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FAQs about Fishes and Invertebrates, aka FOWLR Marine Systems Themselves 2

Related Articles: Fishes and Invertebrates Marine Set-ups, Fish-Only Marine Set-up, Reef Systems, Coldwater Systems, Small Systems, Large Systems, Plumbing Marine Systems, Refugiums, Marine Biotope, Marine Landscaping, Fishwatcher's Guides, 

Related FAQs: FOWLR Set-Ups 1, FOWLR Set-Ups 3, FOWLR Set-Ups 4, FOWLR Set-Ups 5, & FOWLR 1, FOWLR 2, FOWLR 3, FOWLR Lighting, FOWLR Filtration, FOWLR Skimmers, FOWLR Livestocking, FOWLR Maintenance, FOWLR Disease, LR Lighting, Fish-Only Marine Set-ups, Reef Systems, Coldwater Systems, Small Systems, Large Systems, Marine System Plumbing, Biotopic presentations, 

New Marine Setup...Confirmation of Parameters, gear check   10/2/06
I have been reading you web site for months.  It's been a great  resource.  
So, I would like to run my new setup by you guys (or gals as the  case may be) and just make sure that I seem alright before I transfer my fish  from my old 55 gallon.  The new tank will be a FOWLR set up and I doubt  that corals will ever be placed in the system (we will see).  So here it  goes.
First, the tank is a 125 gallon glass tank (purchased second hand).   We started the cycling about 5 weeks ago.  It has about 1-1.25 of mixed  50/50 Gray Coast (new) and aragonite (from current 55 gallon).  Then there  is ~60 lbs.
of dead live rock with ~30 lbs. of live rock on top of that.   There will also be about 15 lbs. of live rock placed in the tank coming from the  old 55 gallon.   
As for equipment I have two ~275 GPM power heads now and  a third one  to go in when I break down the old tank.  There is a Magnum 350 (for water polishing purposes), a twin panel back-filter (from Wal-Mart) and a Fluval 204  (for carbon and polishing purposes) that will come from the old tank.  I  have been juggling my Remora Pro w/ pre-filter between the two tanks during the  cycling process and of course it will be placed in the new tank.  The  heaters are a new Jager 250 watt unit and a 200 watt unit from the old  tank.
The lighting is still a bit up in the air.  At this time our budget is  a bit limited.  I have a line on a used 72 power compact fixture with  four 96watt bulbs and moon lights for under $200.   Supposedly it is  less than a year old.  It sounds a little too good to be true but we will  see.   If this one does work out then we will be set as far as I can  see (understanding that the bulbs will need to be replaced soon of  course).  If this does not work then I will go one of two routes.   
The first system I was contemplating was two 36 standard fluorescent dual fixtures (for a total of four Aqua-Ray 9350K bulbs).  The other option is  two single 96watt bulb 36 power compact fixtures.  I also have the  original 72 standard light fixture with two new 24 standard florescent bulbs  that I was going to use with   either setup for a bit of the deep sea  look.  Any thoughts?  My initial budget for lighting is the $200  range.   
As of today my water tests with the following:  Ph-8.1; Ammonia-0;  
Nitrite-0; Nitrate-trace, but less than 10ppm; SG~1.022; Temp~78deg F.  It  has held steady at this for about a week now.  My LFS seems to think all is  good to go water wise.
Our current 55 gallon tank has 7 Monos (3-Sebae; 4-Argentus).  These  guys will be added last, if possible.  Our current wish list for the new  tank is as follows: 1- Lawnmower Blenny;  1-Coral Beauty; 1-Koran Angel;  1-Naso (Lipstick) Tang,
<Will need more room>
and maybe 2-3 Mexican Rainbow Wrasse.   Any  huge issues with this mix?
<The Koran will get too large for here as well>
Also,  the more I read the more I think that I should be removing the   bio-rings from the Fluval.  Yes...no... maybe?
<I'd leave them>
  How about eliminating  the back-filter.  Again, yes...no.. maybe? Any other equipment issues that  you can see?  
<There are better modes of filtration, but these will/can work>
So there it is.  Any general recommendations would be great.  My  wife is very eager to get this tank stocked.  As I see it, we have plenty  of time.  I certainly do not want to rush things.  I did that on my  first tank and do not want to repeat that situation again.  Thank you in  advance for you information.
Eric
<Mmm... I'd keep reading re your possibilities: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marsetupindex2.htm
as you seem not totally sure... though, as stated, what you currently have can work. Bob Fenner>

-Live sand bed for a 35g FOWLR-
Thanks Kevin,  I am going to actively seek out the remora. <Cool> I have another question non-skimmer related. I am reading everything I possibly can on the substrate topic in you FAQ's and articles but it's still a little unclear. Lots of different answers for the similar substrate questions. <As there will likely always be> It's either 1.5" or 3-4 DSB. I would like to go with Carib sea Fiji Pink Reef Sand with aragonite because I like the way it looks with that slightly pinkish tinge. How much Aragonite do I put in for substrate for 35 gallon FOWLR tank? <If you want to reap the denitrifying benefits and all that other jazz of deep sand beds, I'd suggest sugar-fine sand. If you like the pink color, Natures Ocean makes a pre-packaged "live" sand (total BS, but already packaged in nice clean water! think no clouding!) that is a nice pink color and a nice particle size. It's a little more expensive, but worth it for being dust-free. I'd suggest a 4" base of this mixed in with as much true live sand as the budget allows for.> I am going to go with about 35 Lbs Fiji live rock. Does it matter if I go Live sand or not? <Yes it does, if you're planning on constructing a deep live sand bed, you need to get them critters in!> One last thing, Would I be okay to use a few small pieces of Tufa rock as a base rock to lift the live rock up above the substrate slightly? <Sure, but a much better idea would be to cut several pieces of 1" or so PVC pipe cut as deep as your sandbed is. You can bottom-out the pieces in the sand where the rock will go. This way, the rock will have a solid base, and it will be hard to collapse the rockwork. Good luck! -Kevin> Cheers, Mike

Using Old Rock/Drilling Bulkheads - 08/27/06
Hey guys,
<<Hello (but don't forget the very capable ladies here as well)>>
Thanks again for your time and dedication to our hobby!
<<Is an honor/pleasure to help>>  
I have 2 issues I need help with:
<<Alrighty>>
First, I have read thru the LR section in depth and could not find an exact match to my problem.  I recently purchased a used, and neglected 120 gallon that housed a single clown grouper with several large pieces of rock (it was a FO with rock??).
<<Indeed...that would be a FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock)>>
I have kept the rock wet for a few days and can see a few small life forms on it (actual moving little white/clear bug things).
<<Amphipods...probably>>
The rock looks terrible as the tank was neglected and the rock is all dark brown and black.  I will be setting this tank up as a FOWLR and I am thinking that I would like to start over with the rock.  Letting it dry and cleaning it somehow and then letting it cure in the tank for a month or two before adding new fish (pending testing results).
<<Mmm...letting the rock "dry out" will negate its benefits...why not simply keep the rock as it is?  If the color is an issue, it will likely change with improved water quality/lighting>>
Can I get the rock to look better?
<<Depends on what you consider is "better">>
Is it worth losing whatever life it has on it?
<<Not in my opinion>>
It was not really a traditional live rock,
<<...???>>
it has life but it looks very bad.  They are great sized pieces.  The substrate is crushed coral, I would like to reuse it.  It also has black and brown staining on it.
<<This is most likely forms of algae, and will "change" with changes to the environment, as stated>>
Can this also be cleaned?  If so how?
<<Swirling/rinsing with clean saltwater will do the least damage, though you will still loose some biota>>
I don't mind starting over on the rock but will my cleaning methods effect any future fish or possible changes to inverts/coral down the road if I go that direction?
<<Indeed it will...you could give the rock a rinse and a "light" brushing with a soft-bristle brush, or replace it (entirely or in portions) with fresh live rock>>
Second, the tank is a traditional (non RR) tank.  It came with a sump/wet-dry and a HOT overflow.  I am weary of the overflow as I hear that they will eventually fail.
<<Is a good chance, yes...but this risk can be lessened a great deal by employing a redundant system (two siphon overflow boxes) with the first>>
I have once again read on WWM about tank drilling and am thoroughly confused by all the different opinions and issues.
<<Let's see if I can help un-confuse you>>
I would like to drill the rear for 2 sump supplies and 2 sump returns.  Where exactly (how far down and over/apart) do you recommend?
<<Well, if you've established the back glass in non-tempered, I recommend you place the throughputs the width of the hole-to-be-drilled from the edges of the tank, and no closer re to any other throughputs...clear as mud?  For example...a heavy duty 1.5" bulkhead requires a 2.6" hole...the edge of the hole should be no closer than 2.6" from any edge of the tank, or from any edge of another bulkhead hole.  Adjustment of water height in the tank can be accomplished with elbows to raise the level of the pipe outside the tank, or used as adjustable "overflows" within the tank>>
Also what size is best for this size tank if I use a strainer for the supplies down and a directional elbow for the return up?
<<Two 1.5" bulkheads for the drains, and one or two .75" or 1" bulkheads for the returns...or you can simply plumb the returns over the back/ends of the tank>>
Should both the supply and the return have a T installed before the sump?
<<For what purpose?...in what configuration?>>
Also, are there and tips for drilling?
<<Indeed, yes...have a read here:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pbholesfaqs.htm >>
I have seen a tank drilled before and they used cooking oil for the lubricant while cutting?  Is this OK?
<<I've always just used water for lubricating the drill bit...works well and is easy to clean up>>
I plan on ordering the needed bits online, any recommended sources?
<<Several choices about...I bought my last bit here: http://www.diamond-drill-bit-and-tool.com/Diamond-Drill/MAIN.htm >>
Any tips?  
<<Heat is your enemy...follow the recommended rotation speed for the size core drill bit used.  The manufacturer states these bits can be used "dry", but use of a lubricant (water) will keep heat down, greatly extend the life of the bit, and speed the drilling process...I use simple 'Play-Dough' to create a "damn" around the area to be drilled and fill/refill with water as needed while drilling.  Also, when possible, use of a drill-press or drill-jig to keep the bit vertical to the glass surface will lessen the chance of damage/fracture of the panel>>
Thanks once again for your help and contribution to our obsession!!!
Randy
<<Quite welcome.  Regards, EricR>>

New FOWLR Setup ... reading   7/22/06
hi guys,
<John in the P.I.>
john here from the Philippines. am planning on setting up, for the very first time, a FOWLR aquarium.
here's my plan:
>36"x16"x18" aquarium
>overhead filter (bio. and mech. / filter pads, bioballs, ceramic media) 2 2200 L/H powerheads
>1 lee's counter current protein skimmer & air pump (for 60 gallons up) heater (optional) and thermometer
fishes am planning to keep:
>yellowtail damselfish (1)
>yellow damselfish (1)
>azure damselfish (1)
>blue sapphire damselfish (1)
>ocellaris clownfish (2)
what do u think?
<Mmm, would start with the Clowns first... let get settled in a few weeks before adding the other Damsels all at once... closely observe for too over agonistic behavior. The gear sounds fine>
questions:
>can I use natural seawater?
<Yes, posted on WWM>
>what type of lights do you suggest?
<Posted...>
>can Clownfishes be ok without anemones?
<Yes... posted...>
>for long tentacle anemones, how much light do I need?
<Posted....>
>do I need more than one counter current skimmer for my tank size?
<Nope>
>how often do I do water changes? and how much?
<... see WWM... John!>
>do I need to keep the lights on all the time?
<You don't want this...>
>what inverts can u suggest I keep aside from anemones?
till here. I'd appreciate all the help that I can get.
best regards,
john
<Keep reading. Bob Fenner>

