... from FOWLR to ReefTank ???

[gogol]

I just got a 90G, primarily to circumvent fish keeping the constraints that my current 40G invert tank imposes.
I was thinking of converting it to a FOWLR with around 50 pound of LR and 1.5" sand bed. I am considering starting off as a FOWLR since I am really undecided about the lighting, and the type that I have my heart set on is going to get me thrown out of the house if I buy right now.

The questions are these:

1. If I chose only reef safe creatures, can I start as a FOWLR and convert the setup to a Reef, or is it easier (from the inhabitants perspective) that I start a reef and then introduce fish.
2. Are there any fishes that bother fleshy LPS like acans and scollys ?
3. Which snails survive with fishes like Tiggers, Naso Tang, Fox Face etc. I am assuming maybe large nerites, and mexican turbos ? (I will not have crabs in my tank)
4. For a tank with fish, is it better to chose cucumbers or nassarius as the detrivore ?
5. Do fish have any lighting requirements. ie. Can they be kept under "Strong" moonlights made of white LEDs.

 

[Phyl]

We started our 120g destined for reef tank with PC lights and ONLY reef safe fish (no triggers, fox face, etc). Tangs, chromis, clowns, etc. We had the fish only for 3 or 4 months before introducing our first corals. The fox face will pick at zoas and possibly LPS, the triggers, while many can be reef safe require a lot of food, thereby spoiling the "clean water" reef approach. I don't think there is a reason to choose cucumbers over nassarius (or nassarius over cukes for that matter). You can keep both.

Fish don't have lighting requirements. You can keep them under NO bulbs. The lighting is for YOU!

 

[gogol]

Thanks for the inputs Phyl .. I havent researched fishes well enough and hence the post. Apart from the cleanup crew, I intend to start with maybe 7 green chromis, a cleaner shrimp a Yellow/Naso tang. Fox face seems to be out then.

.. Would you know why the fishes dont need light though? Trpoical sea water has yards over yards of visibility and nonce of the typical reef fishes are from deep waters either. Doesnt vision play any role in their sensory systems?

 

[Hawkeye]

I think when phyl said "NO" bulbs - it was referring to Normal bulbs - the standard stuff you get when you buy the tank cover. You could get away NO bulbs instead of VHO, PC, MH, T5, LED.

just a comment on the cucumber or nassarius. I'm not sure I would categorize these two inverts as "OR", they perform functions that are not similar other than the fact that they are helpful for the sandbed.

One, the cuke - eats sand and digests the algae, detritus in the sand - and poops out clean sand.

The other, the nassarius vibex (not obseleta) species snail - will travel far and wide to eat fish food and leftovers. The snail has been known to attack items that are dying (e.g. clams, starfish, fish) though i've only seen them cleanup leftovers (i could not find my neon gobies anymore). I can only speak to the smaller sized species and have no experience with the larger "tongan" one that is popular in stores today. Neither snail will eat algae.

 

[Phyl]

I'm sorry, yes. NO=Normal Output bulbs. They do need to see, but the lights we use are more for us (and the corals) than the fish.