45G FOWLR Tank

fladiver · Feb 28, 2025

Starting from fresh after a few BioCubes and scored a great deal on a new 45 gallon tank and stand that had been discontinued and was sitting at a local store collecting dust.

The plan is to ease into a FOWLR tank and start from scratch.

I'm currently finishing up bleaching/curing some live rock that was in the previous BioCube (as well as another 10 pounds I picked up). Once the cure is done and the rock has sat in the Florida sun for a day or two, I'll get to work on aquascaping and then be ready to add the rock, live sand, and water.

Here's my current equipment:

45G Marineland Tank
Seachem Tidal 75 Filter w/ built in skimmer
Jebao SOW-4 Wavemaker
100W heater
Green Killing Machine 9W UV Sterilizer
36" ReefBar Pro 50/50 with SunSetter controller from 21LEDUSA.com
Aquatic Life RO Buddie system with Carbon Plus filter

I'm debating/contemplating the following equipment either before adding water/sand/rock or just after; thoughts appreciated:

Additional Jebao SOW-4 as they can be linked to operate in master/slave mode
Some kind of HOB protein skimmer

I picked up a few bags of Nature's Ocean Bio-Activ Live Aragonite Saltwater Aquarium Sand, Reef Substrate which I had read good things about. Bags still seem to have some water in them. I'm excited to have sand in this tank, as my previous BioCube had gravel and I was not a huge fan as it was not easy to clean and just didn't have the sand look.

Once I finish the live rock cure and aquascape, my plan is to add the rock, then live sand, then water, then Dr. Tim's One and Only and hopefully settle in for what is a short(ish) cycle. Will update with progress.

Stocking list is still up for debate; current consensus (with 4-year old's strong opinions):

1-2 clownfish
Firefish
Couple Chromis
Royal Gramma
Banded Coral Shrimp
CUC Crew - 3-4 emerald crabs, various snails, hermits, urchins, conchs, peppermint shrimp, etc.

Current outstanding questions for the R2R braintrust:

Everything I have read is to cycle without the lights on; correct?
Anything else to do (besides periodic test) once I add rock/sand/water/bacteria?
What should I add in my Seachem Tidal 75 filter? They include some Seachem Matrix in a mesh bag; should I add some live rock rubble under that? Anything else?

Pic of tank after bringing home as well as current status of rock cure below.

Peace River · Feb 28, 2025

Congratulations on the new adventure! One way to think about what equipment to add is to think about what performs each type of filtration. For example you can replace some mechanical filtration with heavy water changes or you can add both a refugium and other types of filtration simultaneously. Good luck!

fladiver · Mar 1, 2025

Peace River said:
Congratulations on the new adventure! One way to think about what equipment to add is to think about what performs each type of filtration. For example you can replace some mechanical filtration with heavy water changes or you can add both a refugium and other types of filtration simultaneously. Good luck!

Thanks! Not sure a refugium is in the card. I plan to do regular water changes as needed at least in beginning. I’ll have the seachem matrix and some rubble rock in the Tidal 75 filter; would you recommend anything else in there?

fladiver · Mar 3, 2025

Finally finished bleaching the rock, soaking for 1-2 days in a mix of water and prime, and then sitting in the sun.

Tried my hand at an Aquascape for the first time. I think it turned out pretty decent. If you look close you can see the outline on the cardboard of the tank bottom. May put a few rocks on the sand as little islands, but hoping it should work out like this.

Will let this sit for a few days to make sure glue and epoxy completely dries. Then will carefully put in the tank, add sand, and then water!

Gumbies R Us · Mar 4, 2025

fladiver said:
Finally finished bleaching the rock, soaking for 1-2 days in a mix of water and prime, and then sitting in the sun.

Tried my hand at an Aquascape for the first time. I think it turned out pretty decent. If you look close you can see the outline on the cardboard of the tank bottom. May put a few rocks on the sand as little islands, but hoping it should work out like this.

Will let this sit for a few days to make sure glue and epoxy completely dries. Then will carefully put in the tank, add sand, and then water!

That is a really cool looking aquascape!

fladiver · Mar 7, 2025

Gumbies R Us said:
That is a really cool looking aquascape!

Thanks! It was definitely a learning experience.

fladiver · Mar 7, 2025

Very carefully got the rocks in the tank. Used the RO Buddie to make RODI water and finally added water and sand today. I have my Jebao SOW-4 running as well as the Tidal 75.

Added Dr Tims One and Only and per instructions turned off my UV Sterilizer.

I did also buy Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride; is the better move to add it today (as according to instructions) or to wait a day or so?

Also, I should keep lights off during cycle right?

Now we wait!

fladiver · Mar 9, 2025

Added Dr Tim’s and ammonium on Day 1.

Set up 21Ledpro ReefBar Pro and took a quick pic. Seems to work great.

Did API test today and it seems there is ammonium but no nitrites or nitrates.

fladiver · Mar 14, 2025

tested on Day 6 and still showing ammonia levels around 2 ppm but no nitrite. Will test tomorrow. Added a little more Dr Tim’s today.

fladiver · Mar 16, 2025

Things are slowly starting to turn. Definitely looking like nitrites starting to pick up. Tested ammonia and nitrites yesterday and saw first hint of color change suggesting nitrites (I know, taking with grain of salt since API). Tested just nitrites today and trend is continuing. Will test ammonia and nitrates tomorrow to see how things are going.

Question - could I get away with adding a few CUCs this week? A few hermits and/or emeralds? Realize I may have to drop pellets for them, but figured I could introduce a very small bioload…

fladiver · Mar 25, 2025

9 days later, a lot has changed. Ammonia has gotten back to 0. Nitrites are showing around 5ppm, and nitrates look to be around 20ppm.

Also added some additional rock to improve crevices and overhangs.

Current plan is to add a firefish and a few inverts this week.

fladiver · Mar 28, 2025

Nitrites appear to be down to around 2ppm and nitrates are about the same.

Added firefish yesterday and he has been getting acclimated and is eating well. Did not add inverts given still present nitrites, so will watch until those levels get back down to 0. If things continue to progress, will likely be looking to add either Chromis or clowns next week.

fladiver · Apr 4, 2025

Let a week go by and firefish has been doing great. Water parameters continue to improve; today’s test showed nitrites in steady decline while nitrates continue to hover around 10-20ppm.

Added two clowns yesterday. They’ve been acclimating well and were eating earlier today.

Nitrites appear to be around .25ppm. Thinking of adding a few hermits to start cleaning up detritus and food; seems like Sunday would probably be a safe day to do that?

No water changes yet. Will probably do a decent one when nitrites are firmly at 0.

fladiver · Apr 12, 2025

fladiver said:
Let a week go by and firefish has been doing great. Water parameters continue to improve; today’s test showed nitrites in steady decline while nitrates continue to hover around 10-20ppm.

Added two clowns yesterday. They’ve been acclimating well and were eating earlier today.

Nitrites appear to be around .25ppm. Thinking of adding a few hermits to start cleaning up detritus and food; seems like Sunday would probably be a safe day to do that?

No water changes yet. Will probably do a decent one when nitrites are firmly at 0.

Been a good last week. Nitrites and ammonia went to, and have stayed at, 0. Clowns and firefish have been eating great.

Added a few hermits and an emerald and they have been hard at work. Started to see diatoms appear (brown film on some rocks and sand).

Did 25% water change yesterday. Then added a few nassarius and trochus snails as well as a yellow watchman goby today. Also brought some water in to the LFS and they also signed off on good water quality.

Added mechanical filtration (sponges) back to Tidal 75 filter yesterday and turned on UV sterilizer today.

fladiver · Apr 14, 2025

Still haven’t seen the YWG since first day I added it. I have a lid and didn’t see anything on the floor…seems from research that it’s not atypical for them to hide (like any fish really) for a few days after first being added. Anyone have experience with that?

Gumbies R Us · Apr 15, 2025

fladiver said:
Still haven’t seen the YWG since first day I added it. I have a lid and didn’t see anything on the floor…seems from research that it’s not atypical for them to hide (like any fish really) for a few days after first being added. Anyone have experience with that?

My watchman goby would hide for days at a time. Some days he would be out and about, other times he would only come out for food. This is typical behavior for them.

fladiver · Apr 17, 2025

Gumbies R Us said:
My watchman goby would hide for days at a time. Some days he would be out and about, other times he would only come out for food. This is typical behavior for them.

Actually ended up seeing him either the day you responded or the following day. He was still hanging on the backside of the tank and I didn’t see him actively going for food although he was swimming around a bit. Still about the same behavior the last day or two. Is it reasonable to assume he’s getting food somehow and somewhere if I’m not seeing him eat?

fladiver · Apr 21, 2025

Added a skunk cleaner and a few more snails last week. Have also seen the YWG randomly at feedings.

This is first time I’ve had a skunk cleaner. I’ve seen some posting about folks giving them large pellets or algae wafers - thoughts? Would they fight over them with the hermits or snails?

fladiver · Jun 29, 2025

Belated update…

Cleaner shrimp got eaten when it was molting.

Tank has been progressing through the ugly stage. Had some diatoms pop up in beginning that ran their course, then have recently had some red cyano trying to take hold. I’ve dialed back the lights a bit and I seem to be winning the battle (fingers crossed).

Now have 3 emerald crabs and 2 peppermint shrimp in addition to various other CUC (hermits, trochus, astrea, and nassarius).

YWG has been doing fine, although when I added a few more emerald crabs a few weeks ago he got “spooked” from his bottom lairs and has been chilling between the HOB filter and glass. But has been eating fine and I think he just likes it there.

Got two chromis a few days ago. Had loved their colors but had been worried about what I had read about their propensity for disease. Sure enough, noticed some white patches on one as soon as he got in the tank and he started hanging out on the sand the following day before I got rid of it. Other one has been just fine.

Was considering putting a lawnmower blenny in but worry about how it will fare with both the firefish and YWG. Leaning now towards a royal gramma, but would welcome other suggestions.

I did add a Sicce Shark Mini 350 Plus Skimmer and have been pretty pleased.