Marine Set-Up  6/2/06
Hey gang
<Hello, no gang member, no Harley yet.>
In the process of setting up a 75 gallon tank I just purchased that came with existing "accessories".  I am looking for your opinion as I want to make sure I set this up right the first time.  The purchase came with a Magnum 350 canister filter (research tells me not great for a FOWLR saltwater setup).
<Nothing wrong with the Magnum, just add a couple powerheads to give you an additional 400 gph in the tank.>  I just ordered a AquaC Remora Pro for skimming.
<Great skimmer.>  I plan on starting with about 20 - 30 lbs of live rock and have a 1" "dead" sand bed.
<I’d limit that to ½ inch.>  My worry is about the filtration.  Is this enough biological filtration?  
<The live rock will be your main source of filtration and in that regard, I suggest you get at least another 60 pounds of it.> I don't really have room/resources for a sump.  Any other suggestions for added filtration.
<Should be fine.>  Also, do I understand correctly that the live rock will eventually "seed" the live sand?  If so, should I expect the cycle to still take around 2-4 weeks even with dead sand.
<Closer to four weeks would be typical.>  For lighting I have (2) 24" Coralife 10,000 k 20 watters, and (2) 18" Coralife Actinic 03 15 watters.  Is that enough light for someday having a few community fish, live rock, and some shrimp/crabs/snails.
<Yes, as long as no light loving inverts are on your rock.>  I've learned a great deal from your site already, I am still researching and I greatly appreciate your efforts.
<Good to hear and do keep reading/researching.  If you haven't yet already, do read this link and related links above.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marineSetUp.htm>
Thanks Much.
<You’re welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Dusty

New tank, old tank 5/11/06
Hi, <Hi back> this is my first email to the crew.  I have been reading various FAQs for several weeks and found a great deal of information. Your site is fantastic. I have had a FOWLR tank for 6 years and recently discovered how little I knew.  It is like I spent six years in first grade. After all my research I hope I'm at least at the junior high school level.  
I have a 100 g. reef ready tank with a trickle filter & UV sterilizer.  I also have a protein skimmer but stopped using it because I couldn't properly adjust it.
<Best if you can get it going or get one you can figure out, most important piece of equipment in my opinion.>
The tank has about 100 pounds of live rock.  I was new to marine aquariums when I purchased it.  At the advice of LFS, I used the live rock to cycle the tank. <My preferred method> When I was finished I didn't have a lot of life on the live rock. <More than you would think> I briefly tried a quarantine tank but could keep the water in proper parameters.  Over the years, I have treated my 100 g tank and fish with on several occasions with copper. <Rock is probably not so live anymore> The live rock now has some red and purple algae but mostly green hair algae.  The last two years, the tank was stable with a French angel, yellow tang, clown fish and an assortment of damsels.  Six weeks ago, I added a damsel from two different stores.  While I was away for two weeks, I started losing fish and had my wife add copper to the tank.
<Not good, the rock absorbs the copper, makes it extremely difficult to maintain therapeutic levels>  
I forgot to tell her to remove the carbon so the treatment did little to cure the fish.  To make a long story short, I lost all but three damsels.  After reading some FAQs, I bought a 30 g quarantine tank. <Good move>
The damsels are now cycling it.
<Better to keep a sponge filter running in the old tank to be used to cycle the QT, keep up the water changes on the QT to help the damsels>  
I removed the copper and am operating the main tank for six weeks without fish.
<Copper is still bound up in the rocks and substrate>
I read that whatever sickness was killing my fish should be gone since there is no fish in the tank. <Probably>   
Last year I bought an Oceanic 150 g RR tank that will be built into custom bookcase now under construction. <Nice> I am buying all new equipment including ASM G-3 protein skimmer and plan to use a 50 g sump divide into three sections for the skimmer, refugium and return pump/heater. <Sounds nice> I will be using a Typhoon III RO/DI to make the water.  My well water has phosphates I have been constantly fighting algae. <I bet> The tank will be FOWLR.  My questions involve the sequence of how to cycle and populate my new tank.  Can I cycle the tank with just my existing live rock?
<I would pitch this LR, probably contaminated with copper and can/will cause problems in the new tank>
I don't want to setup the refugium until later.  Will it be safe to use the live rock after six weeks with no fish?
<No, but not because of the Ich, copper is the problem>
I don't want to use the water from the old tank.
<I wouldn't either>
After it has finished cycling, I want to add my damsels and new live rock. <Get the new LR now and cycle with it> Plan to use my old rock as a base for the new rock. <Wouldn't, stated above>  After waiting until everything has settled in, I want to add dry sand and let the live rock populate it.
<Add from the beginning, much easier>
I'm undecided about the depth.  Is three inches of sand alright?
<I'd go 4+ or less than 1>
Then I want to populate the refugium with live rock or sand with macro algae and start to slowly add fish.  Will this work?  Thanks for your advise.
<Your plan is good except for the use of the existing rock.  Copper is nasty stuff, keep it out of the new tank at all costs.>
<Chris>  

DSB and Confusion(s)  - 04/19/06
Hello to the WWM person of the day!
<Guess that is me, Adam J with you today…..’err tonight.>
  I have a 100gl tank which I purchased recently and when it was moved I saved half the water, as well as most of the sand.
<Okay.>
I set it up as a reef, with 4" DSB, but kept having algae blooms because one powerhead blasted a corner and stirred up the sand too much.
<Common problem with DSB’s.>
At this point I decided to remove a pesky tang and Anthias, which came with the purchase, so having to basically break down the tank to catch them, I moved all the LR to my 40gl tank with no sand bed.
<Okay.>
OK, here's where things get fuzzy...I decided I would like to keep the smaller tank as the reef tank instead.
<All right.>
It has plenty of pods and critters and I want to set it up as a Seahorse exhibit.
<Be sure to research the needs of these creatures, not an endeavour I recommend to just casual aquarists.>
Now for the 100gl...It has been sitting for 3 months with old water, no light, no heat, etc.
<What about flow, was it stagnant.>
I drained nearly all the water, and to my surprise, a few snails (who got left behind), were still moving along in there. With the tank sitting so long with out any attention, is the sand still viable?
<Sure.>
I am planning a FOWLR, so I need to decide what to do with this sand.
<Keep if you want, but once the tank is in “working” order again I would allow a minimum of 30 days to let it stabilize.>
Do I clean the sand entirely with saltwater, remove it completely or just the top layer?
<I would vacuumed any detritus out of it, stirring if necessary since there is no livestock in the tank.>
Would it be usable for the 40gl tank?
<You could, but moving it will disturb the anaerobic pockets, it will cause the “levels” in the 40 gallon to go array…this is fine if their isn’t any livestock in there yet.>
If I want to add sand to make it deeper, would I want to add sand a little at a time or could I put in another inch all across and stir it up a bit? I assume curing any new LR might be done simultaneously.
<That’s what I would do.>
This would all take place before any inhabitants move in,
<Great, that’s what I was concerned about.>
of course. Trying to juggle setting up two DSB's at once is giving me a real headache. Please help me stop the "spinning room" syndrome! Thanks!
<Adam J.>

"Best" Sump/Refugium Setup? - 04/16/06
Greetings from England,
<<Back at ya from South Carolina!...but I did live in Ipswich for 3 1/2 years...>>
I am in the process of spending the (vast) amount required to setup a FOWLR setup.
<<Indeed mate...and a bit more "vast" over there than here!>>
This will be my first marine tank, so I'm doing an awful lot of reading first and your site has proved by far the best resource
on the net.
<<Thank you for this...but please don't limit yourself to a single source/opinion>>
My tank will be 1,200 L aprox (a 7 foot tank) and my prime objectives for it are for it to be as fish friendly and easy to maintain as humanly possible.
<<Ahh...a "dream" tank then? <grin>...>>
I would also like to build it to be as quiet as possible.
<<Married, eh?>>
My questions relate to the filtration and general "underneath" set up of the tank.
<<Is that a "technical" term? <G> >>
After a few re-designs, I THINK I've settled on the following.
<<Alrighty then>>
My problem is that there are so many options that I'm drowning in choices!
<<But at least you have "choices">>
I wonder if you could look over the following and answer a few questions?
<<Be happy to>>
The tank will have between 100 and 120KG's of live rock in it, with live sand to maybe 1" deep.  This will be supplemented with another 2" or so of "normal" sand which will hopefully be colonized over time.
<<It will...but might I suggest you add 3"-4" of the "dry" sand, and place the "live" sand on top of this>>
Beneath the main tank, there will be two cheap 3 foot tanks.
Each will be in three sections.
<<ok>>
The main tank will flow into the first small tank, which will be a sump.  This will have crushed LR in the first area, which will hopefully act as some sort of crude mechanical filter.
<<Some settling will occur here, yes>>
My other thought would be Lava rock in this position.
<<Mmm no, I don't recommend this...possible introduction of unwanted elements (metals, etc.)...stick with the live rock rubble>>
This then overflows into the main section, which will hold the skimmer, heaters, any dosing gear I eventually buy etc., etc.. There is then a return area to the main tank.
<<Were this me...I would move the skimmer to the first chamber to catch/process the raw surface water from the tank, and move the crushed rock to the center chamber>>
From the first chamber in the sump, there will be a low velocity (3-4x turn over) feed into a separate 'fuge.  This again will contain crushed LR in the first (small) section, and then have a 20" x 7" deep DSB/Miracle Mud area, with macro algae above it.  This overflows to a third, small section that will feed back into the third chamber of the sump, meaning that anything that the 'fuge generates does not get skimmed.
<<An important consideration...>>
This will be lit on a reverse cycle to the main tank, to avoid major fluctuations in stats, etc.  Firstly, does this seem suitable?
<<With a few caveats, yes>>
Have I missed anything major?
<<The placement of the skimmer...in my opinion>>
Secondly, some more specific questions.
1) I can't decided between MUD and a DSB.  I read many opinions on each saying that one is better than another.
<<That's opinions for ya! <grin> >>
Is there a "right" answer?
<<I have not used a "mud" substrate myself...but neither have I heard/read anything to convince me to switch from a good ole' sugar-sand DSB>>
If not, which would be less maintenance/better for the fish?
<<I don't like the idea of having to periodically "replace" portions of a mud bed...would much rather just "top off" my DSB as it "shrinks" from dissolution.  As for which is "better"?  If employed/maintained as intended...either I think>>
2) I have read that DSB's benefit from being turned over, and lots of suggestions as to what makes the best "turner-over", with everything from brittle stars to gob’s suggested.
<<Mmm...not "turned-over" as such, maybe just slightly "disturbed" (or maybe I'm thinking about myself...), though a sugar-fine DSB with adequate water flow will do just fine on its own (worms/micro-crustaceans)>>
What would be your personal recommendations?
<<I like/suggest less invasive species than some others here.  I DON'T like sand-sifting starfish, much too efficient at what they do...will quickly deplete the biota in your sand bed...my opinion of course.  Sand-sifting/sleeper gobies can be of benefit, but many of these are far more destructive than I like (Genus Valenciennea).  My suggestion would be a bullet/dragon/brown-barred goby (Amblygobius phalaena).  The gobies don't tend to dig as "deeply" as the Valenciennea species in my experience, nor do they seem as likely to grab mouthfuls of sand and "crop dust" the corals high up on the rock...though sand/bottom dwelling critters will get a sprinkle or two...but then these usually have mechanisms for dealing with it>>
3) Bob states in his book that Ozone is the best thing to add to a system, and so I am planning to add it into the skimmer.  However, the ozone units that are practical to buy will not allow a skimmer of the size I plan to use to be fully supported.  It would need to be 75% air and 25% ozone.  Will this still generate the correct affect?
<<Not sure I follow/understand this line of thinking.  For your size tank, an ozone generator in the 200mg-250mg range should be sufficient.  How "effective" it is will depend on the quality/efficiency of the generator...and I suggest you also employ a controller>>
4) As there seem to be so many vocal supports of both the Berlin method and the Ecosystem method, can I take it that both are equally as effective when used correctly?
<<Likely so...many folks employ different methods/combinations of methods quite successfully>>
5) Will I have to modify anything in this design in a year or two if I move into making a reef tank?
<<I don't think so...other than maybe adding more flow to the display tank>>
Many thanks indeed.
Steve
<<Quite welcome, EricR>>

