This I what I am thinking about

[mr. ray]

55gal or 100gal (me and my wife are still trying to decide)
3 inches of LS over the bottom
2 powerheads
Some large rocks
I want 2 clowns an anome(sp?) some shrimp snails (my wife loves snails)
How many sanils should i get.
What else will got good with clowns?
what is a protien skimmer?

 

[harlequinnut]

Try to get the biggest tank you can afford and have the room for, otherwise you might regret it later on. I started with a 20 then move up to the 55 and finally settle for the 150 that I just got not too long ago. So definately get the 100 if thats all you can manage. 3" of sand sounds good and the powerhead and rocks also. Skip the anemone and try some low light demanding corals if you want you clown to host in. You'll need PC or VHO for lighting as a bare minimum. A protein skimmer hangs on the back of your tank or sits in the sump of your filter and basically collects the protein matter floating in the water. I'll let someone else more knowledgeable answer this question in more technical terms. HTH

 

[bang guy]

When choosing a tank for saltwater front to back distance (called depth) is really appreciated and makes the tank look much better. 55's are not deep (front to back) enough IMO to get a good rock setup. Also look at 75's or 90's. Something the size of 4' X 2' X 2' is easy to maintain and can be lit very well with just two MH lights.
I hope you hold off on the Anemone until you gain some experience. I recently heard a phrase "When you finally understand why you shouldn't get an Anemone, you're ready for one". I couldn't agree more. They are very very demanding animals with a dismal survival rate in the hobby, less than 1% survive long term.
Before purchasing anything I recomment you get a good book on the hobby. The Conscientious Marine Aquarist is a great book to get you aquainted.