FOWLR...(Lots of Pics)

justinpsmith · #1 12/30/2007, 02:08 PM

A bunch of people PM'd me and wanted to see my FOWLR build thread but I can't find it...So I decided to start another one and keep track of it this time!

The tank is about 130G (72"x20"x20"). I had so many ups and downs building this thing and will try to post the progress pics and stories to go along with them...Not all in one post though of course

The goal of this tank was to have a "planted" looking FOWLR display, so lots and lots of macro algae. I prefer natural looking tanks and am not a huge fan of how a lot of reefs and FOWLRs look so fake and staged, so I try to really work on making things look like pictures I have seen of real reefs or in this case, more like shallow water lagoons.

I still have a looooong way to go until this tank looks how I would like it to but any feed back or suggestions would be great!

I guess I should also mention for anyone who has seen the tank, I have changed things up a little and that includes the fish. I now have the following:

Porcupine Puffer
Copperband Butterfly
Long Nose Hawk
Blue Damsel
4 Chalk Bass
Golden Head Sleeper Goby

May add a wrasse but Im not sure yet...My last one jumped a few weeks ago

I will start with a bunch of pics of how the tank looked yesterday and then go back step by step through the build if anyone is still interested!

Sorry...Camera Phone pic...bad quality:

Crosby · #2 12/30/2007, 02:41 PM

Beautiful aquarium. I really like that picture of your goby. I was thinking of getting one. I appreciate if you could tell me more about him. How deep of a sandbed do you have? Do you find sand getting all over your live rock? Does it eat prepared foods?

Thanks
Crosby

reefergeorge · #3 12/30/2007, 03:03 PM

What type of algae is that in the first pic?
I like the idea of the algae in fowlr just to add some color, and look more natural.

justinpsmith · #4 12/30/2007, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Crosby
Beautiful aquarium. I really like that picture of your goby. I was thinking of getting one. I appreciate if you could tell me more about him. How deep of a sandbed do you have? Do you find sand getting all over your live rock? Does it eat prepared foods?

Thanks
Crosby

I love my Goby! The sandbed is very shallow and more for show than anything. He does turn my tank into a snow globe during feeding time or when he is hungry but Im ok with that. Rocks do get covered but I use a turkey baster every few days and clean them off anyways. He goes crazy for any and all frozen food I offer the tank. He was a little slow to start eating but he literally just took a bite one day and suddenly got really really greedy! He now waits under my puffer and eats everything the puffer drops. He really keeps the sandbed clean and eats any food that ends up there. Hes a great fish to have. Mine is also very active and swims in the front of the tank all the time. I have heard sometimes they hide a lot.

justinpsmith · #5 12/30/2007, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefergeorge
What type of algae is that in the first pic?
I like the idea of the algae in fowlr just to add some color, and look more natural.

It is great, you just have to watch it and keep it pruned and happy so it does not go sexual. I find that you need a very steady tank for it not to go sexual and kill your tank off!

Im not too sure which one you mean but in the tank I have:

Grape Caulpera
Razor Caulpera
Feather Caulpera
Grateloupia sp. (Red Algae)
Halimeda
Another type of Caulpera that I am not sure of the name...

Chaeto in fuge...

Justinandkrista · #6 12/30/2007, 07:27 PM

what do u think of the chalk bass they look cool i dont know if i want royal gamma or them. I dont think they would mix anyway cool sleeperhead those are fun to watch.

Juggler · #7 12/30/2007, 08:04 PM

your tank is exactly what you wanted to achieve!
it looks very natural and your fish must be happy and healthy.

a few questions:
the red algea,
how fast does it grow?
and i have a naso, yellow, and blue hippo tang. Would they eat it?

justinpsmith · #8 12/30/2007, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Justinandkrista
what do u think of the chalk bass they look cool i dont know if i want royal gamma or them. I dont think they would mix anyway cool sleeperhead those are fun to watch.

The Chalk bass are pretty cool...They hide a lot but are very active during feeding and whatnot. I thought bigger fish could eat them but they would be WAY too fast to catch. I actually want to get a few more. Its really nice to have a group of fish that school and get along. I have never seen them get aggressive towards each other and infact seem freaked out if they get separated...They even feed together.

justinpsmith · #9 12/30/2007, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Juggler
your tank is exactly what you wanted to achieve!
it looks very natural and your fish must be happy and healthy.

a few questions:
the red algea,
how fast does it grow?
and i have a naso, yellow, and blue hippo tang. Would they eat it?

Thanks! The fish are quite healthy although tonight I have noticed a tiny bit of what I think could be ich

I had a power outtage a few days ago for a few hours only but the temperature dropped drastically and the fish were not happy. I lost two fish that night too...I need to invest in a generator right away.

The Red Algae is nice but Im not sure how quick it grows because I have not had it very long. I was told it grows very fast. Im guessing like the Caulpera which is very very fast!