Plumbing my 240 FOWLR - Take 3    3/31/06
Hello to all. <Hello Dana.>  I, like many others, have learned a lot from your fantastic web site and the generosity in sharing your knowledge. I find myself learning something new each evening when I visit the FAQ section. So thank you.  <You're welcome and continue reading.>
I am in my second year of setting up my dream tank. What began as a FO with coral skeletons and wet/dry filtration is now a FOWLR with a refugium that is doing quite well (with many thanks to WWW for questions answered). The tank is a 240 acrylic (96" x 24" x 24"), with the wet/dry converted to a sump housing a Euro-reef CS-180, and a refugium with a Euro-reef CS-6.1. The tank was ordered with 2 - 6" x 6" overflows, each 2 feet from the corners. I figured this would give me 1/3 more water flow with 3 sides exposed to water vs. corner skimmers with only 2 sides exposed to water. What I failed to do was have TruVu (the company that made the tank) increase the size of the holes for the bulkheads. Yep - 1" ... and a smaller hole for a 1" bulkhead than should have been drilled (I found out the hard way that there are 2 kinds of bulkheads ... the standard aquarium fare that tend to be somewhat fragile and the more "beefy" kind you find at a good plumbing store .. and I discovered that the beefier ones need a slightly bigger hole!)
So I find myself needing to increase my water flow. I added a closed loop system, which is working great. But I need to increase the flow through the sump and refugium. Currently, they are plumbed together, with both overflows being combined, then split ... with one going to the sump, the other to the refugium. The output of the sump and refugium are combined and fed to an Iwaki pump (900 gph w/ 6' head).  
I want to add a second Iwaki pump, but there is no way I can run 900 gph through the refugium without making quite a mess. So here's my plan:
1. Increase the size of the overflow bulkheads to 1 1/2" or 2" (I'm sure you'll say 2") <I'd go with the 2".>
2. Have both overflows feed directly to the main sump
3. Use a pump located in the sump to feed the refugium, with the return from the refugium going back into the sump through 2 - 1" PVC  
returns (I figured 2 - 1" might be better than 1 - 2" in case one ever got clogged)
4. Use the 2 Iwaki pumps to return water from the sump (each with it's own 1" bulkhead) to each side of the tank. I plan on splitting each return into 2 outlets. The return line will be 1" PVC. Can I step this down to 3/4" after I split each return, or should I maintain 1" all the way?  <I would split, you will not lose any flow rate.>
OK - which leads me to the main reason I am writing. I am comfortable drilling holes in my tank, sump and refugium. However, how do you increase a 1" hole to a 1 1/2" or 2"? Without the acrylic for the center drill bit to drill into, it's mighty tough to drill a nice clean hole. Here's an idea I had ... get a piece of 1/4" or 3/8" scrap acrylic, and drill out the exact size hole I need for the new bulkhead. Then glue (I know what to use) the hole over the existing hole, trying to get it as centered as possible. After it bonds with the tank, could I then drill the new hole I want, with my new piece of acrylic giving me the "meat" I need for my center drill bit? Is there an easier way? Or is this a good plan? I did spend about 45 minutes searching through the FAQs looking for this answer, but to no avail.  <Dana, why do you want to butcher the tank up with an acrylic plate/glue, yucky pooh, look like pooh.  Use the acrylic plate as planned and toggle clamp (can be bought with longer throat depths and offsets) it to the inside of the tank covering the existing hole.  The plate will allow the pilot drill to hold position.  Do let the hole saw do the work, do not push excessively when drilling this out.  When done, simply unclamp the back up plate and presto........  Increasing the overflow bulkhead would be a different story.
Thank you in advance for your help.  <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Dana (no longer "old school")

Re: Plumbing my 240 FOWLR #2   4/1/06
James,  <Dana>
Thanks for such a quick response, but I don't believe I explained myself very clearly. The holes that I need to enlarge ARE in the  
bottom center of the overflows. The holes are really only visible if you look underneath the tank. The idea was to glue a piece of acrylic  
to the bottom of the tank where it will not be seen. The piece glued would be the EXACT size of the new hole I plan to drill, meaning that  
when all is said and done, there would be no remnants of the new piece I glued on. <The confusion was when you mentioned the addition
of another Iwaki pump and additional bulkheads would be needed.  I assumed this is what it was for.> So my plan is to:
1) Drill a hole in a piece of 1/2" or 5/8" acrylic using the same drill bit I will be using to drill my final hole needed for the 2" bulkhead.
2) Remove the piece of acrylic that I drilled from the drill bit.
3) Use this round piece to cover my existing hole - I would hold the piece in place, underneath the tank, over the existing hole that was  
drilled for the 1" bulkhead - while a friend applied the acrylic glue by reaching down the overflow and applying the glue around the inside  
of the old hole.
4) I would wait for the new round disc of acrylic to bond with the underside of the tank. <Not so sure this will glue well.  You will have to
allow for the saw thickness so this round piece isn't going to be a close fit for the hold you are gluing it into.>
5) I would then drill my new hole. It should be fairly easy as this new acrylic disc will already have the pilot hole drilled, and the  
drill bit would fit snugly around the disc.
6) When I am finished drilling, I would be left with a nice clean hole the size I need for a 2" bulkhead, without any trace that there  
was ever anything attached to the tank (this is important to make sure I have a nice clean hole to make a nice clean seal for the  
bulkhead.)
7) I would sand and clean the hole - then attach the bulkhead.
As you can see, all drilling takes place underneath the tank. Given that the tank is set up on a stand and filled with water and  
livestock, I'm not sure what good a clamp will do for me. <The clamp was mentioned thinking you were going to drill the back of the tank for new return bulkheads.>
Thanks for your help. <What help.  You seem to have the problem
solved, hopefully.  James (Salty Dog)>
Dana

Improvements and Upgrades for a beginner    3/27/06
Bob, here are the specs on my current FOWLR:
70 Gallon SW 1 year old
Current Dual Satellite PC 48" Lights - 260 watts
1 - 6700K Daylight on for 10 hours
1 - 10,000K Daylight
2 Actinic (420nm/460nm) on 16 hours
Lunar Lights 1 n/o 40 watt fluorescent on 16 hours
Seaclone 100 Skimmer
Penguin 330 Bio-wheel filter (330gph)
using Aqua Tech filter cartridges (changing every 3-4 weeks)
3 Regent Aqua Tech Powerheads (170 gph each)
Undergravel filter used as a plenum, covered with 2" of crushed coral and dolomite
70lbs. of Live Rock/Tufa Rock
Purple Mushrooms, Magnificent Green Mushrooms, 2 Colt Corals, Pipe Organ, Ancetrea Brain, Pulsing Xenia, Golden Polyps, Yellow Polyps
FISH - Tomato Clown, Maroon Clown, Blue Damsel, Psychedelic Goby, Red Starfish, 13 Blue Legged Hermit Crabs, 7 Snails, Sebae Anemone, Pacific Cleaner Shrimp
There are lots of bugs, worms
A lot of algae
Temperature is kept at 79*
I use Instant Ocean Salt - do a 5 gallon water change weekly with 1 week aged tap water and vacuum substrate
Salinity 1.024
Use Marc Weis Reef Vital DNA, Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium, Reef Builder, Reef Iodide
Tropical Science Complete Care Water Conditioner
I feed Nutrafin, Marine Flakes, Blood Worms, Brine Shrimp, Mysid Shrimp, Squid.
QUESTIONS:
I plan to upgrade to a 72(l) x 24(w) x 22(d) tank.
1. In your opinion is there anything that I am doing now that you would change to upgrade?
<... a bunch... I'd replace the skimmer, dump the Weiss pseudo product, replace the actinic with more white light, not use Nutrafin anything, ditch the plenum, increase the water change volume...>
2. For this tank, I plan to get a 6' strip of PC Lights - what kind of bulbs would you put in there?
<Posted on WWM...>
3. Where would you drill the holes for the out takes and in takes? How big would you drill the holes? And how many holes would you drill?
<Also posted.... http://wetwebmedia.com/marsetupindex2.htm
along with a great deal of related important information. Read, understand thoroughly what your options are here before acting. Bob Fenner>
Thank you for your time.
Steve K.

FOWLR/Set Up   3/20/06
Greetings to all at the WWM crew. <And to you.> It is time once again for me to tap into the infinite reservoir of knowledge.
I have a 55 gallon reef tank and it is doing well, but have recently turned my attention to planning a 240 gallon (96"x24x24) FOWLR and have a few questions, and need approval and reassurance that I'm doing this ok.
Tentative inhabitant list includes the following: Clown trigger, Niger trigger, snowflake Moray eel, Emperor or Navarchus angel, maybe a Harlequin Tusk Fish and possibly a powder blue tang or other tang. I'm a little nervous about the PBT and will definitely research more. They would be added one fish every month or 2 after the tank cycles.
<Wouldn’t put the tangs in with the pool hall crew you want.  Powder blues are difficult to acclimate and very ich prone.  Do search our web on triggers/compatibility/behavior before making your choices.>
I was going to use about an inch or 1/12 inch of sugar fine aragonite sand, about 150 LBS of live rock. It has 2 overflows to a sump. Question 1 is how big do you think my sump should be to hold the water if the power goes out?  <At least a 20 gallon sump if the overflows are set up correctly.> I was thinking a 55 gallon tank. And I was going to plumb a DIY refugium/algal scrubber out of a maybe 20 gallon plastic tub with Chaetomorpha in it and maybe (2-3) 20 watt NO grow bulbs over it (very ghetto).
For a skimmer I was thinking of the Kent nautilus skimmer EX, or maybe an ASM G3. Does either sound good, or can you recommend a better skimmer for around $200-300 mail order?  <The ASM is a decent skimmer, might also want to check out the AquaC skimmers.>
I use RODI water for my reef tank, but it would be a whole lot easier to use dechlorinated tap water on this FOWLR, so we have good quality tap water here thanks to a recent filtration system that the county put in. Would this be OK for the Chaetomorpha, and the microcrustaceans and sponges and other critters on the live rock?  <Yes, but I would do some water parameter tests on the tap water first.>    
My last question is about light. I don't plan on keeping any light loving invertebrates (corals), and I know the fish don't care about the light, but my question is: would plain old cool white bulbs do justice for viewing the fish, or would that light wash out the color of the fish and make them appear bland. I'm trying to avoid an expensive reef light setup both for cost, and to avoid algae problems.  The 50/50 type bulbs should give you what you are looking for.  If you want low cost bulbs I would go with daylight tubes.>
Any suggestions, additions to the above or advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you.
<You’re welcome, and in future queries, please do a spelling/grammar check.  Saves us much time in editing.   James (Salty Dog)>
Cord.

