help me with a stock list/setup - 200 fowlr

sploke · 12/18/2008, 11:54 AM

I have a plywood 200gal that I am turning into FOWLR. I originally built it to house my alligator snapper, which unfortunately died over the summer. It as a 4'x5' footprint, 18" tall, and the back 8" is a false wall with a w/d built in behind it (think seaclear aquarium system). I have a green spotted puffer in a 75 brackish right now, which killed my mudskipper. I want to get another skipper, so the GSP will be converted to full marine (its old enough at this point) and moved to the 200.

Beyond that, I'm not real sure what we're going to do with the tank. My wife wants some sort of dwarf angel, like a coral beauty maybe. I would love a snowflake moray, and possibly some type of jawfish. I'm going to make most of the liverock myself, agro-crete style, and just buy some to seed the tank. It sounds like I would be well off to add in a skimmer of some sort as well. any suggestions for stocking, filtration, etc? the tank is dry right now, I am getting the epoxy paint for it to change the color soon, so any major changes that need to be done, I want to do before filling it with water.

DamnPepShrimp · 12/18/2008, 02:24 PM

I'd add an overflow and run a sump with a good sized skimmer and refugium. Also, you have to think about flow. I am still trying to figure out how to do it with my plywood tank (still in planning stages, too cold to build right now). I like koralia pumps, but they won't work thru the plywood. You'd have to probably do a closed loop. What I might do it make an overflow out of glass and attach koralias to that, but the back magnet would be exposed to the water, don't know if that is an issue or not.

sploke · 12/18/2008, 02:28 PM

The tank is on the floor, so a sump won't work. I have been thinking about a CL, and since the tank is still empty, it should be pretty easy to drill for bulkheads now to get it set up. You think something like a Mag 18 would be a decent CL pump?

DamnPepShrimp · 12/18/2008, 09:11 PM

There are better pumps out there for a CL, I would do some research on that. I am no expert on them. Also, just because the tank is on the floor, doesn't mean you can't have a remote sump. As long as the water level is lower in the sump then your DT, your good. Having no a huge height difference is less electricity used since you wont have as high of a head loss.

Oh, and 18" tall and its on the floor? Is it a lookdown only tank? Since your emptying it, now is the time to build a stand and bring it up higher!

sploke · 12/19/2008, 05:45 AM

It is sort of a unique setup....the tank has to stay where it is, and there isn't really any space for a remote sump. Thats why I built in the false wall, to basically have a self-contained sump. Here are some pictures to hopefully explain it better. The 200gal is the bottom right tank, and is now empty:

Here is a view from behind - not much extra room back there. There is about 8-9" on the far side between the tank and the wall, enough to run plumbing back there.

Here are some pictures of the tank before it was put in place, so you can get an idea of the false back

sploke · 12/20/2008, 09:11 AM

So you think I would be better off to scratch the whole w/d idea and maybe just build a fuge back there, maybe 5-6" of sand and a whole bunch of liverock?

LisaD · 12/20/2008, 10:08 AM

Wow, that's quite a set-up of tanks you have!

Quote:

So you think I would be better off to scratch the whole w/d idea and maybe just build a fuge back there, maybe 5-6" of sand and a whole bunch of liverock?

I think so, and a place to put the best skimmer you can afford. Skimmers don't have to be in-sump, you could get one that is external.

On your stock list:

Quote:

My wife wants some sort of dwarf angel, like a coral beauty maybe. I would love a snowflake moray, and possibly some type of jawfish.

you could have the GSP, a snowflake eel and coral beauty. I'm not sure how the jawfish would do with that mix, probably not a good idea.

12/18/2008, 11:54 AM	#1
sploke Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Eastern CT Posts: 665	help me with a stock list/setup - 200 fowlr I have a plywood 200gal that I am turning into FOWLR. I originally built it to house my alligator snapper, which unfortunately died over the summer. It as a 4'x5' footprint, 18" tall, and the back 8" is a false wall with a w/d built in behind it (think seaclear aquarium system). I have a green spotted puffer in a 75 brackish right now, which killed my mudskipper. I want to get another skipper, so the GSP will be converted to full marine (its old enough at this point) and moved to the 200. Beyond that, I'm not real sure what we're going to do with the tank. My wife wants some sort of dwarf angel, like a coral beauty maybe. I would love a snowflake moray, and possibly some type of jawfish. I'm going to make most of the liverock myself, agro-crete style, and just buy some to seed the tank. It sounds like I would be well off to add in a skimmer of some sort as well. any suggestions for stocking, filtration, etc? the tank is dry right now, I am getting the epoxy paint for it to change the color soon, so any major changes that need to be done, I want to do before filling it with water. __________________ -Matt Current Tank Info: 265 reef w/ 200gal sump

12/18/2008, 02:28 PM	#3
sploke Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Eastern CT Posts: 665	The tank is on the floor, so a sump won't work. I have been thinking about a CL, and since the tank is still empty, it should be pretty easy to drill for bulkheads now to get it set up. You think something like a Mag 18 would be a decent CL pump? __________________ -Matt Current Tank Info: 265 reef w/ 200gal sump

12/19/2008, 05:45 AM	#5
sploke Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Eastern CT Posts: 665	It is sort of a unique setup....the tank has to stay where it is, and there isn't really any space for a remote sump. Thats why I built in the false wall, to basically have a self-contained sump. Here are some pictures to hopefully explain it better. The 200gal is the bottom right tank, and is now empty: Here is a view from behind - not much extra room back there. There is about 8-9" on the far side between the tank and the wall, enough to run plumbing back there. Here are some pictures of the tank before it was put in place, so you can get an idea of the false back __________________ -Matt Current Tank Info: 265 reef w/ 200gal sump

12/20/2008, 09:11 AM	#6
sploke Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Eastern CT Posts: 665	So you think I would be better off to scratch the whole w/d idea and maybe just build a fuge back there, maybe 5-6" of sand and a whole bunch of liverock? __________________ -Matt Current Tank Info: 265 reef w/ 200gal sump

12/18/2008, 02:24 PM	#2
DamnPepShrimp Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Delaware Posts: 5,152	I'd add an overflow and run a sump with a good sized skimmer and refugium. Also, you have to think about flow. I am still trying to figure out how to do it with my plywood tank (still in planning stages, too cold to build right now). I like koralia pumps, but they won't work thru the plywood. You'd have to probably do a closed loop. What I might do it make an overflow out of glass and attach koralias to that, but the back magnet would be exposed to the water, don't know if that is an issue or not.

12/18/2008, 09:11 PM	#4
DamnPepShrimp Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Delaware Posts: 5,152	There are better pumps out there for a CL, I would do some research on that. I am no expert on them. Also, just because the tank is on the floor, doesn't mean you can't have a remote sump. As long as the water level is lower in the sump then your DT, your good. Having no a huge height difference is less electricity used since you wont have as high of a head loss. Oh, and 18" tall and its on the floor? Is it a lookdown only tank? Since your emptying it, now is the time to build a stand and bring it up higher!