Fish Only - filtration method

As those of you who read my "Hello from china" post, you may have saw that i was starting a fish only system. The problem there being that it seems no one actually keeps FO systems these day. Its always FOWLR (fish only with live rock) or reef. So finding information on filtration has been a nightmare.

What i would like to know is, firstly does anyone on here have any experience of owning a FO system. Secondly i know your all clever chaps (and ladies of course) on this forum, so pretty please, can someone give me some info on FO filtration methods.
I know that with a FO system i dont have to worry too much about trace elements, PO4, and NO3 (to a certain extent obviously) as the fish are much more tolerant to these things than Inverts and corals etc. But id still like to give the system the best fighting chance

My initial idea was to have a skimmer in the sump along with a sponge prefilter. Which will catch the crud that enters the sump and will be cleaned regularly. Then have some form of biological filtration, ie, Bio-balls or ceramic rings. There will be a chiller and UV also plumbed in the sump also. Now i know most of you think of bio-balls as a dirty word. But thats for your reef tanks. For a FO system without Live rock, there would need to be something to take its place as the main form of biological filtration.

Am i on the right tracks there for a FO system?

If not, shoot me down, pick me back up, dust me off and tell me what i could do differently/better :

Thanks in advance Luc.

 

IMO, try Matrix by seachem in your bio-tower. It is a natural substance and has 40x the filtration capacity of bioballs. Also, you will need some rock so that your fish have somewhere to hide and territories to claim.

Ginny

 

Dare I say it--undergravel filtration? The gravel will then become your source of biological filtration.

 

Thanks for the response. So apart from a different type of media than bio-balls, you think what i suggested will be fine?
Sorry i also should have mentioned the fact i was going to have rock work in the tank. Just not live rock. I dont plan on overstocking the tank either. I would just like a few medium-large(ish) fish to. I would rather the tank be about the fish than about the rockscape/corals etc.

Possible stocking list so far are: The obligatory Yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens)
Hippo/ Pacific Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus)
Bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes)
One of the less aggressive Triggers (open to suggestions)
And a center piece, Angel (again open to suggestions, not too large though)

Do you think those fish are ok?

p.s. The tank is 180cm(length) x 60cm(width) x 90cm(height) Roughly equates to 250gallons + sump = just over 300g total system volume.

Sorry for the noobie posts. But marine is a world apart from freshwater, and was hoping by going FO it would be an easy a switch over as possible.

 

Reefsparky - thanks for the suggestion. But ive had bad experiences in freshwater with UGF. Ive never personally rated them. Things may be different for UGF's in marine, but i dont fancy taking the chance. Besides... The tank comes with a built in sump so would like to take advantage of that fact.

 

Hi Luc

some thoughts from me

the filtration system you mention would be OK IME - with the fish on you list , go larger with the skimmer than your 1st instincts tell you , as you are not going to be feeding corals etc , then over skimming is not a concern for you

Lighting - as its FO - the lighting you want is for viewing mainly so this will help with heat issues - you wont need 6 x 80 watt T5s or MH


you may not need a chiller , I only have one of my reef set up, I have a 60 gallon FOWLR ( your rock will be live rock after its been in tank a while, so its just QTY thats in question rather than terminology) on said tank I dont use a skimmer, tank gets up to 28 degrees and the fish are OK with that

there is more equipment used on a reef tank - every piece of electrical stuff adds heat hence 2 tanks side by side varied by 3 or 4 degrees , hence chiller needed for the reef

less aggresive triggers - Niger Trigger is a shy relatively peacefull species , and the pink tail trigger is also considered reasonable

Angels - the emporer in juvi colours is nice and as an adult its even nicer IMO

Steve

 

I love, LOVE, LOOOOOOVVVEEEE my blue jaw triggers. If I had unlimited funds, I would have a 300g tank with a herom of them. You can put several in and have a school as long as you put them all in at the same time and have only one male.

Ginny

 

I love my bluejaw trigger. I have a male hawaiian and he is greatness.

 

Thanks for the advice again Steve. Those fish seem to fit the bill well whilst also looking pretty
So about rock becoming live rock...... can any rock become live rock as long as its in the tank for long enough. Or just specific porous types of rock?

ssgheislerswife and Daniel072 - do you guys keep your triggers in a FO setup? do you have any pics of them i can see pretty please?

 

all rock, any rock, will become live rock, in that it will be colonised by bacteria

but the more porous the rock, the more beneficial it will be, as more bacteria will host the outer surface and the pores

Steve