Re: Follow-up FOWLR/Set Up 3/20/06
Original message below:
Thanks for your help. Sorry for the grammatical and spelling errors. <No problem, just makes it easier for us if we don't have to edit/correct grammar.>
I just have a couple of quick points that I would like clarified if you please. You said that I should test the parameters of the tap water. What should I test for? Nitrate? What else? <Yes, nitrates and phosphates would be my two concerns.> Also, do you think regular fluorescent grow bulbs would work OK for the Chaeto? <These Grow-Lux type tubes tend to favor nuisance algae more so than daylight tubes.  Personal experience.> Finally, when you suggest daylight tubes for the fish tank are you talking about aquarium bulbs, <No> (10000-12000K) or is this a type of bulb I could get at a home improvement store?  Can/should be able to get at such.>
Thank you again!  <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Cord.

New Focus - 03/06/06
Gentlemen <<and Ladies>> Greetings,
<<Hello>>
Thanks to you guys and nine months of research and some lessons (the hard way)
<<Oof!>>
I have successfully set up my 65 gallon softie and LPS tank with refugium, DSB and sump - my fish are happy- my kids are thrilled and I have an excuse to spend more money - hence my new project.
<<Whee!  Life is good...!>>
I tried to find answers on the site- Bob, Anthony and Steve have addressed similar issues but none fits my situation exactly.
<<Ok>>
I am trying to setup a 92 (35LX35WX24H) gallon corner tank with a fish-centric focus ( I want to get fish that might not be considered reef safe).
<<I'm with you...>>
I hesitate to call it a FOWLR since I will have some simple corals like zos, mushrooms, polyps, etc., to create a "natural" environment.
<<With you so far...>>
However I want to have my setup be "SPS capable" in case I change my mind and want to keep SPS corals or anemones.
<<Umm...at the expense of having to possibly change your fish stock list, yes?>>
I have 2 constraints from my better half - I can't hang anything from the walls or ceilings (my ceilings are 22 feet!).
<<Hmmm...Wonder who gives them "better halves" all that power/authority? <grin> >>.
I will be using a 6-inch DSB which will cut the 24-inch tank height to 18 inches.  Here are my questions:
1) Lighting is an issue for the odd shape and size of the tank, i.e. a triangle.
<<Agreed>>
And considering that I can't hang a fixture/pendant from the wall
or ceiling is an issue. (A lot of solutions offered on the site suggest hanging the lights).  The tank does not come with a canopy and building one is currently out of the question for cost and aesthetic reasons.
<<I see>>
Any suggestions here?
<<Yep...Aqualight offers a 150W HQI pendant that mounts to the top of the tank via an articulating arm (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=13922&N=2004+113352).  A couple of these would "fill the bill" for your situation.>>
I am thinking of using a 24" Coralife or Current USA combined double ended halide/pc/moon light(150W 10000K with Actinic
03 )fixture which as legs and mounting it on the glass top which comes with it.
<<This could work, but I'm thinking if you decide to go "reef" you will want/need "two" metal halide lamps.>>
This will raise it about 4-6 inches from the glass top (the fixture lights are covered by glass also).
<<Mmm, I would be hesitant about leaving the glass tank top in place myself...much heat buildup, inhibited gas exchange, blocked light intensity...better to remove the top, in my opinion.>>
If I do this will this be enough light for SPS tank setting given that my tank height is now 18in due to my six inch DSB?
<<This will depend on specie selection/placement...but likely yes.>>
Will my glass top crack due to heat and will I have ventilation
issues?
<<I think so.>>
Any recommendations or references will be appreciated.
2) At your suggestion I made sure the tank was predrilled but the rating for this tank is only 400 gph.
<<What size bulkhead?...if 1", more likely 300-350 gph.>>
Apart from installing powerheads in the tank or installing a closed-loop system is there any way to increase flow?
<<That about covers it...>>
I was going to add a small canister filter to help out.
<<Can be useful.  Fill with carbon/Poly-Filter and service regularly.>>
I was thinking about getting some Maxijets with loc-lines to throw into the sump and place the lock-lines in the tank but I fear that I will be still constrained to 400 gph max.
<<You are correct (in toto).>>
I will be using a Mag 7 return pump - do you consider this too
powerful giving the overflow rating - I really want a quiet setup
<<Install a gate-valve on the outlet side of the pump to temper flow as necessary.>>
3) Since I love my refugium on my 65 gallon I wanted to get a refugium for this tank.  However, the space underneath the tank is too small to get a sump and a refugium.
<<Perhaps in combination?>>
I plan on using a Euro Reef 6-1 skimmer,
<<I love ER skimmers!>>
the DSB in the tank, a phosphate reactor and a sump to manage nutrient export.  Would this suffice or should I consider a combined sump/refugium?
<<Can work fine as outlined...will be determined by your stocking levels/commitment to proper tank maintenance/husbandry.>>
My only concern is that I would not be able to fit the skimmer, phosphate reactor, etc., in the sump area.
<<Mmm, perhaps a refugium is "not" in your future.>>
Finally can you recommend where I can research whether a particular non-reef safe fish e.g. a Majestic angel would bother a particular coral e.g. blue zos or mushrooms.  I already have Bob's and Borneman's books - any sites or additional book will be welcome.
<<Best to take these questions to the hobby forums (e.g.- Reef Central, Reefs.org) and poll the participants for their experiences re.>>
Thanks again for the service you provide.
<<Regards, EricR>>

Starting back up....advice please   03/07/06
I've decided to start my system back up and I am looking for some advice. I currently have a 75 gal corner overflow tank with a wet dry system, ETSS 500 skimmer and a turbo twist UV. Historically I have kept an F setup, but now I am considering going with a FOWLR system. My reason for this is that I would like to "ease" into a reef over the next couple of years and feel starting with live rock will set a good foundation for this, rather than having to tear down the FO system later on when I can just start off on the right foot at the beginning.....make sense?
<Yes, agree>
My wet-dry is in rough shape and I plan on tossing the whole thing and the ETSS as well. Right now I am on Jeff Turchecks waiting list at Lifereef for a new system to be built in April/may time frame. Originally when Jeff and I spoke I was planning on another wet-dry with a skimmer for my FOWLR system. My thinking was that I could convert this wet dry to a simple Berlin style sump at any time and having LR as well as the wet-dry for filtration for a year or two, even though considered "overkill" couldn't hurt....right?
<Again, we agree>
But the more research I do....the more I'm leaning towards one of his Berlin systems. They are less expensive (the difference in price will go towards the live rock), give me more room to work with in the sump, less overall maintenance (from what I've read), provide more stable water quality and it just seems like the best root to go. ....agree??...disagree?? (it sounds like I'm answering my own question....just lookin for some moral support I guess)
<I think so>
Also, this being my first venture into Live rock & Live Sand I was hoping if someone could pass along a solid article/link or two, to obtain as much info as possible on the subject.
<Re...? Quite a bit posted on WWM re LR, LS issues... see the indices, search tool...>
I have read a lot of threads and to be honest my head is spinning a little....base rock, good rock, cured rock, cooked rock...etc, etc. I tend not to trust my LFS because.....well I'm sure you know why.
<Take your time here>
Also I currently have a simple 48 inch HO compact strip light made by all-glass. Both bulbs are toast, but I believe I can simply replace the bulbs and be in good shape as far as lighting goes for my FOWLR...y/n? Any suggestions on the bulbs? or do I need to fork over some more cash on an upgrade? I know when I "go reef" I'll have to make the investment.
<Posted... on WWM...>
And one last question...I think I'm gonna go with a RO/DI system as well. Traditionally I've used tap in my FOs with no noticeable issues. Is this a "must have" with FOWLR. I have no clue as to my current tap water quality.
<Can get more than clues from your supplier... they do test... and make such data available. See your bill for contact info.>
Sorry for writing a "bible", but now that I'm in the "planning stages" I want to make sure I'm doing things right.
Thanks in advance for any of your comments and suggestion.
John
Hobby Experience: 10 yrs
<Reads like you're doing fine... Keep reading, an open mind and all will work out. Bob Fenner>

Marine set up/systems   2/1/06
Hello WWM crew, <Hello Scot>
I want to find out if I'm heading in the right direction in setting up a salt water tank (FOWLR). The reason for writing you guys is the nearest pet shop is 40 miles from my home and when I make that drive to ask them questions they can't seem to answer them. I love your site and it has answered a lot of my questions but I need some reassurance.
I have a 55 gal. bow front tank and plan to setup as follows:
* deep sand bed
* 50 lbs. live rock
* AquaC Remora protein skimmer w/ MaxiJet 1200 pump <Good choice>
* Emperor 280 power filter <If it were me I'd put the money in a larger fuge (25" model) and skip the Emperor.>
* three maxi-jet power heads (MP 600) located at both rear corners and one in the middle <I'd go with the 900 model for the middle one, especially if you go the larger refugium route.>
* the hood light that came with the tank is a single fluorescent bulb.
* 13.5" CPR AquaFuge hang-on refugium
Any recommendations or changes to my setup and what type of bulb <14K> should I use if the single is enough? <Sure, as long as no light loving inverts are present. A twin tube fixture will give a more pleasing effect.  
Thanks for listening <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Scot

Re: Marine set up/Systems  2/1/06
Thanks for the quick response James. <You're welcome.>
The tank, light and Emperor 280 are the only items I have at this point. It looks like I can start shopping. I'm going with your suggestion and dumping the Emperor in favor of the larger refugium and add the 900 model to the middle. <Will aid much more.> Also I did some looking around and found a better light system I
think. (Coralife 36 inch Aqualight, it has one 96 watt 10,000K, one 96 watt True Actinic 03 Blue fluorescents and two 3/4 watt Lunar-Moon-Glow LED lamps). If I order this light, should I keep the 3/4 watt lamps that come with it or exchange them for different lamps to go with the two 96 watt lamps? <It's not an option. Moonlights have no effect other than nighttime appearance anyway.> I forgot to mention that I'm planning on using my 200 watt submersible heater. I hope this is okay? <Sure.> Thanks James (Salty Dog) once again for the reply and the suggestions.
You made my first e-mail experience with you guys a good one. <Ah, good to hear.> And thanks to
all the volunteers at WWM for making this a great place to visit and learn.
My wife hates you guys by the way, I've been spending about two hours a night for the last two months reading the articles and FAQ's here at wetweb. <Wives are funny that way, aren't they? James (Salty Dog)>
Scot

