Thx fro all the great info, Much appreciated. I thought about the rubbermade buckets while I was tossing and turning tryin to sleep this morning. I am sure are wanting a sand bottom, we just love the looks of fine sand bottoms. But, like everything I decide on, I bet there is a drawback, isnt there.???

Hee hee! Welcome to the club (re: tossing and turning, thinking about aquariums, equipment, fish, corals, testing, etc...etc...).

If you want sand, just make sure you have some critters in there that can help to clean it. Do some research on this end. Again, I don't have sand, so someone else will chime in I'm sure.

There are many different schools of thought on BB vs. DSB, It seems that most hardcore SPS keepers prefer bare bottom so they can crank up the flow in the tank without having a sandstorm.

I like the look of sand and have it in my tank but in my next tank I am going to go bare bottom. I just find that my water is never clear because sand is always being kicked up and floats in the water.

It has also been said that a sand bed needs to be regenerated after a period of time becuase it ends up being a trap for nitrates and other bad elements. I think though if you have a good cleanup crew and a sandsiftings stars or sleeper gobies to keep the sand turned often you should eliminate any of this risk.

I've had sand in my tanks for the past three years and it has never caused me any real problems, in the end it's a decision you need to make for waht suits your future stocking plans.

Welcome aboard! You'll find that people here are great for helping you get into the hobby.

I agree that there are many differing opinions on sand bottoms. I really like my shallow sand bottom in my tank, but since adding SPS coral, I did have to up the flow and therefore my sand it a little messed up now.

In my opinion, Live sand is the way to go. It brings with it a lot of the life that makes for a healthy tank. Be careful with a sand-sifting starfish as I had one in a bigger tank than you and eventually it still starved to death. I like sand-sifting gobies or 2-spots even as an alternative. Just remember that a fish that sifts will lift the sand up and sometimes cover anything that you have resting in the sandbed (an annoyance to clams for example)

Rubbermaids are your friends and bad things happen so plan for everything that you can. Also, keep in mind that cannister filters (unless cleaned regularly and religiously) can be an ugly trap for things that will make a mess of your tank.

Lastly, buy the best light you can afford, as you will always see that everyone here is moving up the light scale regularly.

Enjoy and good luck!

Cool, thx for the info. Lighting, ya, I am thinkking about that allready. The tank has a flat top, with 2 24W T5's in it. I'll have to build some kind of hood to hide a Halide. I am an electrician by trade and have access to all kinds of halides :D Got to love work benifits.
But will the T5's be ok for FOWLER? Not planing corals, unless I get some on the live rock hehe, atleast not fro starters. Would like to get more experience before I jump into the word of reefs. But knowing me and my wife, that will happen :D

That lighting is most definitely adequate for a FOWLR.

some things too consider!! If you are adding live rock it is pointless to add any mech or substraight in the cannister filter.... the only thing cannister filters will be good for is a place too put carbon, polish the water (clean the top of the water), and add water flow.. the live rock and the sandbed (if you are going with a sand bed) will do all the breking down of nutrience in the tank.. and 1 more thing see if the rock is cured or not.. if not you will want to cure the rock before adding any fish or cleaning crew... so much to learn and have fun doing it ...


hth

:razz: :razz: :razz:

^ Dave speaks truth. I was at the sermon.

tank
 

Were you only having only fish or plan to put corral in to

Might get coral at a later date, not sure. If I do, then I can upgrade lighting \I gues. Build a hood