Fish only or fish onlyw/lr?

[mufflerguy]

I currently have a 140 reef aquarium w/corals, inverts & fish.
It has a sump, skimmer, UV, and sump has compartment for floss &carbon. My wife has given the OK for a fish only tank so I have a couple questions I hope I can get help with.
What is the hot setup for a fish only tank and does live rock make a big difference in filtration & water quality with fish.( I know it does with reefs)
I would like to do a 220 gallon W/overflows & a 50 gallon sump(in basement) and put some the rock in there.
Do I need canister filtration for the extra waste from fish? I know I want a UV sterilizer and I would think a good skimmer, also.
Any help would be greatly apreciated!
I plan on keeping a trigger, large angel, etc...
Thanks ,Matt

[lilswanwillow]

angels in general need LR to pick on... and most fish would benifit from LR by filtration, hiding spots (especially from the trigger), extra food, ect.ect.

I'm in the mindset that NO tank -other than for dwarf seahorses- should be without lr. its just SO benificial, that there is no reason not to.

and with a trigger, you won't haveta worry about hitch-hickers- they make tasty snacks...

[FMarini]

I am also of the opinion tht a skimmer is a requirement for a Fishtank. period. I would include best skimmer you can afford, it will help tremendously in controlling pollution. Next canister filters are love or hate. If your good at cleaning then by all means, use them they are helpful However if you get lazy and don't clean frequently, these canisters can get clogged w/ fish waste and become pollution factories.
That said, LR is very useful and very attractive. It really allows the fish to interact w/ its enviroment and not just bumping into other fish. LR allows fish to feel "at home", and of course it aids in filtration.
I would suggest highly that you add som LR, you don't have to fill up the tank, but even in a 200 gal tank 50-100lbs will allow you to aquascape nicely.
Lastly, if you think that LR and DSB work great for reeftanks, then feel free to use them in a Fo. Whatever is hot for a reef, may also work for your Fo tank, fish are fish
frank

[mufflerguy]

OK,
So a good skimmer( I have good luck with ETSS), Uv sterilizer,
and could I use a small compartment in my sump for floss ,like in my reef sump? l( I figured that fish only will create alot more waste than a reef). Would wet/dry filter w/ bioballs be needed if I have LR? Thanks for the replies, maybe I could find out what you guys have for setups.
Thanks ,Matt

[mufflerguy]

If I use LR I would need a cleanup crew(snails ,hermits, stars, etc..)
If I put clown or picasso triggers in the tank , wont they eat all the cleanup crew?
I read in another thread that LR looks awful w/o cleaners.
Thanks, Matt

[FMarini]

LR doesn't eliminate a cleanup crew, LR provides housing, scenary, and activity for yuour fish, as well as aids in filtration.
Clown triggers or other rhinacanthus triggers will eat your clean up crew (althou some star fish tend to be ignored). So in the case of a tank full of triggers, you are the cleanup crew.
If you keep the lighting low anbd the nutirents in check you won't have unsightly algae blooms

[Dave A]

Matt............it looks like your on the right track. A LARGE protein skimmer, LOTS of flow within the tank to suspend the waste until it can be caught by your filtration, and No overkill on the lighting to reduce algae growth.
In a FO tank I would stay away from a DSB and go with 1" or less of CC that can be vacumed during water changes. LR is good but I like to use less than in a reef tank. Large rocks look great and can be separated by open swimming areas.

This is my FOWLR that is a 6' tank. I just built a 35gal. sump so the back is now clear of all those intake tubes and heaters. I also use 3X Maxi-Jet 1200's powerheads with slip on foam prefilters. I clean those prefilters once a week and you wouldn't believe that crap that they pick up.



The rock is set in the middle so there is swimming space behind the rock aswell.



Dave

[mufflerguy]

Thanks for the reply,
What do you have for fish in your tank?
I thought it looked like you may have a couple corals in there, also.
I am looking for a 150+ tank for FO.(already have a 140 reef & the wife just gave the OK to add another tank.)
Matt

[mufflerguy]

Dry rot,
Also forgot to ask if you have a cleanup crew.
Thanks

[Dave A]

Matt.................I did cheat a put in one yellow polyp rock and a few mushrooms. Oh ya, and an anemone for the clown. The polyp rock will be going to my son who has a 65gal reef tank in his bedroom, and of course the mushrooms don't count .
I also had about 15 hermit crabs but I'm down to just a few now. I guess they were just too tasty for a few of my fish. The snails didn't last either.

To answer your question I have the following fish;
1- Harlequin Tusk
1- Hippo Tang
1- Maroon Clown
1- Clown Trigger
4- Green Chromis

Dave

[Dave A]

................and I forgot to mention I also have a large Red Serpent Star, he only comes out at night, and a Cleaner Shrimp and a Blood Shrimp. The Tusk or Trigger will probably eventually snack on them as well.

Dave

[mufflerguy]

What is your maintenance scheldule?If you vac, what type do you use?
Does the rock look as clean as a reef's LR would w/full cleaner crew?
How come no large angel?
Sorry for all the questions , you are very helpful!
Thanks, Matt

[Dave A]

Matt.....

What is your maintenance schedule ?