Marine Set Up  1/21/06
Hello Bob et al.,  <Hi Chris>
This I believe by it's nature is a Very easy question to answer...
A brief history - I have had an awesome experience over the last couple of years with a 55 gal FOWLR tank (after 15ish years of on/off brackish/fresh husbandry. Every problem/question I've come across to date has been found and solved here at wetweb. It's wonderful.
For me the research and analysis side of this hobby is every bit as enjoyable as the physical.  In other words - I read wetweb like crazy and after enough diligence, I always find a course of action; arcane as it may be.
**An example - I am so very grateful to you and proud of my wife and  I) that after days of confusion, panic and misinformation, our tank wide ich outbreak was entirely precluded by a strict regime of  freshwater baths and temp/salinity/water modification over the course of a month or so. Almost everyone looked near death but we had ZERO losses - Everyone - even the blue devil damsel the store called a sacrifice for cycling for the new tank the week we bought it  is sleeping soundly right now. And our S&S puffer who was first to present and had clouded over eyes as secondary symptoms bounced back.
We learned that stuff here. <Great to hear.  I wish more people would follow your example and do search/read before sending queries.>
So, the long preamble should give you as much holistic info as you need. To justify that longish history, here's the question;
I have been waiting patiently for the right new tank to show up for ages. <Ages?>
I just found it, a 5 foot 150 gal drilled on the bottom both sides. <Nice size tank>
It's cool and the right size for the room it will live in. Price is 7ish with frame - fine. But the LFS - switched gears and  
found me the $850 skimmer, the $700 bioball/ Sump and a pair of $175 pumps for starters. <A good skimmer for your tank can be found for 1/2 that amount.  Seven hundred sounds real high for a sump.  All-Glass makes an acrylic sump with bio balls, tray etc that will handle a 240 for $300.00.  Lifeguard has an improved pump that will push around 1500gph for $110.00 and has a low current draw.  Sounds like somebody wants to make a killing.>
***So, I'm really frustrated.  I've been planning this for a year and the $ is in place and the only thing I need is an honest 3rd party opinion on what to buy.
   We aren't buying a bigger tank to have more fish, we're buying the current fish a bigger home.  <Ah, a conscientious aquarist.> I like what we have now, so actually, the tank is for them.
They are as follows:
2 mediumish puffers
4 various damsels
1 big and growing snowflake moray
1 young humahuma trigger
2 small Heniochus
*These guys were great in a 55  a year ago, but everyone is still growing. <Yes, a 55 is much too small and the 150 may soon wear out its welcome.>
So, after all that preamble here's the question: I intend to keep these same fish and take care of them.
No new fish...No invertebrates. <Good, Good, Good>
There it is.
I want to run it all off a sump  -
I have a couple spare tanks (30...55)
It all has to live 'under the plumbing, no hanging stuff.
I have a CPR Backpack 2 and a Aquaclear 800.
Been good so far, but I suspect I will have to replace everything  
this week. <The BakPak isn't going to do it, even an additional one wouldn't be enough as they are only rated for 60 gallon tanks. Consider an AquaC EV180 which would be great for your tank coupled to a Mag700 (MD7) pump.  The whole shot would run around $400.>
That's  all.
Someone.
Please tell me what to buy:
Bioballs? <Comes with sump>
Eheim? <Not needed.  Tray in sump is sufficient for chemical media etc.>
I would love a quick thoughtful response on this guys. I have read everything and it just doesn't cover it.
Feels funny to be 55g 'semiVeteran /
150 Newbie...
This would help so much -
Tell me what to do. <What I mentioned above would be ideal.>
Cheers, <And to you.  James (Salty Dog)>
c.

Quick Set-Up Questions/ FOWLR   1/13/06
Hello,
<Hi.>
I am going to be setting up a 55G FOWLR tank in about a week, I have 2 questions
<Sure.>
1. I am going to be curing the LR in the tank, should I add some powerheads? If so how many, and what brand/GPH would you recommend,  
also what is the best place to aim them for the best flow? I also plan on keeping them after the tank is set up. Also would adding  
these to the power heads be a good idea http://www.drsfostersmith.com/ Produ...R&N=2004+113782 .
<I would utilize three MaxiJet 1200’s, staggered in the tank if I were to go the powerhead route.>
2. I have some Carib-Sea Aragamax sand (not live) It says on the bag to rinse before adding, I was going to add some to a bucket and rinse  
with tap water. Should I be concerned with adding a small amount of  tap water to my tank? Should I buy a de-chlorinator and treat the tap  
water before rinsing? I don't really want to waste that much RO water to rinse sand.
<Rinsing with the tap is fine, especially since there won’t (there shouldn’t) be livestock in the tank on initial set-up.>
As Always
Thanks for all your help
<Anytime, Adam Jackson.>

Questions About New Tank - 01/01/2006
Hello!
<Hi Jenny!>   
I'm new to saltwater aquariums and would really appreciate your advice on the following setup!
<Alright.>
I've been reading quite a bit about FOWLR tanks, and feel like I'm kind of becoming more and more confused as to what I need for one due to the unlimited amount of info out there and how contradictory some of it is.
<Well, you should know that there are numerous paths that can be followed. Some info. may seem contradictory because it doesn't necessarily apply to all methods. A good thing to keep in mind is that consistency is key.>
What are your thoughts on the following:
- A 29 gallon glass tank (I know bigger is better because of stability, but I currently already have an unused tank and space restrictions)
<Just be diligent about maintenance.>   
- A FOWLR setup. I'm planning on about 30 pounds of live rock and only like 2 fish. I'd really like a clown and another small fish (any suggestions?) or maybe a pair of clowns?
<If two clowns, make sure they are a mated pair. Other options depend on the specific clown type really.>
I want to keep it at a light load since it's a smaller tank. I'd also like a cleanup crew and maybe some additional interesting inverts like shrimp.
<Sounds good.>   
- A CPR Backpack skimmer, or a Remora Skimmer. Does the CPR Backpack have a built in filter as well?
<Some Bak-Pak models have filters built in, not on AquaC. I would choose the AquaC.>   
- I'm confused about lighting.  What would I need for the above setup? I might eventually want to keep an Anenome, some simple, beginner friendly corals and a small starfish....but that's a ways down the road.
<Not much of an issue for fish only so you've got time to research before the next step. Anemones aren't simple and should not be mixed with corals so be very careful on selection when you decide to try these.>   
- Do I need another filter if I have enough live rock and a skimmer? I was looking into an Emperor H.O.B. if so. Will that work?
<I like to use some external, additional filtration for FOWLR. What you've mentioned would work. Could also look into canisters. Whichever though, keep 'em clean.>  
- How many powerheads will I need, and how strong so that there are no dead spots?
<Dead spots can be avoided with a little finesse. For movement, just aim for a 10x tank turn per hour (290 gal. or so).>   
So many questions, but I think the above are the basics. Is this an okay setup?
<It seems you still need to make final decisions, but sure.>
I'd really appreciate any advice before I start going to LFS and hearing all kinds of different, and sometimes wrong advice.
<Just research for yourself. Take all advice/info. available and process it intelligently.>
Thanks so much for your time!
Jenny
<Glad to help. - Josh>

New Tank Setup (Substrate/Filtration) - 01/01/06
Hello,
<<Howdy>>
I'm setting up a new 55G FOWLR tank, with the intention of adding corals and inverts at a later time.  I just wanted to run my set-up by you to get your opinion.
<<OK>>
I was planning on about a 3" sand bed (Is this a good depth to promote de-nitrification?)
<<I prefer 4"-6">>
with approx. 60% Carib-Sea Arag-Alive .5-1mm sand, and 40% Carib-Sea Aragamax .2-1.22mm sand.
<<Should be fine.>>
I'm going to get an AquaC Remora protein skimmer
<<A good skimmer for this tank.>>
and about 80Lbs of live rock.
<<Don't over do this.  Be sure to leave room for water flow/fishes to swim.>>
Does this setup sound good to you?
<<So far, yes.>>
Anything you would change or add?
<<You could get by just fine with your system as stated...but for a FOWLR I would consider adding a fluidized-bed filter for the additional bio-filtration/capacity.>>
Thanks for your input.
<<You're welcome, EricR>>

Going Up! Rocking A 210 - 12/14/2005
Hello,
<Hi there Pete!>
I have been operating a 90 gallon reef successfully for a couple of years now and will soon be starting up a 210 gallon FOWLR tank.
<Good times.>
My main fish is going to be a Niger Trigger and I want to add a Snowflake Eel, Yellow Tang, and Volitans Lionfish, in that order, before the Trigger.
<I would probably switch the Tang for placement after the Lion.>
Since they are all fairly large and aggressive fish I want to give them as much room as possible to move with a lot of place to hide.
<That's how they like it.>
My first question concerns live rock. The standard advice is 1.5 to 2 pounds per gallon but I feel that if I put in that much rock there will be no room for the fish.
<You'll just need additional filtration, no biggie.>
I also need to consider they need rock to hide in. In the 90 gallon reef tank I have 140 pounds of LR and it works as the biological filter. In the 210 I am planning to run either a trickle filter, an FX5 Fluval canister, or maybe even both for mech/bio/chem filtration (do you think this double filter system is okay or overkill??) so I assume the LR
quantity isn't that critical? Would you have a recommendation as to a LR amount that will give the fish room to move yet place to hide?
<The mentioned filtration would be fine, my only problem is I don't see a skimmer. FOWLR needs a strong external source of filtration IMO. These are all going to be heavy waste producers so you can't have "too much" (unless you don't keep them clean). Of course a frequent water change routine will be called for (keeping a reef has you used to this I'm sure). Did I mention a skimmer? For the LR, just use a personally aesthetic amount while still creating as many (separate and spaced out) nooks, crannies, pass throughs and bluffs as possible. BE VERY SURE that the bottom layer is quite secure, like placed on the glass before substrate. You may also look into sculpting (through zip-ties/epoxy) the structure as you go up.>
I am having a hard time because I want to keep their water as clean as possible <skimmers are great> and keep it all as natural as possible without jamming them in like sardines.
<They'll love you for that.>
For water flow I was looking at pumping about 2400 GPH back through the returns. Would that be sufficient and would it produce enough current or should I be adding powerheads or increasing return volume? (how do you keep them safe from a Trigger!!"")
<I would look to a stronger return here. Something in the 3500 - 4000 gph range, which could be throttled back if needed. 2400 gph is just over a 10 time tank turn, without subtracting head, and that may not keep waste/detritus suspended for removal (and skimming).>
Lastly, for these fish would 2 actinics with 2 daylights work for lighting? I doubt they would need any MH and would keep hidden if too bright.
<So far as I recall, these fish aren't photosynthetic so you should be fine;) Another point would be that the Eel and Lion prefer subdued light anyway. Don't forget also that bright lighting has been implicated in Lionfish blinding.>
Thanks in advance for your expert advice and time.
<Happy to give my humble opinion. Oh, and just jiving' ya' on the skimmer. I'm sure you just forgot to list it, but I have to make sure.>
Pete
<Josh>

Re: Going Up! Rocking A 210  12/16/05
Thanks for the advice Josh.
<Don't mention it!>
Yes, I did in fact forget to mention the skimmer which is a Precision Marine Bullet 3 that I will be using. I will also be
running a UV unit.
<There we go!>
What about the idea of powerheads? Are they worthwhile and even possible with a Trigger that may see everything as a chew toy?
<Well, for this very reason, I would try to avoid them at all costs. I trust you've read about the closed loop manifold, a much better way to go. - Josh>

