started a fowlr tank

tdchicago · 09/18/2007, 04:26 PM

got a new 75 gallon going. 75 pounds of rock, a HOB filter. and 75 punds of sand.

The sand and rocks have been turning brown. I know it is from uneatned food. there is only 1 fish, a clown trigger.

Any ideas if this is a new tank thing, or if I am onto something worse. The brown sand is ugly.

No skimmer on this system yet, trying to keep costs down (no lectures please, I will add one soon before more fish) BUT, will that keep the sand cleaner?

demonsp · 09/18/2007, 05:30 PM

With a FOWLR tank its better to have bare glass bottom. Without proper cleanup crew the sand will look really bad and full of dead spots. Lets see you have LR , LS , fish , all thats missing is the coral.
Skimmer will be needed but with weekly water changes you will be fine for awile.
Also what are you useing for water flow ?
What type of lighting ?

tdchicago · 09/18/2007, 06:33 PM

a rio power head, small. lighting is regular flor. keeping it cheapr

tdchicago · 09/18/2007, 06:35 PM

would the clown trigger destry any cleaning crew? they are cheap, I could always replensiha s needed

ionredline0260 · 09/18/2007, 06:38 PM

You might be able to get away with some type of sand sifting goby for the sand, such as a dragon or a larger diamond goby.

09/18/2007, 04:26 PM	#1
tdchicago Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chicago, go BEARS Posts: 173	started a fowlr tank got a new 75 gallon going. 75 pounds of rock, a HOB filter. and 75 punds of sand. The sand and rocks have been turning brown. I know it is from uneatned food. there is only 1 fish, a clown trigger. Any ideas if this is a new tank thing, or if I am onto something worse. The brown sand is ugly. No skimmer on this system yet, trying to keep costs down (no lectures please, I will add one soon before more fish) BUT, will that keep the sand cleaner?

09/18/2007, 05:30 PM	#2
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	With a FOWLR tank its better to have bare glass bottom. Without proper cleanup crew the sand will look really bad and full of dead spots. Lets see you have LR , LS , fish , all thats missing is the coral. Skimmer will be needed but with weekly water changes you will be fine for awile. Also what are you useing for water flow ? What type of lighting ?

09/18/2007, 06:33 PM	#3
tdchicago Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chicago, go BEARS Posts: 173	a rio power head, small. lighting is regular flor. keeping it cheapr

09/18/2007, 06:35 PM	#4
tdchicago Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chicago, go BEARS Posts: 173	would the clown trigger destry any cleaning crew? they are cheap, I could always replensiha s needed

09/18/2007, 06:38 PM	#5
ionredline0260 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Box Around the Corner Posts: 747	You might be able to get away with some type of sand sifting goby for the sand, such as a dragon or a larger diamond goby.