FOWLR Filtration

[Brandon582]

Hey everyone, I have a 30 gallon FOWLR tank with about 45 pounds of live rock, a pretty good amount of live sand (enough to cover the bottom of the tank with about an inch or two of it), a 30-60 gallon hang on the back mechanical filter and the 97-gallon Marineland Magnum Internal Canister Filter which is mainly used for polishing but also has a mechanical filter option which I'm using currently. It just cotton and carbon in it.. I have a Midnight Angelfish, 10 Cerith snails, and 1 Turbo Snail that are all doing very good, water parameters are looking good too except the pH is a little low, around 7.8-8.0, which I assume will stabilize. I'm also thinking about getting a bubble tip anemone and some clownfish which I've had before and liked. I was curious if this seems like enough filtration for my tank and if the the live rock acts like a good biological filter to help bacteria growth, or if I should upgrade to a system with bio balls and ceramic pieces and such. Thanks a lot!

 

[Sniperhank]

The filtration might do the system just fine.
Don't worry about the ph, it will always be lower during the winter months due to less fresh air and heating being on.
When it comes to an anemone, if you don't have reef lighting you won't be able to keep one alive as they are photosynthetic. Clowns don't need anemone to be happy and healthy anyway.

 

[Brandon582]

What type of lighting would you recommend for a bubble anemone?

 

[54seaweed]

I hate to be the barer of bad news but your already overstocked with just the angel fish see link below
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Black Nox Angelfish
As for lighting for a nem this light would work perfect for you as it can handle all types
of coral along with nems.
165W MarsAqua Dimmable LED Aquarium Light Full Spectrum Coral Reef Tank Marine | eBay
and it's a fair price

 

[Myselves]

I hate to be the barer of bad news but your already overstocked with just the angel fish see link below
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Black Nox Angelfish

Don't believe everything you read on the interwebs.

I know this is an old thread but thought I would reply. When I first got started in marine tanks 20+ years ago all the "experts" claimed a 30g minimum tank was required to keep any salties and then no more than two. I had a whole herd of green chromis in a 20. We all know now that this 30g myth was exactly that.

I also had a yellow tang in a 40L. Again, then like now, the "experts" said this was a "no-no". And, they stated, then as now, that a 70g was the minimum necessary. In fact, I had a rather large flock of fish in that tank. A local restaurant has had a clown and a yellow tang in one of those "plug-n-play" 29g reef tank for going on 4 years.

As in every hobby old beliefs never really disappear.

 

[Autumnsky]

Don't believe everything you read on the interwebs.

I know this is an old thread but thought I would reply. When I first got started in marine tanks 20+ years ago all the "experts" claimed a 30g minimum tank was required to keep any salties and then no more than two. I had a whole herd of green chromis in a 20. We all know now that this 30g myth was exactly that.

I also had a yellow tang in a 40L. Again, then like now, the "experts" said this was a "no-no". And, they stated, then as now, that a 70g was the minimum necessary. In fact, I had a rather large flock of fish in that tank. A local restaurant has had a clown and a yellow tang in one of those "plug-n-play" 29g reef tank for going on 4 years.

As in every hobby old beliefs never really disappear.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. People keep dogs tied up on a chain their whole life, or in a breeder kennel, and yes, they sure can live a substandard life. There is no way you can tell me that a Tang and a Clown in a 29G, specifically the Tang will grow to it's fullest potential and have the available swimming room it would need & enjoy in a 29G.

29G Biocube tank dimensions: 20.25" long X 21.875" Wide X 21.5" High.
Yellow Tang 8" which I believe is the measurement of the body not including a tail. A majestic looking creature. And I am not the Tang Police either .

Keeping fish in a FO or FOWLR should consider the needs of the fish and not just consider them a decoration. If you love looking at the fish and appreciate how awesome they are, one should also consider how much more amazing they are in space where they can behave similarly to their natural habitat.

Filtering the tank with too great a bioload will be much harder to maintain properly.

 

[Autumnsky]

And Yellow Tang in a 40 Liter tank, not 40 Gallon, as I missed that initially, the equivalent of a 10G, Myselves... heart-wrenching.

 

[Myselves]

Keeping fish in a FO or FOWLR should consider the needs of the fish and not just consider them a decoration. If you love looking at the fish and appreciate how awesome they are, one should also consider how much more amazing they are in space where they can behave similarly to their natural habitat.

QUOTE]

If people really meant that they wouldn't have fish in their living room. I don't believe that is a natural environment for fish. Aquariums are not natural environments for turtles or lizards, either, nor are cages for birds.

For the record, I have always taken very good care of pets, whether fish, cats, birds, dogs or horses. As for filtration, I typically have twice as much as is "needed" at a minimum.

The 40L stood for 40 Long, not liters.

 

[bribo12]

I think the angel is fine in the 30. Everyone always complains but angels generally hang out in and around rocks. My potters in my 40 does great.

 

[54seaweed]

after my long response I had typed out I deleted as I saw it wasn't liters as I thought at first.
glad to see it was not as tight as it sounded
but still think its still a bit small as they grow to 8+ inch in size
requiring lots of room , but like anything to each is own

 

[Autumnsky]

Keeping fish in a FO or FOWLR should consider the needs of the fish and not just consider them a decoration. If you love looking at the fish and appreciate how awesome they are, one should also consider how much more amazing they are in space where they can behave similarly to their natural habitat.

QUOTE]

If people really meant that they wouldn't have fish in their living room. I don't believe that is a natural environment for fish. Aquariums are not natural environments for turtles or lizards, either, nor are cages for birds.

For the record, I have always taken very good care of pets, whether fish, cats, birds, dogs or horses. As for filtration, I typically have twice as much as is "needed" at a minimum.

The 40L stood for 40 Long, not liters.

Good to hear it wasn't liters!

Fish tanks are for sure not natural, like as in, if they were in the wild. My comment was "in space where they can behave similarly to their natural habitat." So no argument on that point. But more room, decor, fish companions, group, size, water parameters, etc.

Enough on that as we digress from the OP's topic.