FOWLR Set-Up and Young Dudes Like Me  12/03/05
Here's the truth.
<That’s what they all say…ahem, continue.>
I’m 18 and I’m a saltwater newby.
<Awesome, I love to see us younger “dudes” getting into the hobby, wish some of my ‘buds would take up my offer to help set-up some tanks for them.>
I’ve played with my share of freshwater fish and I know what’s up freshwater wise
<Mmm…wish I knew all of the “what-ups” of freshwater stuff, I’d say a FOWLR is much easier than a planted discus tank.>
but I want to make my first FOWLR system.
<Okay.>
I’m a newby to saltwater so here’s what I have. 40 gallon all-glass aquarium,
<Good brand.>
a Second Nature Power Filter (oddly big),
<Not a fan of power filters on marine aquaria except for the following: running optional media such as carbon/ChemiPure or additional water flow. At the very least I would look into a protein skimmer, there are a few efficient hang-on varieties that are easy to use such as the Aqua-C Remora, CPR Bak-Pak, Tunze and Deltec models.>
heater, Rio powerhead.
<Not a fan of Rio powerheads, have had a few BAD experiences with them. Lets just say there are a few brands I would choose over RIO such as Eheim and Maxi-jet. Water flow is important, your tank’s water volume to turn over at least five times an hour with 10 or 15 being even better.>
<<This is not uncommon at all, have read stories of folks with the sweet reef thing going on, the Rio burns up (literally BURNS) et voila, they have this black stinky schmutz floating all through their system.  Bad juju in my book.  Marina>>
The lighting that I have is kinda unknown I know it's the all-glass hood setup with only one strip (it has the set-up for another light but there's no end caps installed.)
<Its likely a hood for normal output fluorescence.>
and I cant find out what watt it is with a 20 inch bulb
<Are you sure it’s a 20” bulb not a 20” fixture. As far as I know N.O. bulbs come in 18” then the next step up is a 24” bulb.>
<<Correct.  MH>>
and I was wondering if it is going to be sufficient.
<For a FOWLR (live rock and fish) yes, for photosynthetic organisms/zooxanthellae 
<<It is "zooxanthellae", my friend (note the "a" before the last "e", thus making pronunciation "zoo-zan-THEL-ee").  Marina>> 
 hosting inverts, no.>
I have the saltwater in but with nothing else. (no substrate/rock/fish) is this safe to start with.
<If this is to be a FOWLR I would begin your cycle with some uncured live rock, see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/estbiofiltmar.htm … also take a gander at the other linked articles within and the FAQ’s as well.>
I’m going to purchase live rock and Arago-live <<Aragalive>>
<I would rather just use the live rock along with some sterile/dry sand, get a cup of substrate from a retailer/ friend or two The bagged “wet/alive” stuff just seems so…not worth it to me, an established marine or reef tank has much more beneficial microfauna (“sand-critters”). You will also need to decide what type of sand-bed you want: just for aesthetics or functional: If you want a sand bed just for looks go with 1” or less. If you choose to have a “functional” sand bed, one that is “built” for nitrification and micro-fauna production you will need to shoot for 4” or more, this is known as a Deep Sand Bed. See here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/deepsandbeds.htm  .>
but I was wondering mainly if my lighting is going to be ok for some corals (if it is what ones)
<No, likely going to need an upgrade even for low light critters. Though you can have other non-photosynthetic animals such as tube worms (feather dusters) and shrimp.>
and if its ok to put the live rock and substrate in now.
<Yes I would use the live rock as your cycling “tool,” a waste source to begin your cycling process.>
water has been in for a few days now.
<After adding the live-rock you will be looking at a few more weeks before adding other life, such as fish. You will also need a small separate tank, to quarantine animals before introduction to ensure there health and protect the display from being exposed to disease, see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/QuarMarFishes.htm .>
the guy I bought it from had plans for a auto water changer.
<Many marine systems are quite the high tech, with this sort of plumbing (auto-water changes, among other things). In your case for simplicity I would get a Rubbermaid container or some type of chemically inert container to mix salt-water in to use for your changes. See Here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/scottsh2ochgart.htm .>
The dude scared me.
<That’s happened to me but not with aquariums….never mind that’s another story for another time.>
If u could give me some advice on
What else I need and or should do that would be great. ..
<The one you should do is: research, research and research. And be patient, do not rush livestock addition. Read as much as you can, through here at WWM and books available such as Mike Paletta's ”New Marine Aquarium.”> 
not that great on money but give me ideas.
<There are many DIY projects and safe corner cutting ideas available just look-around in the net on such resources as reefcentral and our own chat forum here. GET a protein skimmer! I will say that normally my responses would not be this long or include links but I would really like to see more young folks in the hobby Keep on reading, use the sites Google search feature, and don’t be discouraged. Also next time you write in be sure to punctuate and capitalize where appropriate as these queries are posted for other folks benefit, I will help you out this time. Later, Adam J.> 

20 Gallon FOWLR  11/8/05
Dear Mr. Fenner, 
<James today>
Thank you for the fabulous website. The more I read on marine aquariums the more I become intrigued and interested in starting my own. Currently, I have a 55g freshwater aquarium that is in use and a 20g aquarium that I plan on using as a FOWLR aquarium. With my freshwater aquarium I have had tremendous luck using a Fluval canister filter. Should I buy another Fluval canister to support the 20g FOWLR (and if so what gph rate) or use the basic Penguin bio-wheel filter that was previously used with the tank?
<I would use the Penguin. The bio wheel will give you plenty of aeration. Air stones in SW tanks cause too much salt creep. The air bubbles don't really aerate the water, rather the bubbles moves a small amount of water to the surface where it can absorb some O2.> 
Should I use the same techniques for aeration in the Saltwater aquarium as in a freshwater aquarium? 
<As above>
(12 inch air stone under the crushed coral) Also how much live rock is best suited for a 20g tank? 
< For a twenty I'd start with 25 pounds and see how it looks.> 
With weekly water changes would I need a protein skimmer? 
<Marine systems always do better with a skimmer.> 
I have been told that protein skimmers can take out some of the vital elements that a marine aquarium requires. 
<That is one of the reasons we do weekly 10% water changes.> 
Thank you for your time in answering my questions. 
<You're welcome> 
I would like to start off on the right foot, so if my interest continues I can convert the 55g into a marine aquarium. 
< Do search our WWM site, keyword "Marine Setup" for further reading. Good luck. James (Salty Dog)>

FOWLR Setup  11/7/05
Greetings.
<Hi There! Scott F. with you today!>
I am setting up a 60gal FOWLR tank. I started with about an inch to a inch and a half of live sand. On top of that I want to use 20 to 25lbs of live rock. I have read on your site that more is better, but it is a bit crowded for my taste.
<Well, live rock and sand do provide some biological filtration, but they are also bioload, so "less can be more", too. Use an amount that suits your taste.>
As for as my filtration, here goes. One AquaC Remora skimmer and two Eheim 2217 canister filters. I need a quiet tank. Now my question, would I get better results from my canister filters if I filled them up with just bio balls instead of the stock media that came with the filters?
<You could enjoy the best of both worlds if you fill one with biological media, and the other with activated carbon or other chemical filtration media.>
Also is that good enough water movement?
<If the returns are spread well, it can be fine for a FOWLR tank of this size.>
I plan to have a Picasso Trigger, a Clown, a Baby Blue Tang, and one or two sand sifters. Thanks for your incite, MIKE in S.F.
<Well, Mike, I think that your setup can work, but you may want to forgo the Trigger until you can get a much larger tank, and I'd only get the Blue Tang if you'll have much larger quarters available for him in the future. Best of luck! Regards, Scott F.> 

No Matter What Size Tank You Start With – Almost Everyone Wants Bigger. Marine FOWLR upgrade.
10/26/05
Hi,
<Hello Dave….old sci-fi movie flash back.>
<<"Open the pod bay doors, HAL.  "I'm sorry, Dave, I can't do that.">>
I have to start out by saying that the site is great and I have found so much information on it since I discovered it a few weeks ago. I am very new to marine fish keeping (just started my first tank only a few months ago). 
<I’m glad you have made use of our resource.>
I basically have 2 questions. First of all I currently now am running a 30 gallon FOWLR tank with a 75 gallon rated wet/dry filter with a skimmer, a Titan Chiller, Rena Excel Heater, Hagen Powerhead, and also a Rena air pump 
<The air pump is not hurting anything but the protein skimmer will aerate the tank more than enough.>
aerating the sump water return on the wet/dry (a 3 inch blue tang, 
<Good thing you are upgrading to the 75, this tang needs it as soon as possible, even then at an adult length of 12” you may need to trade this guy in eventually.> 
2 damsels, 2 clownfish 1 Bicolor Pseudochromis, and a few hermit crabs). Regarding temperature right now I am FOWLR and am trying to keep temperature right around 77 - 78 degree range 
<That’s fine.> 
I want to move to a reef tank with coral and fish, is this temperature ok? 
<Yes as long as it is stable.> 
I could have swore I saw something that maybe keeping it at 79 – 80 
<Some keep it a bit warmer, generally anything in the 76-82 range is acceptable but you don’t want it swinging a lot, stability is they key, 78 is my preference.> 
is a better idea because if say it did spike to like 81 - 82 degrees its not as bad as spiking to that from 77 or so (larger
gap).
<Should not spike with a chiller on the system, a fan or two blowing across the surface of the sump or display can be helpful too.>
Now for my real question... I had tired {tried?} to start a reef in this tank but basically killed all my coral because of many things including tap water, pH drops, etc. 
<Yes corals come from one of the most stable environments on Earth, they do not adjust well to quick/many changes not to mention improper conditions such as wrong pH levels.> 
I have stabilized my tank using RO water ( I did 50 % water changes every few days and now everything seems locked in), 
<Good the RO water is much more reliable than the tap.> 
<<And tap is FAR more reliable than bottled. Bottled falls under the jurisdiction of the FDA, not the EPA, and as such is not held to the same requirements as municipal/well (potable) water supplies.  MH>>
and also have been manually dosing very small amounts of Kalkwasser to get alkalinity and calcium up (another one of my flaws when I fried all my coral) 
<Good you have been doing your research.> 
in place of using pure water to compensate for evaporation (I plan on budgeting for a calcium reactor system in the future).
<You should use freshwater to compensate for evaporation, you can have it top off with kalkwasser in it (in fact many calcium and kalk reactors are set up inline with auto-top off systems) to adjust the pH or pH buffer, but I would continue with the kalk dosing as well.>
What I now want to do is to upgrade my tank to a larger 75 gallon tank because I feel it might actually be less prone to fluctuations as the 30 gallon, 
<A 75 is definitely much more stable than a 30.> 
plus, the stand with the 30 gallon does not fit hardly any of my equipment, and not to mention I just want a larger tank... 
<Of course.> 
I will have to upgrade my powerheads and get a refund/credit for my 30 inch lighting and upgrade to 48 inch (still have 40 days left to get a refund), etc, but I think in the long run it's worth it. 
<I agree, the upgrade is a good idea but keep the 30 gallon though it will be useful as a quarantine tank.>
The wet/dry will be converted (new tank or not) to a sump with no bio balls and instead I will have a refugium with maybe some sand, live rock etc. and a lighting system.
<Very good.>
To upgrade... can I setup the 75 gallon tank, add new sand or some other substrate, put my fish in buckets, transfer all the live substrate, live rock and water, and add the additional fresh saltwater needed to fill the aquarium and pull it off? <I would set up the 75 while the 30 is still up and running and allow it to stabilize completely, even if you use the contents of your 30 to set it up, there is still a chance you could see a small amount of re-cycling, you can use water changes to compensate for that.> 
The way I am thinking about it there should be no cycle and it should act as a big water change (but then again I don't know too much). 
<Chances are there will be little to no ammonia spikes but I prefer to be on the safe side…not doing it all in one day at least over the course of a week.> 
I can add additional live rock (a store here in Chicago that carries it and is a mere 5 minutes away - I was told if transported right I would have no die off, not sure if that’s true). 
<If the rock is cured this is true if it uncured you will have to go through a full cycle.> 
Is this something that’s ok to do? Or is it a better idea to start from scratch and cycle the new tank in the normal way?
<If at all possible the best way to do it, is to set-it up independently (leave the 30 alone except for borrowing some rock and sand to seed the new set-up) and let it cycle on its own and stabilize before transferring the set-up.>
Thanks for all your help! I find this site to be the best resource for all marine info.
<Thank you for the compliments.>
Dave Sheehan
<Adam J.>

