# Noob... thinking 20g FOWLR..



## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

Well, I am considering setting up a 20g FOWLR. Its currently sitting here beside my FW tanks, and my last trip to the LFS caught me snooping around the SW section. I know bigger is always better, but I don't want to hit the wallet too hard until I learn what maintaining SW is all about.

Plan.. and questions:

20g fowlr
Lights: TBD
Flow: Koralia Nano mebbe 2 of the lowest flow model
Filter: .. or .. not sure on this is something like an AC70 useful with lets say sponge and carbon? Or.. would it serve better as a HOB refugium? (Can anyone point me towards how to set one up as such)
Skimmer: Hob brand tbd
cured Live rock and sand: 1-2" ok for depth?
Water: Store bought! well ro/di water then mixed. For mixing, can I mix in a 5g pail and use an airstone to mix it for a day or two before 10% weekly changes?

Fish: Well I want a black and white clown, perhaps a goby or blenny as well. Can I keep 2 clowns in there and can anyone suggest gobies or blennies that are compatible?
CUC: Snails and mebbe a shrimp: no clue which though.. anyone?

Lastly.. WOuld anyone mind pointing me to some good Marine stockists, preferrably in the east end but I am not against wandering further afield. (PM's are ok)

Oh and how does my plan look...?


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

I would say that for the amount of money you're gonna spend on equipment, live rock, and livestock, the price of the tank is pretty small.

20 gallons is decent, but doesn't leave you much room for expansion. 2 fully grown clowns, for example, would take over the entire tank.

Don't use store bought water, it's not worth it. I do water changes once or twice a month on my 16-gal fowlr. I use straight up tap water, mix it with Instant Ocean Sea Salt until the water is clear, check/adjust the salinity, then pour it in.

The depth of your sand bed is a personal choice: a deep sand bed acts as an excellent biofilter, but some people don't like the look.


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## Tim (Dec 11, 2011)

With only a few fish you won't need a skimmer.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

OK, if you're testing the waters, you have a decent start in mind.

Keep it simple and see how you like the whole game. Certain things are different than FW so you want to get a handle on it before you go spend too much $.

Remember, that while mechanical filtration is fine for a SW tank, biological filtration is much more important. I ran a reef tank for a year and a half with no mechanical filtration, and it was as beautiful & healthy as ever. You are much better off using it as a refugium of sorts- Google around for user hacks and mods, there are a ton out there.

Yeah, you don't really need a skimmer for FOWLR, so leave that out.

Don't use an airstone, you don't need to add that extra oxygen to the water it'll just mess with the water chemistry, instead you need to move it around. Use a cheap used powerhead or pond fountain pump instead. also use a cheap heater to warm up your WC water up to tank temperature- if you don't have a spare, you can find cheap ones on eBay for next to nothing.

another problem I see frequently with people switching over to SW from FW, is in the area of water changes. WC's are a sensitive thing in a SW tank, as you are also adding a pile of minerals with your water, that can have a disastrous effect on the chemistry of the water. some guys do a 25% or 50% WC hoping to do good to their tank because maybe they forgot one when they were away on holidays. Consistency and quality are much more important than quantiy. Personally, I would never recommend more than a 10% WC unless your tank is in the process of crashing. And for added safety, make sure you add the new water slowly, through a small-diameter hose siphon or something.

Read this to learn from a buddy's mistake: http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32048

IMO your stocklist isn't too crazy, make sure you add the clowns at the same time, else they may fight. Many clowns are peaceful, but they all are still members of the damselfish family, maroons and sometimes even tomatos can be aggressive. Always research well before you buy any fish. You could probably get a fire fish and a goby of some kind in there too, and 1 shrimp, and whatever for hermits, CUC, etc., but add things slowly and see how it goes.

For stores you're kinda screwed, the only place near you is Big Al's in Whitby and PJ's in Pickering, both have IMHO poorly kept and overpriced marine sections. You really need to make the trip into Scarberia to North American Fish Breeders (AKA NAFB) or better yet, Sea u Marine in Markham (AKA SUM)


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## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

Thanks, I paid a visit to nafb for the first time this past weekend but wasn't looking at SW at the time and wasn't impressed, nvm the what appeared to be high school staff .. but I will take a second look this time focusing on their SW stock.

Curious to check out SUM and perhaps Quinte if I have time this weekend.


