Small fowlr setup...thoughts?

[LordJoshaeus]

Hi everyone! Long time no post. I am TERRIBLE at avoiding algae in saltwater aquaria, so I am considering setting up a small, dimly lit fowlr setup with crustaceans and maybe a goby. Here are my thoughts;
Tank; standard 5 gallon.
Substrate; 2 inches of gravel, likely white.
Filtration; an internal filter rated for 50-100 gph AND an air powered undergravel filter (which will probably contribute far more to biological filtration than the small internal filter...it is mostly there for flow). I would agitate a third of the undergravel filter with a turkey baster (rooting it in the substrate, not simply squirting water at it) every two months to remove detritus buildup.
Light; none? If present the light will be quite dim to slow algae growth.
Fauna; some tbd inverts and a single small (2 inch or less) goby.
Corals; none. I was considering a small sun coral (the only coral I've had any success with) but I am worried its heavy bioload will strain the tank.
Decor; fake plants? Dry rock for sure.
Water changes; 2 gallons weekly.

I know this is not a conventional setup, but would it work? Thanks

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

IMO a powerhead and a few rocks are sufficient. I have a 5 gallon 4 month old tank with just a damsel, nothing else right now with rocks and a powerhead and water changes every 2 weeks. I feed small amount twice daily, no light just ambient light, no algae at all. I plan to add some inverts and possibly some fake coral or plants.

I also run a 10 gallon macro algae tank exactly like this, with macro algae, a damsel, a few rocks, and a powerhead, no filters. The light is an indoor plant light which still grows that macro algae like weeds. But no algae, just a few snails and hermits and water changes every 2 weeks. Feed small amount twice daily.

I did try a sun coral in a 5 gallon invert tank once, that time I grew algae from feeding it, and the inverts ended up eating the sun coral.

Anyways it sounds like a very interesting project, good luck and hope you update us

 

[LordJoshaeus]

IMO a powerhead and a few rocks are sufficient. I have a 5 gallon 4 month old tank with just a damsel, nothing else right now with rocks and a powerhead and water changes every 2 weeks. I feed small amount twice daily, no light just ambient light, no algae at all. I plan to add some inverts and possibly some fake coral or plants.

I also run a 10 gallon macro algae tank exactly like this, with macro algae, a damsel, a few rocks, and a powerhead, no filters. The light is an indoor plant light which still grows that macro algae like weeds. But no algae, just a few snails and hermits and water changes every 2 weeks. Feed small amount twice daily.

I did try a sun coral in a 5 gallon invert tank once, that time I grew algae from feeding it, and the inverts ended up eating the sun coral.

Anyways it sounds like a very interesting project, good luck and hope you update us

Thank you! I will, don't you worry :) my thought process is that, assuming flow rates don't climb too high, more filter surface area = more better, so I want to over filter this tank, especially in view of how previous saltwater tanks of mine have gone. From what I've read it takes twenty times as much filter surface area to achieve crystal clear water than is required to oxidize ammonia, and crystal clear water has far fewer bacteria in it (potentially a hundred times less than "normal" aquarium water). The fewer bacteria the fish's immune system has to fight (and a fish's immune system will try to ward off ALL bacteria, regardless of whether they are harmful), the more effort its immune system can put forth fighting actual pathogens.