Starting a new aquarium  10/20/05
Great site guys, <Thanks>I’ve got a lot of great info here. I’m setting up a 70 gal tank, FOWLR, a couple of inverts (anemones), maybe eventually a few easy to care for corals. Here is my question,  I see a lot of talk about removing bio balls from the wet/dry, is it ok to just start without them. I plan on around 50lb. of base rock seeded with 20-25lb. of live rock, and putting small base rock frags in the sump. around 20 to 25 pounds worth) To my knowledge this will all become “live rock”<Eventually> (patience I’ve got…money I don’t!!) or should I start with the bio-balls and remove them slowly once the tank is established.<Yes, I would> I’ll also be running a Aqua-C Urchin Pro protein skimmer.( any thoughts on this skimmer?) <A good skimmer> like I said before I’ve got plenty of patience, I can wait 3 to 6 months before adding the first fish. Thanks
in advance for all the help. <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>

From Reef To FOWLR- A Re-Start...  10/19/05
Hi WWM crew member,
<Hi there! Scott F. your Crew member today>
I got myself into a real mess...I have a 55gl reef tank with a 2yr old DSB of 4"- 5" that started out as a FOWLR setup. Things were going well for the reef until I fell ill to the point that I wasn't able to properly care for the tank.
<Sorry to hear that.>
I battled for 2 months trying to get rid of a persistent Cyano slime outbreak, doing constant 10% water changes about every 10 days, scrubbing the rock and siphoning the sand, etc... till I just decided it was time to start over again without doing a reef tank. So I did something drastic, sold off my corals and fish and took out the Cyano covered rock and bleached it in the sun ( I'll be putting the rock in a hot water bath to make sure nothing can cause another outbreak). I also have a refugium that has slime in it, too. Since I am going back to just fish, I disconnected the fuge, scooped out the sand and cleaned up the tank (30gl).
<Well, you could utilize a well functioning refugium even in a FOWLR tank. The collateral benefits (nutrient export, natural food production, etc.) can still benefit this type of tank.>
OK, here's where I need your advice...since I am not doing a reef now, would it be a good time to remove some or all of the
DSB, being that it's already a couple years old? I still want to build up another one and maybe put some of the old sand back into the fuge with saved tank water to hasten cycling.
<My thinking is that you can certainly use a DSB in a FOWLR tank. You should try to manage a FOWLR tank just like a reef, using aggressive nutrient export methods and husbandry techniques. I would personally avoid a DSB in a FOWLR system, myself, as it could become a maintenance liability in the long term in such a system, accumulating fish waste, etc. if maintenance slides. I'd opt for a remote DSB in the refugium or sump to avoid disturbance caused by fishes in the display.>
There is some LR left and the "cleaned" rock will go back in the tank. Does this plan seem reasonable or can I just put another layer of aragonite or finer sand over the existing bed?
Much appreciation!
<I suppose that I'd be inclined to start from scratch with the sand, quite honestly. Despite bleaching rock, etc, my thinking is to revisit the issues that caused the problems in the reef in the first place. Granted, you were unable to physically maintain the tank the way you wanted to, but do revisit basic stuff, like the setup itself, husbandry techniques (water changes, use of filter media, etc.) and stocking for the tank. In other words, analyze everything from the equipment you will use to your maintenance schedule, live rock placement, and everything in between. Design and construct this system for ease of maintenance and stability. That's the key to long term success! Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

Substrate and Live Rock setup - 9/16/05
Hi guys, hope all is well and that the hobby/trade is continuing to fascinate you and provide you with much enjoyment. <Always> A quick couple of questions about substrate and live rock if you don't mind! <Sure> I've almost set up my 47G marine aquarium having spent a couple of months reading/learning and building from scratch using the best equipment I can afford (as recommended by your good selves!) <Excellent> The tank has just cycled after only 10 days since having put in 20KG of premium uncured Fiji live rock. <10 days eh? I would give it another two weeks>  Now, I intend to aquascape using 2-part epoxy (I intend to build 2 reasonably flat bases of ocean rock on which to affix the live rock) but need to ensure I have the substrate right first. <OK> I have no U/G filter <Good> and intend to place the rock directly on the sand - this being CaribSea 0.5mm - 1.0mm Aragonite sand. <What I have done as well. In fact I have the same substrate too>  IYO should I leave in the 3" depth or reduce to perhaps 1" or 2" (I'm concerned about Anoxia you see)? <3-4 inches or more is ideal You could place the rock at the 1inch mark and then fill around the rock for more stability if you want. This is what I did>> Secondly, I filtered and skimmed full pelt during the curing process of the live rock yet it has mostly died (it is pretty bleached) with the biggest part of the Coralline algae losing it's colour in the process. <Actually quite normal regardless of external filtration and skimming methods. Not abnormal at all>  Would you suggest the rock will again become infested with life, and would 5KG of cured live rock be sufficient to assist in the seeding of the old rock? <The rock will again, over time, be alive with coralline growth and sponges. Need months to years in some cases. Add as much Live Rock as the tank will support (think within your aquascaping) and you can afford.>   Many thanks in anticipation of any response/help, and - yet again - u guys r the best!  
Steve Morse <Thanks Steve.>

The Beginning of The Journey (Starting A New System)  9/7/05
Hi guys,
<Scott F. your guy tonight!>
I have a 75 gallon tank that I wish to set up as a FOWLR first off. I bought the tank second hand and it is reef ready with 48" VHO bulbs, which pack almost 6 watts per gallon. I was wondering if this would cause a problem with possibly algae, or would it just be not good for the tank's inhabitants, fish live rock.
<Remember, lighting alone does not cause algae problems...Lighting and excessive nutrients together cause algae problems!>
I had first planned on stocking a reef aquarium but after reading books and websites I have decided to start off with a fish only with live rock. Two more questions: When doing
water changes, you replace the water taken out with fresh water, right (because salt doesn't leave the tank??)?
<No.. you use saltwater, previously prepared. Do read up on the WWM site on water changes..>
Also if I have live rock and crushed coral sand, will the sand over time become live???
<It certainly will, given time and the introduction of live rock and other "starter" organisms.>
In my tank I plan to stock it with 1 Yellow, and one Hippo blue tang (come together at LFS)
<Please just take the Yellow Tang.. the Hippo simply becomes too large for this system, and the two together is a mistake in this size of aquarium.>
one Maroon Gold-Striped Clown, 2 Hawaii cleaner wrasse,
<Yikes!! PLEASE do NOT purchase these fishes under any circumstances...They are absolutely unsuitable for captivity, do direct harm to natural reefs by depriving the fishes of their services, and are technically not legal to sell.>
a Flame Angel, and 3 Damsels (to start with cycling, if any of them last...)
<You can and should cycle the tank without Damsels...not too nice a thing, IMO. Read up on the WWM site on cycling new systems.>
I hope this isn't overdoing it.
<I have commented where appropriate..>
I do plan to eventually switch to a reef tank, but only gradually. These are the only questions I can think of right now, but I have a suggestion- check out the ecoAQUALIZER at
www.ecoaqualizer.com and tell me what you think of it.
<I have read about this product, but frankly, I really don't understand it or use it, so I am not in a position to comment on it! Put out a post on the WWM Chat Forum to see if any fellow hobbyists have tried it!>
Thanks a bunch!
Christian
<Well, Christian- I hope I have been useful to you...My best advice is to keep studying and reading here and elsewhere. Do purchase a copy of Bob's "Conscientious Marine Aquarist" and Michael Paletta's "The New Marine Aquarium" for lots more good fundamental advice! Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

Upgrading A FOWLR System  9/7/05
Hi everyone,
<Hello there! Scott F. here today!>
I have a question regarding upgrading my current aquarium, which is 72g with no overflows, HOB refugium, Remora Pro, a 3-4 inch sand bed, and approximately 110 lbs of live rock, plus two Tunze streams for circulation. This Saturday I will be upgrading and purchasing a 125g from a fellow aquarist. I want to make sure that I set this tank up correct, so I would like to run a few questions by your team of esteemed associates. By the way, I do not plan on having any high level reef items in here, just fish and maybe a few Mushroom Corals. First off, I ideally want to put the  new aquarium in the same spot that I have my 72g. So I want to take the current tank down and use the live sand and live rock in the new tank. I read on your site that you either want an inch or less of sand, or possibly 4 or more for a DSB. Am I correct in these findings?
<That's my take on it. Go all the way, or just use a sprinkling of sand for the aesthetics...Or, be daring and try something completely different, like a rubble bottom, etc.>
I would prefer the DSB, so I was planning on getting a bag or two of aragonite sand. Do you think this would be enough, since I have about 4 inches in my 48 inch 72g?
<Depends on the size of the sand and the bag, but two 30-40 lb bags could get you there.>
Also, with regards to placing my fish back in their new environment, do I just need to wait until the levels in the tank are back to normal?
<Yes. You do want to monitor water chemistry carefully during the cycling process.>
Next, I am unfamiliar with some of the equipment that I am receiving. I have read a few good
reviews, but I have no personal experience with them. The first is the skimmer. How good are Precision
Marine Bullet Skimmers compared to an AquaC or Turboflotor?
<Although I do not have personal experience with the Precision Marine model, I have heard nothing but good stuff about it! The ones I have seen in operation are excellent! The Aqua C and Turboflotor are proven designs which work for many hobbyists. Aqua C has the addition of Jason Kim, the company's owner, as a great source of customer support!>
I have the Remora now and love how easy it is to clean and the amount of skimmate that it produces. Does the Bullet feature similar benefits? Is there a better in-sump model I should be looking at?
<I would also check out the "plug-and-play" Euroreef models.>
Another piece of equipment is an Ocean Clear canister filter by Red Sea. Should I opt out and not use this on my aquarium? I have read that canister filters cause chemical imbalances in the aquarium due to built up debris in the canister.
<Well, they are efficient pieces of equipment, but they require very careful attention to maintenance and media replacement to avoid becoming nutrient "traps" that can degrade water quality.>
Should I leave the canister attached until the dust storm from setting up the tank is done?
<Good idea!>
Should I focus on my refugium in the sump instead, aiming at maximum nutrient export?
<I like the idea of more "natural" methods of nutrient export, such as the refugium and protein skimmer, not to mention regular water changes.>
Do you have any recommendation for a very good refugium setup (design)? Thank you for all the help you have
been in the past. I do appreciate it.
<Check out Bob and Anthony's "Reef Invertebrates" book for a great chapter on refugia. Also, you should visit the DIY website ozreef.org for lots of ideas on designing and constructing refugia. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

