I currently have a 55 gallon with about 85-90 lbs of live rock and a 5-6 inch DSB. My lighting is not great by any means. (2 x 55 watt power compacts and a 38 watt T-5, I think.) My overflow is DIY over the back, and the sump is DIY and holds about 15 gallons operational. The return pump is only a Rio 1700, but it does a good job, and I have two other powerheads that provide a good amount of flow. My skimmer is a Remora, and it does pretty well, too. I only have 5 fish and some softies for live stock along with various snails and blueleg hermits. Here's the question(s)....


If I were to get a really good deal on a 125 gallon, how much money would I need to put into it to make it work for me? I'm thinking I could use the 55 gallon as a sump, and my current overflow would probably work, too. I know my lighting would need to be upgraded, probably to MH's right? Would I need a bigger skimmer, though? What about live rock? Would I need more? I could probably make some if needed. Am I missing anything? I know it's hard to give prices on hypotheticals, but what about some ballpark figures? I'd hate to miss my chance on something like this. I just need to know about what I'm getting into as far as upgrade costs go. Thanks in advance for the advice.