New to saltwater

Everything pretty much said, so I just want to welcome you to 3reef... you will get a lot out of this site and of course many cool people to talk to...
I just want to re-iterate... always use gloves when dealing with saltwater and take your time....

 

get at least a 4x54w T5 light fixture with individual reflectors.. 6 to 8 bulbs even better.. but if on a budget 4x54w will do. if lights are way down the road, you could get low/no light corals such as sponges or some gorgionans... I would wait probly 2 months before adding anything but a couple starter fishs to cycle..

 

+K good advice,

If money is an issue, Id say you could at least use the freshwater pump/filters for cycling the tank for the first month or soo. then atleast when your ready for a new saltwater filter/pump/sump the tank will be ready for more additions..

 

what exactly is a protien skimmer i have been reading but just dont really know what they are for or what they do? oh and the same about a sump do i need both?

 

Really, a protein skimmer is just a chamber which mixes air and water, creating a column of micro-sized bubbles. Surface tension attracts organic wastes to the bubbles and carries them through the column; then they are "skimmed" into a collection cup. This stops waste from breaking down into toxic chemicals and prevents many serious, common aquarium problems. IMO, it's a pretty essential piece of equipment, particularly to newcomers to the hobby with less experience.

A sump is just a secondary tank under your display tank. It's not a necessity, but it's a "nice to have." You can store your equipment in there- heater, skimmer, monitoring probes, etc. I recommend setting up a sump off-the-bat, but even if you elect not to, you should purchase a high-quality hang-on-back protein skimmer. HTH