of 2 part.

 

[Uncle99]

With the FOLR, you need none of that except some flow, the fuge later.

Lighting can be what you wish, fish don’t care only corals, which your not putting in, but, you want to light to “show-off” you fish so you can enjoy them.

A small water change should be quite sufficient to maintain chemistry.

The refuge, sure, but down the road when nutrient levels are continuously going up.

Great Fowlr can be quite simple IMM.

 

[laconic]

We are thinking the size of the Red Sea 650 or 850, or Innovative Marine 170 or 200. So 140 to 200 gallons.

 

[X-37B]

Nice size Fowler.
Get a good oversize skimmer instead of a fuge.

 

[JC1977]

My wife and I got into the hobby in January. We each have reef tanks, hers a Red Sea reefer 350 g2. Mine in an IM 10g in my home office. We are looking to do a large fowlr and from what I have pieced together, there are some differences. My main concern is getting everything I will need so that the installation can be as clean as possible from day one. This will be in our main living space, so nothing can be external to the tank, e.g., ato container. We are looking to have all the common fish we cannot have in our mixed reef including an eel. I want to continue to run apex for monitoring and automation. Thank you for helping me plan.

• will I need to dos if so 2 ports or 4 ports and what?
• Do I need a UZ sterilizer?
• what do I really need for lighting?
• is a refugium helpful?
• how much flow do I need mp40s or 60s, and is it 2 or 4 of each?

I’m setting up a 360 gallon FOWLR as we speak and currently have a 180 FOWLR up and running. All I run for filtration is a bubble magus curve 9 skimmer and filter socks. I do weekly 25% water changes and that’s basically it. I feed pretty heavy and don’t have algae issues. Some people believe in uv sterilizers but I’m not one of them. I know someone will chime in about how if they’re properly employed they can be beneficial but the bottom line is you just don’t need one to be successful. You mentioned a refugium and I would say take a look at an algae scrubber before you set up the fuge. I’m seriously considering adding one to my new build. As has been mentioned lighting is up to you no real requirements as far as the fish go but I wouldn’t skimp too much because you still want to see all those colors on your fish and more importantly at some point you may want to add some type of coral even if it’s only softies. As far as flow I run two MP40s one on each end of my 6 foot tank and it’s plenty. Once a week I crank them both to 100% for a couple minutes to move detritus around and it’s quite the show lol. Looks like a hurricane in there. Bottom line when it comes to FOWLR tanks the KISS (keep it simple stupid) principle is very effective. I will add this though because you mentioned an eel. Those tanks you’re looking at are rimless or open topped so keep in mind you would have to have a game plan to cover the tank because the eel will try to escape sooner or later! Best of luck with your build look forward to seeing pics!

 

[Devaji]

I got the IM 200 for a FOWLR it;s a beautiful tank. replaced mt RS 650P . love the 30" wide. the stand is nice too.

all that said it did take 4 months to get to me. i was OK with that as I am slowly sett up another tank too.
if you got the space i would think about going bigger. I was limited to peninsula's the the IM 200 was the largest at the time.
but cant keep 3 of my fav. FOWLR fish that sucks. giess i could but would need to re-home in 2 years . that;s no fun.
FOWLRs can fill up fast with all those no reef save fish so bigger is better.

for filtration I will use:
floss in cups
skimmer
UV
Ozone -excited about this!
fuge once thinks get going.
AWC 5-10% week will start with 5 and go from there

for lighting i am just going to turn down my reef lights but might get a cpl of the AI blads to keep light spill down. ( GF hates all the blue light.)