Just starting to think and make a checklist.

[upstoday]

Just starting to think about maybe starting a FOWLR tank.

What I have now is :

46gal Bowfront

36" L x 20" H x 12" w

CPR Bak Pak w/protien skimmer.

Thats it for hardware besides heater of course. I have what I'm assuming is just a normal aquarium light, came with the hood.

No powerheads or anything in tank, although from reading the forums for the past 3 hours today I see that is something I should be doing.

My question is what else would I need or is what I have adequate to slowly start introducing LR into the tank. At this point not even thinking about going reef, although I'm sure at some point down the road it something I might be interested in doing.

As for fish in the tank right now :

2 Blue damsels

1 Orange clown

1 Dragon headed Goby

2 snails and a cleaner shrimp.


I've got about 2-3 inches of substrate in tank, pre-cycled live sand bought from the LFS.

Would I need to add more lighting? Better filtration know I need to improve water circulation. But is there anything else?

If I were to do it, I think I would add pieces slowly. One just for money reason, but also to take things easy and not to rush it to much if possible.

[jman785]

If you want your liverock to keep its coralline growth, then I advise upgrading the lights...possibly power compact (PC). They aren't too expensive...

What do you have now for filtration? A hang on back filter or a sump or a wet/dry?

All you have is a bakpak for filtration? or is it a combo or something?

What's good about adding the PC lighting by the way, is you can add corals if you wanted to...it will support having soft corals...and FEW hard corals.

[upstoday]

All I have is the Bak Pak right now, which is a filter/protien skimmer combo. Has Rio 600 on it, 200gph flow rate on it. Would more be needed to do LR?

I wasn't really thinking about SW when I purchased the tank, the stand is pretty much open with shelves, so really no room to hide a sump or wet/dry.

I'm gonna start looking around at the LFS to see if they have a stand that I would like to replace this one with in order to do something like a wet/dry.

What exactly is PC lighting? Gonna go hit a vendor site and see if I can find out.

[MikeS]

The LR itself will provide the tank with lots of biological filtration...you are probably ok with the CPR.

PC is power compact flourescent lighting. Do you have any plans on eventually adding corals to the tank down the road? If so you should plan your lights accordingly. PC are nice and intense, but I don't like to recommend PC's alone if you plan on corals. I use a PC/VHO combo on my tank...

Mike

[upstoday]

Only problem I forsee with that is that I would probably have to fabricate something to hold two ballasts for the tank.

If it was for a straight tank I'd be able to do it easy, not quite sure I would be able to do it for a bowfront. I'm not that handy lol

[jman785]

They make kits, to do it. They also have prebuilt fixtures for tanks...

You don't have to go power compact (PC), you could go just VHO, or a combo of the both of them, which looks nice.

[upstoday]

Would something like this pretty much be what was needed?

http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/F52/Class/Fish+Supplies+Lighting+Fixtures/T1/F52+0047+0799/Itemdy00.aspx

Geez thats a huge link huh?

It's a 36" strip that has both a 10,000k light and an actinic blue 03.
I see ballasts taged a PC or HO, but didn't really see anything labled as VHO.

[MikeS]

I made my own PCF/VHO combo hood...it really wasn't all that difficult (read as "easier than I thought it would be" :D )

here's some pics...

http://frankensteinsreef.tripod.com/mypieceofthereef/id2.html

I mounted the ballasts on top of the same board the lights are mounted on inside the hood. It's cooled by an icecap fan and the top is vented above the ballasts. You can also mount ballasts remotely, so you don't need to put them in the hood.

Mike

[LenandTracy]

Mike,

Must say that I am very impressed by your setup. Very nice!!

upstoday,

I currently have a 55gal FOWLR tank and all the hardare I have is the Emperor HOB filter with bio-wheel, the heater and an air pump and stone for circulation. The Lighting is the standard lighted hood that came with the tank. I do plan to upgrade the lighting when I build my custom hood, but have other projects currently taking priority in the woodshop. I do have a FEBO 180 skimmer with powerhead on order that should be here soon. I have 3 Damsels, a Niger trigger, a Cowfish and a Porcupine Puffer and the only problem I have had is a very serious case of ICH that I am currently fightnig. It has been established since 08 jan 04 and the only thing I wish I had was a 10 to 20 gallon quarrantine tank with a heater and powerhead. Best of luck, and definately keep asking the questions here. I have asked probably some of the most stupid questions and have never gotten any dumb looks that I have seen..LOL!!!

Good Luck

len

[MikeS]

TY :D

Mike

[upstoday]

Just starting to look at lighting again.

Found this and was wondering if it would be ok for FOWLR and maybe at some point a starter reef.

http://muhlarus.notlong.com

The MH's look awesome, but I'm just not at that point yet.

[gman0526]

Yeah, I think they should be OK.

[upstoday]

Now would that be considered PC?

[FishinInTheDark]

Yes, those are PCs.

Conni

[upstoday]

Thank you Conni :)

[malkore]

for DIY PC kits: www.ahsupply.com - everything but the bulbs
for bulbs I like www.hellolights.com