FOWLR 530 gal tank start

[nickname]

Hi guys,

I want to convert my freshwater tank it is ~530gal (2000+ L) of water with sump.

Tank alone is ~460gal. I need some advice about what is required to start it and how much for bio filtration.

For the start I want to dedicate tank to one bigger snapper (lutjanus) or titan trigger + few smaller puffers (like gsp)/wrasses.

So I don't want heavy stocking just something like that. Stocking depends on what I can get here.

For bio filtration:
1. One sump chamber with filter foam/pads - mechanical
2. Skimmer (need advice how strong)
3. Live rock (also need advice on how much)
4. Live mangrove seeds in main display
5. Some algae or something additional in sump and in a display

For the salt I want to use sea salt (not reef salt), looks cheaper and seems ok for FOWLR tank. At least I read about that. Sand will be quartz sand.
I would like to add some macro algae in a display tank just to make it more green.

I have read a lot and I have been in FW for quite long. Currently I have 2 more tanks running on FW.

Any advice is appreciated.

[thegrun]

Welcome to Reef Central. While nitrates are not as big of a concern in a fish only system, elevated nitrate levels will fuel algae growth so they should still be controlled. Floss and foam mechanical filtration needs to be cleaned or replaced every 3-4 days or they will lead to higher nitrate levels. For those who use mechanical filtration most of us in the saltwater hobby use filter socks as they are easier to clean and change out on a regular basis.
Since the fish you intend to keep produce a lot of waste a large skimmer is going to be a must for your system. Manufacturers tend to overstate the capacity of their skimmers so I would look for one rated for tanks at least at 700 gallons.
The general rule of thumb is to have about 1 to 1.5 pounds of rock for every gallon of display tank so for your system look for around 500 pounds of rock. The rock can be kept either in your display tank or sump, if you want a more open look to the display tank place more in your sump.
If you like the look of mangroves they are fine to keep but because they grow slowly they do not consume nutrients as well as most macro algae. Keeping macro algae in your display will limit you on what types of fish you can keep as many herbivores like tangs will eat it.
Regular Instant Ocean salt would be a good choice for your system. Be cautious of quartz sand if you intend to keep wrasses that burrow, the sharp edges of the sand irritate the wrasses.

[nickname]

Thanks for info. My interest is to keep one basically one fish and to make system around that. I want to buy a small fish so it can grow.