Tangs will eat the algae but once the algae is happy and gets growing, Im not so sure a bit of grazing would hurt it too much. I actually pull bunches out every week and put it in my fuge. It grows so fast!

justinpsmith · #10 12/30/2007, 09:15 PM

In case anyone is interested, my sump and refugium consists of two 40G Rubbermaid containers joined together. I have a "herbie" style overflow that drains about 80% to the left sump and 20% to the fuge. The water moves from the left sump to the right, through the fuge and then to the return pump. No baffles or anything, just lots of time for bubbles to get to the surface and disappear. I have no micro bubble problems...most people do not seem to believe me...I have been told several time that I NEED a set of baffles. Anyways, heres a few pics:

The eggcrate in the sump is just for probes from my aqua controller and ozone (which is not hooked up anymore right now). There is also a phosphate reactor there in the pic but I have tried keeping a higher phosphate level in the tank for the macro to grow and I like it. The algae really grew slowly when I used only RO/DI water and removed all phosphate that I could. Now I use half RO/DI and half tap water in the tank. Things are growing much much better!

JusTartedReefer · #11 12/30/2007, 11:15 PM

first let me say you have a great looking tank and was your overflow box a DIY project or did it come that way

MV_ReEfLoVer · #12 12/31/2007, 12:20 AM

Beautiful tank.There is a nice striped mushroom in the last pic i think.

justinpsmith · #13 12/31/2007, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JusTartedReefer
first let me say you have a great looking tank and was your overflow box a DIY project or did it come that way

Thanks. Mostly everything was DIY, including the overflow. Im not the best DIY guy but I guess everything turned out ok. It took a long time to get everything right. The overflow box is quite simple, made of glass and siliconed. No teeth. I need to put a grate or something on it though because small fish keep going down it and into the sump.

justinpsmith · #14 12/31/2007, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MV_ReEfLoVer
Beautiful tank.There is a nice striped mushroom in the last pic i think.

Yeah it is...there is about 6 of them now. They are growing fast and getting pretty big. Im not sure where they came from though. Same with the rock with polyps all over it...just started appearing one day and now theres like 20 of them.

I plan to add a few more mushrooms I think to add even more color. I want to also add more macro...if anyone can suggest some types I do not have, that would be nice. Any other suggestions would be more than welcome!

I really hope to get ideas and maybe inspire others to liven up their FOWLRs with macro and such...if thats the kind of thing you like of course!

These are the polyps that appeared one day:

justinpsmith · #15 12/31/2007, 01:38 AM

A few more pics...

Porc under just actinics...

You can see here that my stand is not actually done. The "doors" are not painted white yet, just primed...

thor32766 · #16 12/31/2007, 11:27 AM

cool! I think you tank looks awesome, because it looks like no one elses.

justinpsmith · #17 12/31/2007, 02:23 PM

justinpsmith · #18 12/31/2007, 02:34 PM

This is where I started. These pics are all with a camera phone so the quality is not great...

I planned and built a closed loop for the tank with a huge Sequence 5800 pump but after realizing it was WAY too loud and powerful, I scrapped the idea.

The closed loop outlet were like this:

Decided to go with the AquaController JR. for this tank...

Originally I have going with a PM Bullet 2 Skimmer but since it could not fit under my stand and was an eyesore beside the tank, I sold it and got the BubbleMaster 200.

As I said before, Im not the best DIY guy, so the woodworking is not too good but hey it works!

justinpsmith · #19 12/31/2007, 02:39 PM

So after getting rid of the closed loop, I needed to figure out flow...I ended up using a Modded MaxiJet 1200 that puts out about 1600 gph now and 2 Koralia 3's. These along with my MAG 24 return pump have been more than enough flow.

For lighting, I went with Retrofit T5's. 4 x 96 watt.

My fiance and I wanted the stand and canopy to be white to kind of go with our living room...

The doors were not made yet but are very simple. Instead of hinges I decided to use magnets. The magnets were a little tricky, so I switched to velcro and it works great! Makes it very easy to take them on and off...

justinpsmith · #20 01/01/2008, 04:14 PM

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

Few more fish shots...

This is the wrasse that jumped not too long ago through the smallest hole in the back of canopy...

Under Actinics only:

LisaD · #21 01/01/2008, 04:40 PM

That's really a nice tank. Kind of reminds me of the way my 55 is set up, with lots of macroalgae and some fish with attitude!

sunfishh · #22 01/02/2008, 02:00 PM

Justinpsmith I love your tank

Have you ever considered adding codium? They are macro algae, but look a little like corals in my opinion. Anyway food for thought.

justinpsmith · #23 01/02/2008, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sunfishh
Justinpsmith I love your tank
Have you ever considered adding codium? They are macro algae, but look a little like corals in my opinion. Anyway food for thought.

Thanks!

I had not considered it because I had never seen it before but after doing a quick search, I would love to add it! I really want to continue to add as much "life" in the form of algae as possible. Great suggestion, thanks. I may have a hard time finding that stuff but it looks great...

LisaD · #24 01/02/2008, 02:53 PM

I have codium in some of my tanks. It grows really well. I have a couple of masses of it that are about 8-10 inches across I am going to bring to my LFS for store credit.

justinpsmith · #25 01/02/2008, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LisaD
I have codium in some of my tanks. It grows really well. I have a couple of masses of it that are about 8-10 inches across I am going to bring to my LFS for store credit.

Cool...I really want to find this stuff now. I doubt my LFS has it because I have never seen it there before but maybe they can get it in for me. I found this pic and I really like how this looks: