New to Hobby - First Tank - Need advice

[stony]

In about a month, I will be getting my first salt water tank. It's a 55 gallon acrylic set-up. It is a used one but I believe it has everything I need to get started with.
Some of the things I guess, and I am not too familiar with it all, but the plastic ball things, a heater, gravel, lights, protein skimmer, and other stuff. Like I said, I'm not sure what it all comes with but the person I am buying it from assures me that all I will need is water, fish, and coral/live rock.
My 5 Y.O. daughter is extremely excited about this and is looking forward to having a bunch of Nemo's and Dory's swimming around in it. Looking at the prices of those particular fish, I want to make sure that they are in my best financial interest.
What would be a good starter type set-up for somebody who doesn't really want to spend $500 on fish? Especially since I have 0 experience with a salt water tank.
I don't want them to outgrow the tank either. Also feeding of the fish. I don't want to spend more on fish food per week than I do on my dog per year.
Thanks all for your advice.

 

[criminal]

ok well your going to need sand not gravel IMO and most everyone's opinion. your going to need LR (Live Rock) which at a LFS (local fish store) is about 7 or 8 bucks a LB. that can get expensive because you need at least 1lb per gallon of water most people recomend 1.5 or 2lbs per gallon. i also have a 55 gallon set up and i have two percula clowns (nemo) and everyone loves them they have great personalities! i recomend buying a book or two and reading them cover to cover. you have to do a lot of research in this hobby but it is well worth it!
Matt

 

[jhov2324]

I agree, do a lot of research first.

 

[grmreapr]

read,read,study, gather information, and do it all over again its a little complicated at first but it will all make sense later on and is a great hobby. also I dont think the tang(dory) will work in a 55 gallon they usually need a bigger tank but clown fish will work and also if you can ask the guy who you are getting the tank from to maybe come and help set it up and explain it to you.

 

[bs21]

Originally Posted by criminal
ok well your going to need sand not gravel IMO and most everyone's opinion.
Matt
Agreed! as far as live rock goes you can save money and get base rock(caribsea reef rock....google to get idea) or something like that and seed it with a few pieces of LR. that will save some money. The tang is a heated issue about whether or not it can be in a 55 so youll have to decide for yourself. good books to get are "the concientious marine aquarist" by Robert Fenner and " the new marine aquarium" by ......i can't find my book to spell his name .....palleta i think.

 

[pallan]

as stated it is a heated issue on the tang deal so i wont go there.
but the tang your refering to is prone to ich and other illnesses and is not reccomended to the beginer due to its tendency to lay down play dead etcc. it is hard to tell if it is really sick or just normal behavior even this site does not cover them under their warranty.
be sure to do as stated and read read read.