4 months into first tank FOWLR

[6eteeth]

I purchased a tank and headed down to my local LFS for advice. I have not even had a beta fish. As a student, I am on a tight budget. I purchased a 55gal off craigslist with a heater and Marinelife Penguin 350. He recommended I buy another Marinelife Penguin 350 for increased filtration and more importantly increased water flow. I also purchased 40lb of Fiji pink LS and some dry rock. For lighting I have 4 24" 10k T5 bulbs. I cycled my tank and started with some damsels, on his recommendation. About a month ago I added a Maroon Clown and 2 white spotted crabs. Then this weekend I added a medium yellow angelfish and 30lb of LR, but only have 1 crab left. Turns out they weren't that great of friends.

I am wondering which direction I should do. I plan on adding more LR soon and was thinking about getting the Coralife T5 Quad Lamp for increased lighting. I have been reading a lot about skimmers and not sure if I need one if I keep up on my water changes.

We are obviously not done adding fish but didn't want to go overboard too quick since this is our first tank.

Thoughts? Advice? Criticism?

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[BigRedsReefs10]

Ya you should look into a skimmer on a tank that size. Hob filters don't really remove sw fish waste like a skimmer will. Just my 2 cents

 

[alco1]

Skimmers are great to have.... although there are quite a lot of people who successfully have aquariums without them.

I personally try to get the maximum of a filtration as I can fit.... but it does come down to the budget you have and your personal preference.

You don't HAVE to get a skimmer... as long as your filtration/li ve rock is half decent and parameters are all ok and you don't go nuts on the stock and do regular WC then its not really needed....

As you said, your on a tight budget..... you could go without and add stock/live rock... and when you save up a bit then just buy a skimmer when you think its needed

 

[dustinfeint]

Skimmer for sure

 

[alco1]

Lighting types for a FOWLR is more personal preference than actually needed. Fish just really need day time lighting and lights off at night. I personally would be looking into LR... then stock.... then later a skimmer once ive saved up for it... then if you think the filtration is great... then start looking into lights.

 

[huma-huma]

Lighting types for a FOWLR is more personal preference than actually needed. Fish just really need day time lighting and lights off at night. I personally would be looking into LR... then stock.... then later a skimmer once ive saved up for it... then if you think the filtration is great... then start looking into lights.

why wiould you put the bioload BEFORE the filtration?
get the skimmer first, get it dialed in nicely, then move onto fully- stocking the tank

 

[6eteeth]

Thank you everybody! Guess I will definitely get some more LR soon.

The skimmer I was looking at was the Tunze Comline DOC Protein Skimmer 9004. Looks like it covers the tank size, that work?

Also with livestock, if I get rid of the damsels and just have the maroon clown and yellow angel, how many for fish do you think I could stock it with? I know this depends on the type of fish etc but maybe a ball bark? Also is there a time span I should follow when adding fish? I'm still to new and unexperienced to feel confident adding $200 fish at once. I was thinking a week a part?

 

[6eteeth]

Wow thank you everybody for the posts. I'll def jump on some more LR.

As far as skimmers go which brand? I was thinking either a Tunze or Red Sea...

If I get rid of the damsels and just have the maroon clown and yellow angel, how many more you think I can add. I know this depends of species and such but some guidelines I can follow?

Thank you again!

 

[alco1]

why wiould you put the bioload BEFORE the filtration?
get the skimmer first, get it dialed in nicely, then move onto fully- stocking the tank

I personally would have gone skimmer first too... but considering theres barely a fish in there.... might as well set up the LR and get them all in place for homes and biofiltration rather than adding LR after and scare the crap out of the stock . Then add about 2-3 fish slowly... check the parameters regularly to make sure the current filtration can handle that bioload and then save up and look into a skimmer... then look into other fish.

 

[alco1]

no real guideline.... just depends on your filtration setup and what bioload it can handle and how regular of WC you do. I would personally get rid of the damsel.... keep the other 2.... then get LR.... then the skimmer... then other stock

 

[huma-huma]

I personally would have gone skimmer first too... but considering theres barely a fish in there.... might as well set up the LR and get them all in place for homes and biofiltration rather than adding LR after and scare the crap out of the stock . Then add about 2-3 fish slowly... check the parameters regularly to make sure the current filtration can handle that bioload and then save up and look into a skimmer... then look into other fish.

I could see adding a few fish very slowly as not causing any problems, id personally hate to see someone fully stock a tank before getting the filtration sorted out.

 

[alco1]

I could see adding a few fish very slowly as not causing any problems, id personally hate to see someone fully stock a tank before getting the filtration sorted out.

Completely agree... fully stocked tank with an average filtration is a bad idea lol.

 

[6eteeth]

So let's say I add some more LR and pick up a skimmer. Do you still think I need to run both Marinelife Penguin 350s or can I drop back to one?

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Up to you. Are you using a power head for water movement in the tank?

 

[6eteeth]

No powerhead at the moment, just using the both Penguin 350s for movement.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

I would add a power head to blow the water across your rock work. I like to do 2 smaller ones on opposite sides but that's probably not necessary for a fowlr, but you need one to allow the bb on the LR to do its job.

 

[alco1]

If you've got it.... might as well use it but just be sure you clean them up now and again... ive heard those biowheels hide bad stuff in the filter and cause lovely nitrate spikes

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Yeah that's true if your just using them for water movement run them with no media in them

 

[6eteeth]

If I did two powerheads on opposite sides do I just point them down a little instead of at the surface?

 

[alco1]

rather looking into powerheads.... maybe look into wavemakers... bout the same price but theyre meant for water movement.

My tank is about 20" deep and I have the wavemakers more to the top of the tank and had no issues