Hello
and welcome!
Kudos to you for asking for help. I could have saved a LOT of $$ by doing that early on.
Some advice....
A) go to
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...rs/33555-look-frequently-asked-questions.html and read all about the "Nitrogen Cycle" and how it affects a Salt Water tank. It's going to be with you every step of the way so the more you understand it now the less you'll be FIGHTING it later on. It either works FOR you or AGAINST you (and it will win).
B) Think long and hard about what you want your tank to be like in 6month to a year. Then research and work your way towards that goal. By doing this you waste less money on lights, filters and junk you can't use later on. Save yourself some money and heart ache and think long-term.
C) Go slow and research every aspect of your purhcases. Our sponsors do a GREAT job of supporting us and many provide additional discounts and support to RS members.
D) Be very careful about advice you get from your Local Fish Store (LFS). They are in the business to SELL SELL SELL and this may mean they don't have you or your tank's best interest at heart. Research is your new best friend.
E) Go slow and be deliberate about your purchases. "Impulse" buying can hurt more than just your wallet. Buy everything after researching it and for a reason not "just because it looked so cute in the tank at the store". I'm as guilty as they come of this.. or I WAS
F) Sit back and enjoy the whole process. It's all about learning and growing WITH the tank not just the looking at the tank once a day and going WOW! The whole process can be FUN!!
Good luck and WELCOME to the REEF! You can log out but you can never really LEAVE