How to turn your FOWLR Aquarium into a (deluxe!) Reef Tank
Reef tank 7 years ago 29,875 views
http://mdshop.us/2bGVTVh Last month we demonstrated how you can build an affordable saltwater aquarium known as a FOWLR, or fish only with live rock tank. In today’s episode, we are going to show you how you can convert a FOWLR into a reef aquarium suitable for housing a variety of fish, corals, and inverts. First, we drilled our 64 gallon tank to add an overflow box and sump, install plumbing and a wavemaker, then we added an adhesive black background. Next, we set up a protein skimmer, two media reactors, a controllable DC return pump, and compliment our sump with a matching ATO reservoir. Last but certainly not least, we tank mounted two Wi-Fi controllable LED reef lights for illumination. Be sure to watch the video until the end to see what we have in store for the next phase of this tank’s development! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WATCH AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS BUILD: Video Playlist: AquaMaxx Cuboid 64 Gallon Aquarium Build http://mdshop.us/2bGWKFG Blog Post (with full video transcript) COMING SOON! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHECK OUT THE PRODUCTS FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE: AquaMaxx Rimless Low-Iron Glass Aquariums http://mdshop.us/2c6n0bO Aqua Illumination Prime HD LED Light Fixtures http://mdshop.us/29r4yJd Aqua Illumination Flex Mounting Arms for Prime Lights http://mdshop.us/29udBMi Reef Octopus VarioS Controllable DC Circulation Pumps http://mdshop.us/24Uupyt Trigger Systems Complete Sump Filters Systems http://mdshop.us/2c6n8Iw Trigger Systems Auto Top-Off Reservoir Tanks http://mdshop.us/2c6nYF2 AquaMaxx ConeS CO-Series In-Sump Protein Skimmers http://mdshop.us/2c6nf6U AquaMaxx FR-SE Hang-On Filter Media Reactor http://mdshop.us/1PO2RWQ AquaMaxx FR-S Internal Filter Media Reactor with Pump http://mdshop.us/1MmPBq2 AquaticLife Macro Aqua Flow Swing Wavemaker http://mdshop.us/2c6oeDX CPR RSS Overflow Box Retrofit Surface Skimmers 05DX http://mdshop.us/2c6ooeA Blue Life USA Water Colors Aquarium Backgrounds http://mdshop.us/2c6nWgk Check out our Blog: http://mdshop.us/2c99Af9
Wish you the best and feel free to respond back anytime!
-Robert @ MD
I’m planning to make an aquarium with 500 gallon display tank + 250 gallon sump with a total of 750 gallon. i need my turnover flow rate 6 times means 4500 GPH. my head pressure is 16ft. i will divide the total GPH into 2 pumps.
i need a pump that is capable of making 2250 GPH @ 16 ft head pressure.
please, can you advice me in a model to look after?
1-800-566-3474
customercare@marinedepot.com
10. comment for How to turn your FOWLR Aquarium into a (deluxe!) Reef Tank
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We also have a cool nano tank build using one of the Innovate Marine Concept Tanks.
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I prefer the Trigger Ruby Elite sumps over the Emerald, because they have all the same features except that the incoming drains go directly into the filter socks instead of that inaccessible area where it then overflows into the socks. That area, imo, is just a place for debris to gather and you have no way to clean it out. The Ruby Elite also has a built-in refugium section where you can grow macro algae and have bio-media, like Marine Pure blocks for example. I'm glad they addressed the fact of using a sump over a canister filter, but it's not just for reefs. That's also where your protein skimmer goes (instead of that crappy hang on model they showed in the last video).
As for the return pump, since I got a DC pump I would NEVER go back to a regular AC pump. Being able to adjust the water flow for day and night time, or before & after feeding, is great without having to mess with valves and strain your pump.
Marine Depot does sell a VERY good, silent, and reliable DC pump... the Deepwater Aquatics BLDC pumps. For some odd reason if you search their site for it lately, it doesn't show up, but if you Google it, it'll bring you to it on their site. It's much cheaper than the pump in the video and just as good. I personally use one and they're excellent. The only downside is that they're not Apex-ready, which you wouldn't need for fish-only anyway.
As for the reactors, you don't really need one for FOWLR, but it wouldn't hurt.
Again, this is for the people from the last video that wanted to know about setting up a FOWLR tank. Like I said then, most of the equipment is the same. You just don't need as intense lighting (but definitely LED's), reactors, or dosing setups.
This video should be the one on how to setup a FOWLR system instead of that last one. However, I would personally never use a hang on overflow box as an option. Most are a disaster waiting to happen.
-Robert @ MD