FOWLR Set-up 8/5/05
I have decided to go with a 90 gallon FOWLR setup. I want something that is nice looking and easy to care for, but I am also on a restricted budget. So far, I have bought a BioWheel powerfilter, a prism skimmer,
<I would save up, get something better...>
and crushed Puka shell substrate, all of which I now realize are worthless. I have decided that I must be the worst decision maker in the history of aquarists.
<Oh no! You're not even near... even I have made much more grievous mis-purchases>
Here is my question: what do I need? Do I need to buy several bags of aragonite sand in order to get a bed at least 6" deep and seed it with a bag of live sand?
<Posted on WWM>
Or, do I need to just break down and buy about a hundred pounds of live sand? (
<No>
That is sarcasm, I really can't afford that much live sand ;) Can I just go with a 1/2" thick layer of sand in my tank and use a sump with a deep sand bed?
<Posted>
Also, is there anything I can do with my Puka shell other than look at it and realize that I wasted $60 bucks?
<Sell it>
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide, as I've decided that I am never buying another thing until I ask you guys first, as I have repeatedly proven myself to be incompetent.
<Please learn to/use the search tool, indices on WWM... read there. Bob Fenner>

Help setting up 29 gal 7/23/05
Hello. I have been in the fishkeeping hobby for 15 years on/off, but have always done things the old school way... w/d filtration, skimmerless,
<... not old school... backward>
medium (2-3 inch crushed coral bed) etc. in a fish only set-up.  I now have a 100 gal tank with relatively high bio-load that uses a w/d, but have a few months ago added an Aqua-C skimmer and now am a believer in the benefits of skimming.
<Oh, me too>
The H20 quality has always been good in that my nitrate levels never get over about 10ppm and usually is almost 0.  I do regular H20 changes, but am not neurotic about it.  All the fish seem healthy and vibrant in color.  
<Good>
My question is: I am now setting up another smaller tank (29 gal) and intend for it also to be a fish only tank with some live rock.  I have read many of the articles on WWM about the benefits of having a DSB, refugium, sump, etc. and I'm very torn!  Part of me says, I've done well so far using the old-style methods except I would definitely always skim now... and part of me says "should I use a deep sand bed (4 inches in my 29 gal), remove the bioballs in the built-in wet/dry compartments in the back of the 29 gal tank and fill it will LR rubble, or should I use a spare 10 gal glass tank under the tank in the cabinet as a separate cryptic  (non -illuminated) refugium?
<I'd try them both...>
If yes, how would I
plumb the H20 flow (by using powerheads to and from?)
<Heeee! No... please read... http://www.wetwebmedia.com/plumbingmarart.htm
and the linked files above... where you lead yourself>
Or, since I am only intending on using this as a fish-only system, is it okay to just use the w/d filtration?  I am so torn...I know it may be better to employ all the new school techniques, but I am afraid it will get too complicated and expensive for me.  
This tank is in my office, and I don't want to be obligated to come in on the weekends to service a very complicated system.  Any advice would be appreciated!  
Thank you for your time in advance.
<When, where in doubt with important matters, do nothing... keep reading, chatting... you will know what to do when you are ready, calm. Bob Fenner>

Help with 180g FOWLR
Hello Crew! <Hello>
You have been a tremendous help so far, but please help this amateur with a little (OK a lot) more advice. I am going from a 1 year running 55G FOWLR to  a 180g FOWLR. I already bought the tank. It has two internal overflows each with a 2" and 2 3/4 " hole cut thru the bottom. I plan on having a 55g tank underneath to use as a sump with my aqua C 240 skimmer in it, and two heaters. I want to go with two pumps in the 55 , live rock somewhere, and a refugium on the  180. First question, which hole in each overflow should go into the  sump? <The larger ones> Are the other two holes for the returns ? <Yes, the smaller ones> Next, are there pumps a  little cheaper than Iwakis that you can recommend. <Do LFS searches on line, Drs. Foster and Smith for one and check these out for yourself.  I generally look for the volume I want then compare wattage/current use.  I like to stay with the low current use, generally put out less heat.> Third, what is the  minimum amount of
live rock that I can get by with, and should some be in the  sump ? <I would want at least 200 pounds, but that also depends on the density of the rock, some are lighter than others.  Check with your dealer on this.> I also bought an Aquafuge 24 " refugium, but it wont fit on the tank  since the tank manufacturer has a 4" lip of glass running along the inside  of most of top of the tank. I am afraid to drill the glass: it might be  tempered and if not I still have no experience at this. <I'd see if I could return the ref if not used and trade for a sump type ref.> I know this is a  lot of questions, but my fish and I are trying to get this right. Thanks.  P.S. - I clicked the bottom of your homepage to support the cause and I  encourage everyone to do so ! <Thanks, James (Salty Dog)>

New FOWLR System, marine filtration, laziness
Crew,
After reading a couple books and all the online help and can get I am still very new to the SW I am really confused to the reasoning behind a lot of what I read on your web site. For example skimmers, sumps, refugiums? I would like to know the reasoning for these and whether I need them for my setup and the outcome that I want for my tank.
<You need to keep reading... All are devices for improving water quality...>
My Setup currently is a 35G hex, with a hang on the back filter, an UG Filter, 10lbs live rock (looking at getting more), crushed coral, and only the normal hood light that the unit came with which has a new marine Glo 15w bulb in it. Now I have started my cycling process with the live rock and actually messed up by putting a fish in it,
<Uh, take it out">
but it is a yellow tailed damsel which should be hardy enough to make it through the cycle with the live rock and is actually doing quite well. Anyways, for the outcome all I want is a fish with live rock and maybe some little invertebrates, for example some turbo snails, hermit crabs, etc, but nothing major. Overall I am just worried that I am getting into this without enough equipment and looking at prices it is almost intimidating spending all this money for a tank that people tell me is worthless and for only 35G I am weighing out the pros and cons. I would like to know your opinion on my equipment, which I believe the two problem areas are my lighting and filtration 
<Yes, mostly the latter>
and if it is a problem what is the cheapest and most efficient methods of solving them. Also what is the mass stock hold for the tank and any preferences to the fish for a community tank. 
<I like James'/Salty Dog's estimate of one cubic inch of life per five gallons actual volume>
I was thinking maybe a clown, schooling fish, and then just a few small inverts. Would really appreciate any help you can give me, and thanks for such a wonderful website.
Thanks
Travis
<Keep reading Travis... You don't lack equipment so much as knowledge. Read the actual articles on WWM, a complete Marine Aquarium book... Don't cheat yourself... the enjoyment and success you will achieve is parallel with the effort you will put into this relationship. Bob Fenner> 

Ready to Make the Plunge
Hello WWM Crew, 
<Hello, Scott>
I have been reading on your site every day during my lunch break (sometimes more) for the past month and have been overwhelmed by the amount of information and diversity of opinions. 
<Very much can be learned here.> 
I have also read Mr. Fenner's book (also, excellent reading material) and feel that I am ready to try my hand at maintaining a FOWLR tank. I would like to run my questions/ideas/setup past you and get your opinion on weather I am on the right track or not.
Here is my setup:
75g All-Glass MegaFlow tank
AquaC Remora skimmer 
<Good choice>
29g tank that I am going to use as a downstream sump/refugium
2x65 PC Coralife Aqualight
CAP-2200 return pump in the refugium
(2) Penguin 1140 power heads in the tank for a total ~1100GPH in the tank
Now the questions:
1.) Do I need any other filtration other then the skimmer and refugium, LR, and live sand? 
<Should be fine>
2.) I plan on mixing/buffering the saltwater in the tank. After it settles (after a week) add the substrate, live sand in the tank and probably Araga-Mud in the refugium. Should I use a DSB in the tank and/or refugium? If not then how deep should I make the substrate in the tank. 
<The DSB is your choice. Sand sifting critters will be needed if you employ the DSB. It is not a necessity. With no DSB, no more than 1 1/4 inch of substrate.>
3.) I am going to buy 60lb of LR from FFE and use it to cycle the tank to start and add more later. I am going to have the skimmer running full bore the whole time. Should I keep the lights on a cycle during the process of leave them off? 
<Definitely leave the lights off. You will have a high nutrient level in the tank at this time and with lighting, could cause an explosive algae growth.> 
Also, how often should I do water changes and how much during the process? I have read different opinions on this. <10% weekly>
4.) After the cycling process I am going to add my "cleanup crew".  I want to grow some sort of macro-algae in the refugium. At what point can I start to do this? 
<After the tank cycles would be safest>
5.) My goal is to do a Reef down the road, so do I have enough light for soft corals, etc... and do I have enough flow in the tank? 
<No, do a search on the Wet Web, keyword "lighting".>
That's all I can think of at the moment. Since I don't live in California, I don't have the luxury of the 3-strike rule. My wife has made it clear that if I don't get it right the first time, we are buying goldfish. I don't want to end up with an expensive goldfish tank...
<Keep reading, Scott, and most of all, have patience. James (Salty Dog).>

New System Design
Hello Again
<Hi there! Scott F. with you today!>
I have been reading as much info as possible on your site, and I think I have a good idea as to what to use with my 180g FOWLR that I will soon be setting up. But it is now time to bow to the masters ! Here are my thoughts. My new tank has two internal overflows. I have an Aqua C EV240 skimmer with a Mag12 pump, an Emperor 400 hang on filter with seasoned Bio Wheels, and a Hot Magnum canister filter to add water circulation. I want to add an Aquafuge 24 " refugium, and am thinking of either 2 Eheim Pro II 2026's or two Fluval 404's. Or could I get by with one Eheim 2028 ?
<If you are inclined to use mechanical filters (and it sounds like you are!), then you'd better develop the habit of very frequently cleaning and replacing the media, or you'll end up with nutrient traps that can degrade the water quality you're striving for. Personally, I'd use only one, if at all, and go with a well-designed, yet simple sump setup. This will be much easier all around, and be an excellent place to put your very capable skimmer!>
Also, I have about 40 - 50lbs of rock that was "dead" when I put it in my 55g Fish only 7 months ago. Would it now be considered live? It has changed colors and appears to have forms of  algae growing on it.
<I would consider it live, sure!>
If I could use it with the live rock that I will be purchasing, it will curb some of the cost.
<You could.>
Oh yeah, and I want to use crushed coral instead of the live sand in my present tank. Will this be ok for my Blue Cheek Sleeper Goby?
<I'd be inclined to use something finer for this fish. Hope this helps! Regards, Scott F.> 

Marine substrates
Thanks Bob, I needed to hear that because I love this little guy, lol.  One other thing.  Does regular live sand and other ocean "fine sand' as substrate, create problems as far as disease goes with FOWLR systems?
<Mmm, no>
  It just seems like there always one fish with ich or that's itching their gills in my tank, even after a freshwater dip after acclimating before I put into display.  Would you recommend removing the sand substrate slowly with vacuum until it's gone, then replacing it with crushed coral or something like that?
<Crushed coral is better than sand... an array of marine substrates are described, evaluated on WWM>
  I have thoroughly searched forums and your book for the answer to this question and was unable to find it.  
Thanks so much
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marsubstr.htm
Bob Fenner>

50 Gal FOWLR Advice
Hey guys!
First off thanks for all the info online, I've delved into it as best I may to limit any grossly ignorant questions. I am setting up a 50Gal tank FOWLR, below is what I plan.
50 Gallon Tank
Aqua Clear Pro 75 Wet Dry Filter w/ Skimmer (300 gph)
200 watt heater in sump
40-50 lb live rock
40-60 lb live sand
2-65 watt power compacts (dual daylight and dual actinic)
I have two questions. First, will the 300gph return from the sump/filter be enough water movement, or should I get something else to move more water than that?
< I think you will need a little more water movement. I would suggest about 500-700gph.>
The real question I have is about cycling order. I can have at my disposal small hermit crabs (which will also stir the substrate),