150 Gallon FOWLR tank

[Scuba Kid]

Currently, I have a very nice 150 gallon glass tank with a black painted stand in my basement. Right now it houses a variety of mostly Amazon fish, but all that is about to change soon.

I'm converting to a saltwater Fish Only With Liverock setup in this tank.

The main centerpiece fish of the tank will be a coral catshark. The tank will also house a sixline soapfish grouper, and fish that I collect this summer. I am expecting to get at least a small group of juvenile Lookdowns, which will make a nice top-schooling fish for the tank. Before stocking too heavily on store-bought fish, I will wait to see what species I collect this summer that will be able to inhabit the tank.

[Scuba Kid]

Supplies I have gathered/orderd thus far:

• ~100 lbs of liverock
• 4x96w Dual Strip Compact Flourescent lighting w/ 2 12000k Daylight bulbs and 2 True Blue Actinic Bulbs + 5 Bluemoon LEDs
• Coralife 220 Needlewheel HOB Protein Skimmer
• 2 Eheim Proffessional II 2028 Canister Filters
• 150 Gallon Glass tank
• Black painted Stand
• 3 Glass Versa-Tops (one to be replaced)

Supplies that will be ordered soon:

• Two 250w Visi-Therm Stealth Heaters
• 150 lbs Sugar Grain Live Sand

[Scuba Kid]

I also plan on building a canopy to cover the lighting and match the stand.

I have drawn the basic idea of it up and will scan it soon. It opens from the front and vents from an open back. Two computer fans will also be put in for additional heat-ventilation.

[SBDTHUR]

Nice idea.. Don't forget to take pictures as you set it up.

[Scuba Kid]

I've also decided that since my lighting should be adequete enough, I'm going to try and incorporate a variety of different kinds and colors of mushroom corals as well. I was thinking about doing different types of soft corals, but I have decided that it would make a nice display to have a variety of shrooms.
Also works out since they are fairly inexpensive and my one favorite corals (not to mention easy to keep).

[Scuba Kid]

Here's a basic list of some mushroom corals I'd like to incorporate in the tank:

• Green Striped Mushroom
• Blue/Green Ricordia Mushroom
• Red Mushroom
• Bullseye Mushroom
• Green Flourescent Mushroom

Any feedback on my choices or other kinds I should include are welcome.

[Scuba Kid]

I've been running canisters on my 46 and 55 for quite some time with no problems...

but thanks for the helpful feedback....

[SBDTHUR]

I thought most people ran canisters on there sw tanks.

[Bear]

I would def. go without the canister.

Aside from that I would add some more light and add some zoos to that list

[flamingo]

If your going with larger, predatory sw fish, i'd recommend canisters. But, they need to be cleaned regularily of course. I have one on my 30 gallon seahorse tank. Eats exclusively frozen and live foods, eats 4 times a day, all levels are at zero . I'm pretty happy with it.

[Scuba Kid]

I've been successful in numerous tanks over quite a few years and my mother has over 20 years experience as well.

I understand that canisters can create more nitrates, but I haven't had problems when they are well maintained.

This was NOT a posting asking for help with my setup and I merely asked about the mushroom corals on my list. This is my "blog" posting about my tank, I'm not asking for advice on how to setup my tank.


Now back to our regular scheduled program....

I am considering changing my ideas on the shark. I may consider possibly getting a marbled catshark over a coral catshark, but I'm 100% yet. Reason I might change is 1) I've heard some aggression issues with corals during feeding, which I had not heard before and 2) the marbled catshark seems to be easier to get.
We'll just have to see what makes it on my LFS's saltwater list....

[Scuba Kid]

Well I got email confirmation that my skimmer and lights are in the mail, so they should be here in a few days....

As soon as i find homes for the freshwater fish in the tank now, progress can begin, so that is my biggest delaying issue as of right now....

[Scuba Kid]

At least you replied with a good explanation as to why, Mike.

The reason I am using a canister filter though is to suck up as much leftover food as possible due to the fact that predators tend to be messy eaters and leave a lot left over. I am going to be cleaning them twice a week so I shouldn't have too many problems with nitrates. In the event that I do, I may take them off.

[flamingo]

All this coming from people who keep the standard "sw collection".

Canisters have their use, IF you maintain them, and IF you need them. If you have simple little fish like clownfish, tangs, etc. then you may not need something like a canister. If you keep something else like a lionfish, grouper, etc. than it's an entirely different story. In my case, it's highly helpful in cleaning the tank, and it's more cost effective. Some of us don't have the money to go for the "best" of everything . And in some cases, the simple rule of what filter to use, etc. doesn't apply. A predator tank is different than , say, a 75 gallon reef filled with mainly inverts... which have a low metabolism, and eat a lot less.

But, hrmm.. let us know how it goes along . I definitely want to see pics lol.

[SueM]

User Journals is a personal "blog" area, not a bash out. This continues and I'll have to close the thread.

[cpm6372]

Goodluck. I have a 55 Gallon fish only with live rock. It's really fun. I have a Clown Trigger, Volitan Lion, and a Zebra Moray Eel. All the fish get along well and are very hardly/messy eaters. I have a 30 Gallon sump and would not go with anything else due to the amount of waist these guys create.

[Bear]

How is it doing katie?

[Scuba Kid]

Well its been slow going, due to being pretty busy this summer and not being able to focus on it so much, as well as relocating the freshwater fish that were in it.

The final inhabitant has left the tank and I can finally begin cleaning the tank up. Not sure how much time I will have with school beginning, but with my teachers on strike I'll begin this week.

A little update on my planning since its been a while.

Well, I was pretty excited about the shark and still believe it would make an awesome tank inhabitant. However, due to the fact that having a shark immensley limits the other inhabitants I can have in the tank, I discussed this with my mom and we decided it might not be the best idea. Maybe in the future.

My stocklist now includes the sixline soapfish who has been in my 55 with all my liverock, a herlequin tusk, a bluegirdled angelfish, and possibly a zebra moray.

It's been taking SO LONG! At least now I can get started.

[SBDTHUR]

-Crys-

[Scuba Kid]

Well, its finally completed. Well, as completed as a new tank can be....it will never really be completed.

Anyway, here is the finished product:
FTS:


Right side angle:


Left side angle w/ harlequin and soapfish:


Sixline Soapfish


Harlequin Tusk


Purple mushroom rock


Green striped mushroom rock


The mushrooms are a little closed in this picture because they moved just before taking pics.

And finally, a blurry pic of the new algae blenny:


The tank is not that blue, by the way....it just looks it in the pics.