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  • Heaters,HOB, or Sump

    Is a heater a have to for a fowlr setup. If so, what is the ideal temp water needs to be.

    I'm also getting conflicting information on HOB filters vs. Sump tank for a fowlr. I guess I should say 1st., i'm starting a 40gal tank. I've read that with plenty of live rock,1lb-1.5lb per gal is plenty of rock and a HOB filter that does about 100gph is enough.

    Then I read that HOB filters are a complete waste of time, go with the sump. Again, were still talking fowlr.

    So, any help would be appreciated and thanks in advance.

  • #2
    I don't know much about fowlr but you can do a refugium or I believe even a wet dry but would also depend on What your keeping as well as for a heater you would only need one if your tank is to cold I usually keep my reef at about 77

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    • #3
      Well, is there an ideal temp? You say your reef tank is 77. Does a reef tank need to be a different temp than a fowlr tank. Sorry for all the question's.

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      • #4
        I kept mine around 77-79. Fowlr aren't as picky as reefs, also depends on why kind of fish you want. Check out liveaquaria.com for different types of fish...
        20g mixed reef

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        • #5
          Stumps with refugiums aren't really needed on Fowlr but they are nice to have when you want to start adding coral. Trust me that day will come. I would say go with a sump purely BC you can put a beast of a skimmer in a sump as apposed to hob. With a sump your filter sock catches alot of the debris and a skimmer picks up the really nasty stuff...
          20g mixed reef

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          • #6
            Sumps* not stumps. Stupid auto correct...
            20g mixed reef

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            • #7
              Thanks Chris.

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              • #8
                My reef is doing good for the most part with just an ac DIY refugium, its onlyz 7 gallons tho.

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                • #9
                  Wow. Only 7gal.

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                  • #10
                    HOB

                    Originally posted by dead wait View Post
                    Is a heater a have to for a fowlr setup. If so, what is the ideal temp water needs to be.

                    I'm also getting conflicting information on HOB filters vs. Sump tank for a fowlr. I guess I should say 1st., i'm starting a 40gal tank. I've read that with plenty of live rock,1lb-1.5lb per gal is plenty of rock and a HOB filter that does about 100gph is enough.

                    Then I read that HOB filters are a complete waste of time, go with the sump. Again, were still talking fowlr.

                    So, any help would be appreciated and thanks in advance.
                    It's good that you question what people say instead of accepting all ideas blindly.
                    On the net, a lot of people do throw out things without knowing the what and why behind them.

                    A HOB filter with filter pad is used to filter the water by trapping the detritus. Bacterias which eat ammonia and nitrite can also live on the pad. It's good to use in a fresh water system.
                    It's also OK for a salt water FOWLR system. It needs the same thing. It's true that detritus caught on the filter pad can convert to nitrate so you have to clean it out often. It's not that critical for Fish only because they can tolerate a fair amount of nitrate.
                    It's not any worse than when people use filter sock or load their sump with live rock rubbles or have sand and do not clean them often. They all trap detritus as well.

                    So you can use a HOB filter or a cannister filter ... for a Fish only system (Some even use them with corals, just clean them out more often).
                    Having said that, for Salt water using live rock as bio filter is better, they look more natural and also give your fish shelter. For mechanical filter, you can use other methods.

                    A sump is great if you want to use it. It keeps your equipment out of sight, it can keep chaeto which eat nitrates. It houses the pumps used to move water thru your system. You can also have a lot of pumps inside your display tank but they may be un-sightly.

                    BTW, you want a total of 10-20 times water volume turnover for a salt tank every hour. For a 40G, it means 400-800 GPH. I have a 125G tank and I have about 2500 GPH and it does seem enough.
                    Last edited by rage; 04-07-2012, 02:52 PM.

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                    • #11
                      I had a bunch of rock and filter floss in an ac 50 or 70, at first but the rock does kind of clog up with a lot of detritus quick, the floss does a good job too and I heard helps copepods population but bristtle worms also love it.... Now I have added chaeto (doing good growing and hardly any algae problem in tank anymore) relocated most of the rock in filter to tank and put new filter floss.

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                      • #12
                        Thanks alot Rage. Very helpful and makes more since the way you explained it.

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                        • #13
                          What is this "Chaeto"? I should probably just look it up. Is it "Chaeto" or " Chito"? I've seen it spelled both ways.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by dead wait View Post
                            What is this "Chaeto"? I should probably just look it up. Is it "Chaeto" or " Chito"? I've seen it spelled both ways.
                            It's chaeto, short for Chaetomorpha Algae.
                            Some people can grow it fast and get rid of it for cheap.

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