Many people are giving you the best advice....READ!!!!! I took short cuts the first time......it cost me over $500 just for the fish!!!! If you use tap water, put in your additives, salt, etc. and let it filter for a few days....PATIENTS starts at the BEGINNING!!!! I have a 75gal F/O....about 60lbs of crushed coral and about 60lbs (6 pieces) of lace rock....lots of holes for the little guys!!!! It has a double "Eclipse" top...which contains the filter, bio-wheel and lights. After a 12 week cycling period starting with 6 Damsels (and AFTER reading about which fish live better together and knowing what size they will grow to)...I added 2 fish a week for another 10 weeks, and I replaced the 3 Damsels that died because I liked the various colors.......here's what I have ...
2 Royal Blue Damsels
2 Green Chromies
1 Domino Damsel
1 3 striped Damsel
1 O.Clown
1 Pajama Cardinal This combination has over 20
1 Yellow Tang variuos colors, maybe closer to 30
1 Flame Hawk
1 Striped Blennie
1 Velenti Puffer I added the replaced Damsels last
2 Scooter Dragonets it's always a good idea that the
1 Manderan Goby smallest fish in your tank only
1 Snowflake Eel cost about $3........oh yeah!!!!
1 Brittle Star
1 Serpant star
1 Choc. Chip Star
5 Turbo Snails
No fish is over 4 inches (except the eel), and I put in about a square foot of Live Sand in one end of the Tank. I feed 3 times a day....Krill (freeze dried.....I pulverize several + hand feed the Eel and 2 starfish), a frozen bob-bon of Brine Shrimp, 1/2 bon-bon of Bloodworms, and a piece of an Algae bon-bon.
Everybody eats something....and some of them eat everything!!
I check my water quality twice a week......do a 20/25% water change EVERY weekend....and I DON"T have a protein skimmer. I keep my salanity level at .023....usually by adding non-salt water after evaporation..........
Did I mention I'm RETIRED!!!!!!! Have fun!!!!!!!!!Good Luck!!!!!
The more you READ the less $$$$$$, but $500 is a nice start!!