Reef to Fowlr - what to know?

[Yaktop]

gals and gents, I've been in the reef hobby since 2001, currently have a 380 reef custom by Aquarium Obsessed with rear overflows with a 120 gal sump/refugium. 300+ lbs of live rock and lots of corals but I've tired of the sps, the added electric, and some shortfalls of late that has me going in this direction. What items should I be concerned with as I transition? I have three large tangs, 8 inch Hippo, 6 inch sailfin, 5 inch yellow with some other assorted fish. I know I can reduce some of my flow and my lighting, currently 4 VHO's, 3 - 250 MH and 3 -400 MH. Once my SPS is gone can I just use VHO's and for how many hours. Other concerns? thanks in advance.

[leebca]

After the light-dependent marine life is removed, lighting is your choice and is just needed enough to see your fish, your fish to see its food, and if you want to cultivate coralline algae, enough light for that.

Water quality doesn't have to be a pristine for a FOWLR. You no longer have to worry about nitrates, although normal export through water changes is still needed. So if you have any part of the system devoted to nitrate export (deep stand bed, chemical filter, etc.) it can shut down and/or removed.

However the mistake most hobbyists make is not realizing they still have to keep up with the alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium measurements and to keep them in balance for pH control. But, in a FOWLR system, this control is easy and not as demanding.

Since the system is that old (presuming it is), I would not just change lighting in one day. Start by turning off one bulb a week (after the light-dependent marine life has been removed) and either replacing it with another choice or forgoing it altogether. Do this until the lighting has been scaled down to what you want.

[Yaktop]

thanks for the advise and confirmation of this.