What turnover rate should I shoot for in a FOWLR tank?

20 20 · 04/23/2006, 06:35 AM

OK, I'm waffling between setting up my 125 gallon tank as a reef, or a FOWLR, now I'm leaning towards a FOWLR. I know with a reef you need very high flow, how about with a FOWLR? 10x flow? 20x?

Fast Fred · 04/23/2006, 07:16 AM

10x flow should be fine for a FOWLR.

Are you going to have a sump? What size?

Generally, the flow through the sump is the same in both a Reef and a FOWLR. The difference is power heads, or some sort of additional flow is the display that can be added later if you change your mind.

The only thing that would be difficult to add later would be drilled holes in the glass, if that's the route you took for a closed loop system.

I have a 125g Reef Ready and a 55g perfecto sump. I have a Mag 9.5 running full bore and splitting between the two returns.

20 20 · 04/23/2006, 07:26 AM

Yeah, I've got a 33 gallon sump that I'm going to add an integrated fuge to. I've got a mag 9 I can run as the return pump, and then add 2 or 3 powerheads to the tank. That would give me about 13x turnover. Or, I can add a closed loop pump of 1300gph, and go with smaller powerheads, and get about 20x turnover.

04/23/2006, 06:35 AM	#1
20 20 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Stewartstown, PA Posts: 1,246	What turnover rate should I shoot for in a FOWLR tank? OK, I'm waffling between setting up my 125 gallon tank as a reef, or a FOWLR, now I'm leaning towards a FOWLR. I know with a reef you need very high flow, how about with a FOWLR? 10x flow? 20x?

04/23/2006, 07:16 AM	#2
Fast Fred Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Northfield, NJ 08225 Posts: 1,170	10x flow should be fine for a FOWLR. Are you going to have a sump? What size? Generally, the flow through the sump is the same in both a Reef and a FOWLR. The difference is power heads, or some sort of additional flow is the display that can be added later if you change your mind. The only thing that would be difficult to add later would be drilled holes in the glass, if that's the route you took for a closed loop system. I have a 125g Reef Ready and a 55g perfecto sump. I have a Mag 9.5 running full bore and splitting between the two returns. __________________ Ya know, for a clown fish, you're not very funny! Member of the New Jersey Reefers Club Current Tank Info: 125g Reef Ready AGA /55g Top Fin Tank for a sump/refugium/ LifeReef Skimmer/ Changing over to SPS only

04/23/2006, 07:26 AM	#3
20 20 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Stewartstown, PA Posts: 1,246	Yeah, I've got a 33 gallon sump that I'm going to add an integrated fuge to. I've got a mag 9 I can run as the return pump, and then add 2 or 3 powerheads to the tank. That would give me about 13x turnover. Or, I can add a closed loop pump of 1300gph, and go with smaller powerheads, and get about 20x turnover.