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## Syed (Oct 20, 2010)

SKurj said:


> Well, I am considering setting up a 20g FOWLR. Its currently sitting here beside my FW tanks, and my last trip to the LFS caught me snooping around the SW section. I know bigger is always better, but I don't want to hit the wallet too hard until I learn what maintaining SW is all about.
> 
> Plan.. and questions:
> 
> ...


 Lighting for a FOWLER is really for aesthetics and Coralline algae growth, if you want something simple a dual T5HO fixture (2 bulb) will work great for this tank.



> Flow: Koralia Nano mebbe 2 of the lowest flow model


Yes good choice 2 of those will be good.



> Filter: .. or .. not sure on this is something like an AC70 useful with lets say sponge and carbon? Or.. would it serve better as a HOB refugium? (Can anyone point me towards how to set one up as such)


 A filter can be useful, stick with the AC 70, will create flow, will help keep tank oxygenated and keep the surface from accumulating oils from foods. Using it as a filter by using sponge and carbon is up to you. 



> Skimmer: Hob brand tbd


For this FOWLR tank I don't see the use. It'll help greatly but as long as you stick to a 10% water change regime every week it won't be needed. A good quality skimmer can be costly so if you have the extra cash you can add one.



> cured Live rock and sand: 1-2" ok for depth?


About 15-20 lbs of liverock should be good. Also 1-2 inch sand bed is more than enough for a standard 20 gallon tank.



> Water: Store bought! well ro/di water then mixed. For mixing, can I mix in a 5g pail and use an airstone to mix it for a day or two before 10% weekly changes?


 Store bought is fine. Before I got an RO unit I was also using store bought water from ROWNA. If you want you can save some money and use tap water. Will save you a trip to the store as well. But tap water will increase the rate of algae accumulation in your system so I'd stick to the store bought water. Your mixing procedure is fine, just make sure to do it a day before adding.



> Fish: Well I want a black and white clown, perhaps a goby or blenny as well. Can I keep 2 clowns in there and can anyone suggest gobies or blennies that are compatible?


A pair will become territorial in a tank that size. If you want a pair go ahead but remember having other fish in that tank size will be difficult. You can maybe still add one more blenny or goby if you stick to more mellow clowns. For a tank that size stick to the black and white Ocelleris clowns, True Perculas etc. These are some of the more peaceful clowns. You can add gobies like watchmen gobies or zebra dart gobies. As for blennies, bicolour blennies and golden eye midas blennies seem nice and colourful.



> CUC: Snails and mebbe a shrimp: no clue which though.. anyone?


 Pick snails like Astrea (for algae), Nassarius (for deitrus) and Turbos for full algae control. Get a peppermint shrimp, they are good scavengers and also pistol shrimp (especially if you get that Watchman goby).



> Lastly.. WOuld anyone mind pointing me to some good Marine stockists, preferrably in the east end but I am not against wandering further afield. (PM's are ok)


 Sorry can't help you there. I live on the west of the GTA, have no idea of LFS near Oshawa. 



> Oh and how does my plan look...?


 Plan seems reasonable and well thought out.


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## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

Change of plans...

Ordered a 40 long today, it gives me a few more livestock options.

Back to filtration: I am thinking of converting an ac110 into a hob refugium, should I be adding something like an ac70 for carbon and sponge filtering as well? I also have a fluval 205 doing nothing I could use, but I like the ease of cleaning and media changes of the hob.

As for local stores, I visited steve at Quintereef yesterday and learned alot from him, small store, but i will definitely send him some of my business. Also stopped in at SUM today, and definitely the best marine stockist I have seen so far. The store was packed so I didn't get the chance to talk to anyone, but thats another store I will definitely shop at.


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## 50seven (Feb 14, 2010)

SKurj said:


> Back to filtration: I am thinking of converting an ac110 into a hob refugium, should I be adding something like an ac70 for carbon and sponge filtering as well? I also have a fluval 205 doing nothing I could use, but I like the ease of cleaning and media changes of the hob.


You shouldn't need to run carbon, that's for SPS reefs and other advanced stuff.

Refugium is really what you want, though 1 layer of sponge filtering is okay, just make sure you keep it cleaned regularly (min. once per week). Maybe use the 110 as a fuge, and fill the 70 with LR rubble pieces- they will become a great little pod factory!

You can always add a sump later on, even without drilling the tank.


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## Tim (Dec 11, 2011)

I use carbon. I just fill a little bag of it and have it in my hob penguin. I have a bit of live rock rubble on top of it. When needed I use it for my quarantine tank.


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