new setup - what to buy first

[Celbrise]

What is the best approach to upgrading to a larger tank? got a 55gal in horrible shape and want to break it down for a 120gal but money is the issue. I live in Hawaii so as far as options go for aquarium supplies there isn't much almost everything will have to be imported and that means pricey shipping fee's especially on tank and stand.

I don't plan to have this set up for another year at the least but I want to make that upgrade ASAP before my fish get too large for current tank as well. I am looking to make this a tank for fish, inverts, and zoa's and also annemones if possible I cannot keep corals as they are illegal in my state.

could you simply list everything I will possibly need for the tank and sump and in which order I should buy them. some I am assuming I can keep in storage for a while such as rocks and dry sand. I am not too experienced and would rather have more experienced people help. I'm not looking for exact models just vague things like stand, tank, power heads, etc..

 

[Scubado63]

I am kind of doing the same thing, I am building a 220 gallon, have a 90 now.... I just made a list in the order I would use stuff (No need for lights with no tank, or skimmer with no sump), I started with tank, then built the stand for it, then built the sump and plumbed it all, now getting return pump to test it all. will add more as I can afford it, figure I will work on lights next .... then maybe sand and rock and so on... this is kind of my list
Tank, Stand, Sump, Plumbing, lights, sand/rocks, power heads, skimmer, ATO, then get up and running and cycled, then fish and corals

 

[ngvu1]

Really? Someone told me it is illegal to have an aquarium in Hawaii... ;-)
Learn something new every day

 

[Celbrise]

Really? Someone told me it is illegal to have an aquarium in Hawaii... ;-)
Learn something new every day

yes it is illegal even to harvest I don't know if it is illegal to keep native corals found in Hawaii but I highly assume so. I tried to order some or see if they shipped a while ago but many people were saying they were illegal and many companies online will not ship corals. I only know that it is legal to keep if the state is giving them away I guess from like clearing off a site in the ocean for oil or something like that but they are pretty much heavily protected. I do see one person selling zoa's online so I assume they are legal and also one person selling an anemone. really sucks I mean I don't understand why native species can't simply be shipped in or fragged and sold locally

 

[Celbrise]

I am kind of doing the same thing, I am building a 220 gallon, have a 90 now.... I just made a list in the order I would use stuff (No need for lights with no tank, or skimmer with no sump), I started with tank, then built the stand for it, then built the sump and plumbed it all, now getting return pump to test it all. will add more as I can afford it, figure I will work on lights next .... then maybe sand and rock and so on... this is kind of my list
Tank, Stand, Sump, Plumbing, lights, sand/rocks, power heads, skimmer, ATO, then get up and running and cycled, then fish and corals

thanks I kind of got flustered after tank and stand. idk about your other hobbies but I like to build computers and if aquariums are anything like PC hardware they get upgraded very fast to the point buying it all at once is practically a must or it will likely get outdated especially in just a year they also go on sale as well so yea.

 

[Taylor121]

i also live in Hawaii and Ik how you feel about corals cannot be shipped in. Ik some eBay sellers will ship you corals but it's totally illegal. As for zoas you can collect them if you can find them here's some pics that I collected. There was also a blueish purple colony that I thought I collected but I guess I didn't I was just stoked I found some zoas

 

[Tateopotatoe]

Are you sure everything needs to be shipped in? Just check your local pet store. They might have had to ship it, but probably for a lot less

 

[Celbrise]

i also live in Hawaii and Ik how you feel about corals cannot be shipped in. Ik some eBay sellers will ship you corals but it's totally illegal. As for zoas you can collect them if you can find them here's some pics that I collected. There was also a blueish purple colony that I thought I collected but I guess I didn't I was just stoked I found some zoas

by collect you mean in the ocean? I don't dive sadly nor know anyone that does that's in this hobby.

 

[Celbrise]

Are you sure everything needs to be shipped in? Just check your local pet store. They might have had to ship it, but probably for a lot less

pretty much all the good products that you would want do. only pet stores here are ones like Petco and they don't have a great selection on products. the only salt water store I know of that's close doesn't carry a great selection of things either they carry like 75gallon tanks maybe 100gal at the most and it's overpriced. went in to get a skimmer ( a crappy one ) cost about $80 online plus shipping the store sells it for $160. only thing that concerns me is the tank. I plan to build my own stand probably not sure yet the rest is pretty cheap to ship in.

 

[Taylor121]

I didn't have to dive for them I found this in some tide pools

 

[Celbrise]

I didn't have to dive for them I found this in some tide pools

Oh wow nice at what beach? I live on oahu lol in town I don't expextra to find any. I know I can find sea bristles though

 

[Taylor121]

I live on the big island I found some at Hilo break wall and other spots on the island

 

[Celbrise]

Nice I don't think I'd find any here I. Tidal pools too many people. They really need to allow more hobbyists to grow corals it could potentially save corals in the wild by just growing and fragging