Saltwater Definitions, "Whats it all mean Bazzle?"

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stainless_wm

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Oct 2, 2005
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Kansas
Nanno, reef, sumps, fuges, I have a general idea what all of these are,

But I just put a condylictus in my fowler. So is it still a fowler?

When does it become a REEF tank?

Whats the difference between a sump and a refugium?

What is a nanno?

I think this is a good topic to help us newbies get the lingo down, so we can sound all swave and impress the little mermaid! LOL Sorry I have had too much Coffee



TIA
Wade
 
FOWLR = FIsh only with Live Rock (This is a tank that is just a step above having fish and nothing else. Most tanks now a days seem to be FOWLR unless you use fake plants and stuff.

A tank becomes a reef when you start to introduce corals and therefor need high output lighting.

A sump is simply a storage vessle for water and also a place where you can put a skimmer, heaters and other equipment that does not have to be in the main tank.

A refugium is a place that is reserved for a specific purpose. You can use one to grow macro algae to feed to your tang or for water nutrient absorbtion. You can use it to grow amphipods and copepods, etc. Alot of people reserve a small chamber of their sump for this purpose where as others have a small tank or tub.

Nano = any tank smaller than 20 gal thats setup as an independant system

If you hadent noticed some words get underlined with dots. Those are predefined words that when you hover over them you will see a longer description. This can help when we start spouting off things like VHO, HO, PC, MH, NH3, etc
 
So I would still have a Fowlr, even though I have the condy?

I was looking at a reef ready, 75 at the LFS. it had a sump.
With a sump, do you still need a BIO wheel?

Is a fuge part of the cycling water system of the sump, or is it segregated?

Would a sump dictate what type of tank you can have? (example) Can you do different things with a sump than you can do with a tank of the same size that has HOB filters?


I appreciate the help, I have been at this a little while, and feel ok about offering some advice. But I can already tell that my 35 isnt going to be NEAR big enough. But before I step up, I need more experience/knowledge.
 
Bio wheels are not needed in any SW tank. Infact over time they will become nitrate factores driving your nitrate readings up. Ideally SW tanks will want nitrates below 20ppm. expecially if you have corals. An anenome is technicly not a coral but an invert so yes I would still classify you as a FOWLR.

A reef ready tank is only named that because most reef tanks ustilize a sump system. Any tank with a built in overflow is classified as reef ready and they can be used in any application. FW or SW.

The sump provides NO extra filtration. All it does is add water capacity and provide a place for equipment like your heaters, skimmer, and any other form of equipment that does not have to be in the main display tank. In our cause you coudl move the biohweel down to the sump to clean up the look of the display tank.

I have an article in our articles area that really helps explain sumps and how to use them. Refuges should be seen as small tanks that are attached to your display tank system that is reserved for one or two exclusive purposes. That being growing macro algae, providing a safe place to grow copepods or amphipods, or if there is an item you MUST have for your tank thats totaly not compatible with anything else in the tank a refuge can be utlized to keep that item off by itself but still utilize the water volume of the entire system.

Having a sump does not mean you can have anything extra as far as livestock. It only adds water caacity to the system. Your still limited by the size of your display tank when it comes to stocking.
 
Should I remove the wheels and use the filter for Mechanical filtration? It is the only source of circulation in the tank
The Skimmer I have now is very noisy, I have it on a timer to run while I am at work, and sleeping.
I guess on a fowler the only mechanical filtration you need is the skimmer?

If I go that way, should I let the skimmer run 24/7


I guess LFS struck again?


Thaks a million

Wade
 
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