SnowHeart

Depending on your setup, another option I've heard of (but haven't tried) is something called a SQWD, or Switching Current Water Director. (You can find them at MarineDepot.com and Drsfostersmith.com.) It goes inline on the return plumbing. Requires no electricity or powerheads, but does put some backpressure on your return pump. Almost everything I've read about them has been very positive, and the few bad reviews I've seen sounded like a bum unit rather than a design problem. I'm thinking of using one on a 90g I'm planning to build soon.

After doing a lot of research on this several months ago, I think this is going to be fine but I wanted to see if anyone thought I was crazy... I'm finally getting ready (again) to put a 90g FOWLR in our condo. There will be a 29g sump/fuge in the cabinet stand. The aquarium would go on the main floor, with a basement beneath it. The floor between the two levels is concrete slab, and the aquarium would either be placed above a support column or against a load bearing wall. I suspect that with a concrete slab and the position of the aquarium there will be more than ample support (indeed, the resident of a similar unit did the same thing with a 90g and had no problems), but I want to see if there's anyone who thinks I'm nuts before I do this and risk thousands of dollars in repair work.

Wow. I've heard of DIY projects but that takes the cake (even if you did hire some contractors). Wow. P.S., You have a truly remarkable wife if she's willing to let you do that. It's taken months of twisting someone's arm to be able to move forward with my 90g.

There are adapters that let you hook the filter's input directly to the faucet -- screw them on when you want to run the filter, screw them off when you're done and want to use the faucet again (for cleaning dishes, etc.). The obvious downside to this is you can't use the filter at the same time you need the sink, so it's a bit of a pain. If it were me, I'd probably put the saddle valve on the pipe anyway. When you leave, you just close the valve. Nobody will ever notice (assuming the valve doesn't leak).

This is one of the most helpful science lessons I've ever had in five minutes or less. Awesome!

So if one is looking to cool the water or increase oxygenation then blowing is better, but if you're looking to cool off lighting fixtures then sucking is better?

Thanks for the input all; this is VERY helpful and informative. I really appreciate it.

Yes, I think that's exactly it. In that sense, "Reef safe" is probably a poor use of words, but does seem to be the operative phrase. So, let's say I'm not wild about the idea of letting my fish have $50 dinners. My take on that is that yes, the butterfly fish would be safe for a FOWLR tank. Thanks fab! It's appreciated.

Thanks, Jason! Submitted $20 by PayPal earlier today. Yup, that's what I'm worried about. I'd like to have some variety of life in there so, in that respect, I think a medium-sized lion is also a better choice (less potential "food") but still a challenge to stock.

Gosh guys, thanks for the offers to try to find places to house my fish. Honestly, I think the only way I can talk my partner into the saltwater plunge is to give up the other tanks (although the 29g will become a fuge/sump). I don't like giving them up, but that's the trade off (particularly to maintain harmony on the homefront). Steve: Thanks. We'll be moving into McLean Gardens off Wisconsin Ave in NW DC, but... "have car, will travel." I'm hoping to luck out in September and find someone looking to unload a 90g and stand and maybe some rock and sand to boot.

Hello all. For several months I have been researching the prospect of switching from freshwater to saltwater. After a move back down to DC this September, I'm going to make the plunge, buy a 90g and convert my 29g into a sump/refugium. There are two things I would like to do: have some live rock and have a lionfish. Given those parameters, there are two things I was hoping folks could offer some advice with: what type of lionfish would go well in a 90g (48x18) tank with live rock, and what else would be compatable with it? I think I should rule out the volitans. At a maximum length of 15", the tank will only be slightly more than 3 times its length and that just doesn't seem fair to me no matter what the "minimum size" requirements are. This is particularly true once you factor in the addition of live rock, which will reduce the available swimming space further. I also am not interested in the dwarf species (just personal preference). So, that leaves me with the more medium sized builds: radiata, antennata and russelli. Does anyone have suggestions as to what would probably be the best choice for a beginner (or none of them)? Assuming one of these is acceptable, what would be compatable with it? I understand that snowflake eels are good tankmates for lionfish, but I also understand that butterfly fish should be okay. Is that true? I know butterflys are not reef compatible, but are they okay with live rock? Thanks in advance for the feedback.

Boston is nice, but the winters are long and cold, and it's a bit more difficult to make friends here (folks aren't as transient here, so they already have friends and it's tough to break into those circles). Anyway, unfortunately no corals now -- just freshwater tanks that I'll be breaking down and livestock I'll be giving away. I'll be sad to give away Gumbo, my blue procambarus alleni, but he'll never survive the trip.

Early September, but really the whole month is going to be moving (painting the condo, getting new furniture and -- ahem -- setting up the aquarium that my better half is very worried about). Looking forward to getting back to DC. Boston has been great, but DC was better and we have more friends there. Thanks for the kind welcome, btw. Snowy

Just wanted to say hello and introduce myself. I just submitted an application to join the WAMAS as a member, and will be moving (back) to DC this September. Currently I'm keeping a 29 gallon FW fish tank and a 12 gallon FW tank for a crawfish. In September, after months of research (and the move), I'm planning on setting up a 90 gallon FOWLR tank. When I used to live in DC, I wasn't into the hobby so I don't know what resources are available, so I may be asking a lot of questions and poking my head around these forums. The Boston Reefers Society is a great resource, so I'm assuming WAMAS is too. Looking forward to chatting with you all. Thanks!