Setting up a Reef Tank in Hawaii

[Boomer1]

I have been snagged over and over... I am interested in setting up a reef tank on Oahu, but live rock is illegal to import or harvest locally. I am looking into the possibility of legally importing aquacultured live rock, or making my own (info all over the net)... Anyone have ideas or know first-hand how to get around this issue

 

[Len]

Unfortunately, I've been informed that reef tanks are illegal in HI in order to protect their ecosystem. Building your own live rock (aragocrete) is simple enough, but I don't know how'd you seed it or stock it with inverts which is completely illegal to import. You should be able to foster decent algae growth by seeding the tank with natural HI water, but that's probably the extent of what you can do there (other then fish).

 

[humu]

no no no, there ARE ways to have a reef tank in hawaii.
first of all, take all the live sand you want. as for live rock, if you want to follow the laws there are liverock farms in hawaii. www.ecosaqua.com sells LEGAL live rock. as for corals, you can collect all the SOFT corals you want. good places to find softies such as zooanthids and anthelia are sandies, and pretty much anywhere on the east side of oahu.

 

[usafresq1]

I am in hawaii as well, stationed on Hickam AFB. Feel free to PM or email me if you'd like to hook up.

~usafresq

 

[humu]

yo usafresq, its hamachi from reefcentral

 

[usafresq1]

small world ain't it LoL

 

[SurfsUP]

Man u guys make me jealous. I wished I still lived in Hawaii. I've been living in the middle of nowhere, Lost Wages. Da thing I miss da most is the ocean. The only water I see now are my 3 reef tanks.

I had 2 reef tanks when I was growing up on Oahu, 20 and 90. I got all of the live rocks and sand from the beaches there. :roll: Some of the corals I got off various beaches, zooanthids off sandies and Kahala. I also got some very cool mushroom corals off Kaneohe bay. You have to be careful, cause fish & wildlife are watching, my uncle got caught once but paid the guy off. I never got caught but my friend who went with me a couple of times was a cop who also had a reef tank.

Happy reefing braddahs!!!

 

[delbeek]

first of all, take all the live sand you want.

Actually you are only legally allowed to collect one gallon per person per day.

as for corals, you can collect all the SOFT corals you want. good places to find softies such as zooanthids and anthelia are sandies, and pretty much anywhere on the east side of oahu.

Zoanthids are not soft corals, also though you can collect soft corals there are only two types in Hawaii, Anthellia/Sansibia and Sinularia ... however, you can NOT collect the rock they are attached to so you have to peel it off not an easy task when it comes to Anthellia. Given the low diversity of corals in Hawaii any reef tank you create will not come close to what you can do on the mainland with imported corals.

It is unfortunate that live rock is illegal to collect in Hawaii, but seeing as most people have no idea of the proper and ethical way to collect it, its probably a good thing.

I am looking into the possibility of legally importing aquacultured live rock

It is not the rock that is the concern, it is the attached organisms such as bacteria and algae that is ... therefore aquacultured live rock from outside the state is most likely illegal. Check with DLNR, Aquatic Resources.

Try www.ipsf.com for aquacultured live rock from the Big Island.

If you make your own live rock you could most likely seed it and develop it in your tank by doing frequent changes with natural seawater over about 6 months or more. You can NOT just place it in the ocean ... thats called dumping ... you need a permit/lease to do that.

Before you do ANYTHING I would suggest that you contact the Aquatic Resources division of the Dept. of Land and Natural Resources and find out exactly what is and is not legal.

Aloha!
JCD

 

[humu]

yeah..what delbeek said!

mr. delbeek- do you go diving a lot? can you tell me where is good for trochus,zooanthids, and Sinularia?
thanks for clearing up the legal matters

 

[delbeek]

mr. delbeek- do you go diving a lot? can you tell me where is good for trochus,zooanthids, and Sinularia?
thanks for clearing up the legal matters

Trochus - Kaneohe Bay

Zoanthids - already mentioned in this thread

Sinularia - high energy wave zones like between Hanauma Bay and Blow Hole. I wouldn't bother with it ... the polyps are very small and it doesn't do well in tanks.

Aloha!
JCD

 

[Anonymous]

If it were me, I'd say hell with it and just go collect some from a discreet location. Not saying you should do this - just saying it's what I would do. :twisted:

Jim

 

[humu]

kaneohe is HUGE! do you know of an area where i can snorkle and find them?

 

[NanoWind]

i need the hoooks as well hehe..

 

[rae gordon]

hey,
Oahu what a small place, everyone email me with your info, [email protected]. Be interested to see what everyone has going. As for live rock, I started with bleached coral washed up on the beach at Sand island.

 

[jandree22]

I once saw pictures of Hawaii in a magazine :lol:

 

[klingsa]

Am I the only one concerned with the disregard shown for laws protecting the reefs of Hawaii? Those of you who live there, don't you want your children to be able to enjoy the reefs? If those of us who know how important reefs are for the health of the oceans, and realize how delicate these animals are, do not protect their habitat, who will?

I have a lot of respect, Boomer, for your desire to do this by the rules. Best of luck.

Sara

 

[Anonymous]

Relax Sarah. There are ways and places to collect things in such a way so that it does not impact the reef. Do you think that in places where collecting is legal, that it is impacting the reef? Are these reefs any less imporatant?
If you're going to take such a stance, take it all the way. Who speaks for the citters in the Phillipines, or Christmas Island? Arbitrary laws written by some guy to protect a reef on a few tiny islands are not going to save the oceans. What is needed is responsible practices by all involved, everywhere. Whether it be someone on this board collecting for a reef tank, or a commercial operation collecting for the trade.
I trust the members of the board to do things responsibly, laws or no laws.

Regards
Jim

 

[klingsa]

I'm relaxed, thanks for the concern. Responsible practice by all individuals everywhere, I agree. That was my only point. I'm glad to hear that you have so much faith in all of us.

Sara