Dumb Question

[RambleOn1313]

Thinking of starting an 80 gal FOWLR

Small Fish

What else can you have in a FOWLR besides fish?

Any inverts?

 

[RogerMcAllen]

Sure, you can have all the inverts you want. FOWLR is only a distinction for a SW tank containing only fish, live rock, and inverts without the corals needed to gain full reef status (I think). It pretty much means you have lower lighting requirements.

 

[quarryshark]

Agree, fish only can be a lot of fun. As you can see below I have a good mix of inverts in my FO. They are interesting to watch, easy to care for and many have distinct personality not unlike fish.
Go for it, just do your homework as far as mixing different species.

 

[RambleOn1313]

Thanks, I know that sounds dumb, but I there is so much to learn, I feel like I'm forgetting important stuff.

So, quarryshark, what is your lighting setup? Do you need a lot of light for the stars?

 

[WarOrks15]

fo only need no light. when you get in to a reef then you have to have all that light to keep the corals alive but stars need no light to live. they eat food.

 

[malkore]

think of corals as plants...plants need light to photosynthesize and live/grow. corals work a little differently, but require even stronger lighting than a freshwater planted tank.
FW planted you can go with about 3 watts per gallon and grow almost any plant. For a reef tank you need at LEAST 4wpg..which I am told would let me grow most soft corals (assuming everything else is 'perfect')

 

[XXFirefighter]

I started ROWLR and then it grew to a kinda reef...
Got a few small soft corals !
I got 265 watts of light on a 55 gallon tank.
All is well...

 

[WarOrks15]

ya i told my self that i will wate for a year before getting in to the reef but i did not wate till the lr was cycled to get the lighting on the tank. i go 192 watt pc and then i got some corals. i think they were like right after all leveles were at 0 and there for a few weeks. now i am still working on a light up grade to 2x the lighting i have on the tnk now. it will be 4x 96 watt pc bulbs. on a 46 gal tank.