I do all my maintenance on a 14 day cycle. I do a 15gal. water change every 2 weeks and vacume the CC while siphoning that 15gal. At this time I also clean the glass on all four sides because I don't want any coraline algae to start on the glass, that's just my preference. I then let the sump run for a couple of hours to remove what I have disturbed while cleaning, then I replace the filter pads and media in the sump. I then clean any salt creep on the top glass and I'm done.

I rinse the 3 power head sponge pre-filters every week but that only takes 5 minutes tops. I also clean the collection cup and throat on the skimmer every couple days..............another 5 minutes.

If you vac, what type do you use?

Just a Python brand vacume with 6' of hose into a 5gal. bucket.

Does the rock look as clean as a reef's LR would w/full cleaner crew?

It looks about the same as my reef tanks but then again I'm using alot less lighting. Just 2x36" actinic and 2x36" 10,000k. Lights are on for 9 hours a day with the actinics coming on 30 minutes before the 10,000k and staying on for 30 minutes after the white lights go out. The Tang and the Foxface (forgot to list the Foxface) pick at the rock alot.

How come no large angel?

Well I did have an absolutely beautiful Majestic Angel that was 6-7 inches but he seemed to want the entire tank to himself and picked particularly on the Tusk so I gave him away Here he is.........was.




Dave

[reiple]

I have a strange FOWLR tank right now.

100 gallons, around 1-2" sand, 150 lbs base LR (around 20-30 lbs in an overhead settling tank cleaned and debri removed 2x a month) 2-22w powerhead to circulate and feed the settling tank, 1-10w powerhead for a DIY skimmer. water change 25% monthly. passive method of use for activated carbon inside settling tank. settling tank is 4 gallons.

what is strange is the skimmer broke down early June and since then the tank is ran with no skimmer! yup...NO SKIMMING AT ALL!!!!!

bioload - 1 coral grouper >12", 1 humpback grouper >8", 1-Starry Moray >16", 1-checkered grouper >7", 1-blue argus >6", 1 picasso trigger >5", 1-neon jewel damsel >5"

If i want to add more fish (as if these were not too much!) i'd put a working skimmer by then.

[jwm2k3]

Originally posted by reiple
I have a strange FOWLR tank right now.

100 gallons, around 1-2" sand, 150 lbs base LR .

tank is ran with no skimmer! yup...NO SKIMMING AT ALL!!!!!

bioload - 1 coral grouper >12", 1 humpback grouper >8", 1-Starry Moray >16", 1-checkered grouper >7", 1-blue argus >6", 1 picasso trigger >5", 1-neon jewel damsel >5"

Awesome reiple!

My current FOWLR is:

120gal (48X24X24) RR with about 110#'s of LR(I am curing another 100#'s right now to go in) a 2 to 3 inch coral sand bed, large wet/dry powered by an Iwaki external pump.

The fish: A 10 inch Bumblebee Grouper, an 8 inch Honeycomb Grouper and a 9 inch Spotted Grouper(undetermined species) and a Giant Red Hairy hermitcrab about the size of my fist.

No skimmer, and really no mechanical filter.(just a few sponges)

Once the other 100#'s of LR is cured it will go in and the skimmer running on the tub with just the LR in it will go onto tank.

I have just the three fish and I think its crowded. I really would like to put a large wrasse and a trigger in there.....

[n33470]

I have a question about the lighting in a FOWLR tank. If you plan to stay FOWLR and not deal with any inverts, then what is the minimum amount of lighting required? In a 90 gallon tank, will 80 watts suffice ( 2-48" 40 watt, one 10,000K and actinic )?

What's your lighting schedule for the day?

Thanks for any info!

--steve

[Dave A]

Originally posted by n33470
In a 90 gallon tank, will 80 watts suffice ( 2-48" 40 watt, one 10,000K and actinic )?
What's your lighting schedule for the day?
Thanks for any info!
--steve

Yes that amount of lighting would be fine. With a FO tank the lighting required is more just the preference of the owner who has to look at it. I run my lights for 9 hours a day.

Dave

[n33470]

Just to make sure I understand about the lighting requirements....is it ok to have only the 80 watts of lighting for the LR? Its the inverts, and possibly growing macroalgae that require the higher lighting wattage, right?

Thanks a bunch!

--steve

[Dave A]

Originally posted by n33470
Just to make sure I understand about the lighting requirements....is it ok to have only the 80 watts of lighting for the LR? Its the inverts, and possibly growing macroalgae that require the higher lighting wattage, right?
Thanks a bunch!
--steve

That is correct, and even with the reduced lighting I still get coraline algae growing, just not as ramped as a very well lit tank. My son has a 65gal reef tank in his bedroom that is full of soft corals that are thriving and growing like crazy. His lighting is a 48" double strip with one actinic and one 10,000k tube. The walls are covered with coraline algae.

Dave

[reiple]

My lights are 90 watts PC daylight, 40 watts Actinic NO and 40 watts Pink Aquarium lights NO. Photoperiod is .... well whenever I feed or view the tank. No corals in that tank.

thanks jwm2k3. with skimming we can put more fish!
(BTW I forgot my favorite pet which has one in my reef and one in this FOWLR tank.... a 16" Starry Moray Eel)