New 55g FOWLR

[FishingLovingSons]

Hello all and thanking you in advance for any help you are able to provide me! In a couple years I will be setting up a large (250g+) tank in our basement with all the bells and whistles I can save up for by then! Intro story here

In the meantime I have a spare standard 55g I want to start as a FOWLR to be my first attempt at SW. I custom built my stand when it was the home for my apistos and did not factor in room for a sump of any kind... I have been researching SW for almost a year now and know it would be better with a sump but will have to do without for now. I would like to start with a simple Live Rock pile on sand bed and get some fishies with a minimal amount of equipment. What I currently have available:

55g marineland tank with the black plastic bracing
Finnex Planted+ LED
Eheim 2217 cannister or Penguin Biowheel 350
RO/DI system- unknown brand, receiving second hand from friend

My questions:
-What will be my biggest issue since it will be without a sump?
-What other equipment will be necessary? what would be helpful?
-Recommendations for beginner fish and clean up crew.... 2 young boys at home so will definitely have to have clowns; thanks Nemo!

My plan would be to eventually add some easy corals in the future and I know I will have to change lights then... but if I need any equipment purchases for start of tank I need to keep this possibility in mind.

Sorry for the lengthy post and again thanks in advance for the help!
-Brandon

 

[Fudsey]

You might look into a HOB skimmer for soon after you start up the tank. Fish create a ton of wastes and you need someway of exporting them. Canisters will do fine on a FO tank. You will also want a decent test kit for marine tanks. For FO you don't need to worry much about cal or mag but Nitrates and pH you really want to keep an eye on in the beginning.

As for fish, YT damsels are "supposed to be" not very aggressive although I haven't done damsels it a long time. You could get a Long Nose Hawk, Flame Hawk or a Blenny, they love to perch on a rock or the sand and are fun to watch. Nassarius snails are good to stir the sand, turbos are good for algae as well as cerith. Blue leg hermits are good for algae as well.

 

[mahindra.dev]

+1 on Skimmer, 2 Hydor power heads and ATO.

Skimmer : For waste
Power Heads: More flow, less dead spots and less concerns with algae. One on each side, plugged to a timer so they alternate.
ATO: Makes life easier, No hassles with topoff and consistency on salinity. I think this is very very important.

 

[FishingLovingSons]

You might look into a HOB skimmer for soon after you start up the tank. Fish create a ton of wastes and you need someway of exporting them. Canisters will do fine on a FO tank. You will also want a decent test kit for marine tanks. For FO you don't need to worry much about cal or mag but Nitrates and pH you really want to keep an eye on in the beginning.

As for fish, YT damsels are "supposed to be" not very aggressive although I haven't done damsels it a long time. You could get a Long Nose Hawk, Flame Hawk or a Blenny, they love to perch on a rock or the sand and are fun to watch. Nassarius snails are good to stir the sand, turbos are good for algae as well as cerith. Blue leg hermits are good for algae as well.

Thank you; forgot about test kits! Noticed you said canister would be fine for fish-only; does any of that change with addition of live rock? And many thanks for specific CUC! I know FW cleaners intimately but all those you named I have never heard of lol

 

[Fudsey]

I know some that have used a canister for corals as well. Live rock is the best way to start a tank and maintain good bacteria. A canister would be a good place for carbon as well as floss.

 

[av8soulfly]

I too made my stand long before there were sumps. I've tried many different canister filters only to find that they are nitrate factories. I could not keep even the hardiest fish alive for long without doing huge water changes weekly. I had to get a sump into my stand somehow.

Here's how I solved my problem...hope it helps. Maybe it'll spark an idea.

The sump just slides in through the end.

 

[FishingLovingSons]

+1 on Skimmer, 2 Hydor power heads and ATO.

Skimmer : For waste
Power Heads: More flow, less dead spots and less concerns with algae. One on each side, plugged to a timer so they alternate.
ATO: Makes life easier, No hassles with topoff and consistency on salinity. I think this is very very important.

Would love to throw ATO on there just hoping I have the room for it. Stand (empty) is in corner of living room and my 20g FW sits beside it on a cabinet. Luckily it backs up to the kitchen near the sink so maybe I can put RO/DI system and ATO under tank in stand and pump it up to tank? I have just enough handyman skills to get myself in trouble plumbing from sink lines to ro/di!

As for the power heads timer; how often should they alternate and is that 24/7 or in sync with light timer?

 

[av8soulfly]

24/7
My reef tank alternate every 30 seconds all day everyday.

 

[mahindra.dev]

I have my ATO in the washer area. I do haul buckets but that’s once in 3 weeks. I have a 10G ATO reservoir under the stand. Instead of hooking it up directly and having 3 backups. I say keep it in a different area and just top off your ATO reservoir.

Now for powerheads, alternate them every 30mins. One ON, One OFF. Simple way. Switch them ON an hour before lights & OFF an hour after lights.

 

[FishingLovingSons]

I too made my stand long before there were sumps. I've tried many different canister filters only to find that they are nitrate factories. I could not keep even the hardiest fish alive for long without doing huge water changes weekly. I had to get a sump into my stand somehow.

Here's how I solved my problem...hope it helps. Maybe it'll spark an idea.

The sump just slides in througend.

Because of the stands central support I only have 12 1/8”x17 3/4” on either side of it in the bottom cabinet of my stand. Possibly put a tall sump in there; I left the entire back of the stand open to the wall so should have plenty of room to plumb. The biggest issue for me adding the sump is the complete consensus of my better half! “I have to buy another tank to set this tank back up” argument is gonna be a hard sale!

I really need to try and attempt this without the sump and then use the excessive WCs as an excuse to add the sump if necessary... any other way to lower the nitrates?

 

[FishingLovingSons]

Hehe thank you!

24/7
My reef tank alternate every 30 seconds all day everyday.

I have my ATO in the washer area. I do haul buckets but that’s once in 3 weeks. I have a 10G ATO reservoir under the stand. Instead of hooking it up directly and having 3 backups. I say keep it in a different area and just top off your ATO reservoir.

Now for powerheads, alternate them every 30mins. One ON, One OFF. Simple way. Switch them ON an hour before lights & OFF an hour after lights.

Obviously many people will have many different ways to run their systems and I am by no means trying to pit either of you against the other... are these just personal preferences or is there a more scientific reasoning behind these responses? I am grateful to you both for your assistance I just want to make sure I don’t become confused too early in the game lol! Power heads around light timer or 24/7 and 30 seconds vs 30 minutes seems a lot different to me... can either of you clarify and thank you both again!

 

[NY_Caveman]

I had a 55 standard set up in the nineties and my only real filtration was the live rock and a hang on back protein skimmer. I did use a HOB filter for activated carbon and some mechanical filtration. Tank thrived like that for years with no sump.

 

[FishingLovingSons]

I had a 55 standard set up in the nineties and my only real filtration was the live rock and a hang on back protein skimmer. I did use a HOB filter for activated carbon and some mechanical filtration. Tank thrived like that for years with no sump.

Awesome! Thank you for that info; looking back on that tank and knowing what we know now about stocking how was yours? Light, average or heavy?

 

[NY_Caveman]

Awesome! Thank you for that info; looking back on that tank and knowing what we know now about stocking how was yours? Light, average or heavy?

If I recall, 6 fish, none bigger than 4" (2 Clarkii clowns, 1 Tomato clown, mandarin, scooter blenny and a damsel). 2 cleaner shrimp, an arrow crab, two anemones and a few corals. Pretty low stock actually and I fed sparingly. The skimmer was oversized.

 

[mahindra.dev]

Hehe thank you!



Obviously many people will have many different ways to run their systems and I am by no means trying to pit either of you against the other... are these just personal preferences or is there a more scientific reasoning behind these responses? I am grateful to you both for your assistance I just want to make sure I don’t become confused too early in the game lol! Power heads around light timer or 24/7 and 30 seconds vs 30 minutes seems a lot different to me... can either of you clarify and thank you both again!

It’s personal preference. What you are looking for is varied flow. There is one video that Bulk Reef Supply has. It’s about the Gyre. They run for 1hr and then switch it. But that’s for a long 6Ft tank.

The way I look at it is, when they run for an extended period of time water movement happens. Smaller tanks take less time, bigger tanks take longer time.

 

[FishingLovingSons]

It’s personal preference. What you are looking for is varied flow. There is one video that Bulk Reef Supply has. It’s about the Gyre. They run for 1hr and then switch it. But that’s for a long 6Ft tank.

The way I look at it is, when they run for an extended period of time water movement happens. Smaller tanks take less time, bigger tanks take longer time.

Thank you for clarification. I have read that certain brands of power heads have difficulties when the power is switched off and on consistently- problems including reverse flow at startup and/or breaking.

-Has anyone experienced this and what manufacturer?

-Would some kind of ramp timer reducing the power to either head help alleviate this? I.E. left PH 10%, right one 100% and then switch it after 30 or so mins- allow them to ramp up and down without completely shutting off?

-If I went for a wavemaker would an all-in-one with Gyre be the way to go or just the controller with multiple propeller heads be better? I think I would be more comfortable with a controller that ramps power up and down and can be adjusted to not completely cut power to any 1 head except for feedings; any recommended setups or products?

Edit: question oraganization

 

[mahindra.dev]

Thank you for clarification. I have read that certain brands of power heads have difficulties when the power is switched off and on consistently- problems including reverse flow at startup and/or breaking.

-Has anyone experienced this and what manufacturer?

-Would some kind of ramp timer reducing the power to either head help alleviate this? I.E. left PH 10%, right one 100% and then switch it after 30 or so mins- allow them to ramp up and down without completely shutting off?

-If I went for a wavemaker would an all-in-one with Gyre be the way to go or just the controller with multiple propeller heads be better? I think I would be more comfortable with a controller that ramps power up and down and can be adjusted to not completely cut power to any 1 head except for feedings; any recommended setups or products?

Edit: question oraganization

Here is a good video. Check it out

 

[FishingLovingSons]

Here is a good video. Check it out

Perfect! Thanks

 

[FishingLovingSons]

Thanks everyone for your help and advice! I guess after I have cured some live rock and start filling the tank I'll make a build thread in its proper forum. I like the variations of different colors @Fudsey suggested and will probably aim for clowns, damsels, hawkfish and possibly a blenny. Plus the obvious CUC. I know I will be limited by footprint on the 55 for scaping but have an idea for 2 seperate "islands" of rocks that could potentially have many options for different corals... but those would be way down the road!

Do most reefers keep rock separation from all 4 sides to allow for algae scraping/cleaning? From my FW experience I always tried to keep rocks and driftwood a couple inches minimal from any glass for the mag-float to fit around easily...

 

[Fudsey]

Yes, you'll want to keep rock away from the glass so you can scrape it. Back wall is debatable.