First off, your Discus tank looks absolutely beautiful! If you have the space, and $$$ you should keep it, and do a seperate sw fowlr.
With that said.
Loose the fluvals, use a sump with a good skimmer. No rocks or fuge in the sump. Why? I've done fowlr with fluval, wet/dry with bioballs, sump/fuge, sump with rocks, and always have problems with algea, and or red slime. Including right now - I am removing the lr from my sump TODAY. Been doing fowlr for over 6yrs., and tried them all over that time. My reef simply uses a sump, skimmer, reactors, and has no problems with algea or red slime...
1) Tons of patience to cycle the tank properly. Do not rush this very important step.....
2) Sand bed 1" to 2" for astetics, and if you end up keeping wrasse that need to sleep & hide in it. Will also need sand sifters if you go with sand.
3) Overflow box
4) Sump, anything will do that can hold your skimmer(I like the Turboflotor Multi 1000 with Oceanrunner PH2500, not terribly expensive, works well, easy to use & maintain), heaters, return pump, and phosban & activated carbon if you choose to use them. That will hold the amount of water that will be syphoned down to it during a power outage.
5) No special lighting needed for a fowlr!!!!!!! Good bulbs work just fine....
6) Chiller only if you do not have an a/c, and the room the tank is in gets hot. Chiller will also add heat to the room, and you will be running the a/c to cool the room any way..
7) Choose your fish carefully after researching their needs, and compatibility.
8) (a) Good return water pump.
(b) Skimmer
(c) Heaters
(d) Thermometer
(e) Sump
(f) Overflow box
(g) Hosing for overflow box & return pump
(h)
refractometer
There is more, but I've got to get going... Definitely DO NOT USE TAP WATER!!! PM me for more info, less I forget to come back to this thread.
