Greetings

Welcome To 3Reef! I agree with Matt, 50 gals like to kick you when your down hah.

 

Welcome to 3reef!
Glad you decided to make the switch to salt.
As you make your transition to the saltwater reefdom their are a few things that you should be aware of to help you eliminate, or atleast, the stresses and surprises that come with the saltwater hobby.
*The costs associated with the start-up of a saltwater tank can be alarming, especially if you try to keep up with the Jones' if you know what I mean. Research the equipment options invloved and decide which is right for you and necessary at this point in time. Their will be costs as well weekly, monthly and yearly as well that you need to be made aware of! Food, replacement testing materials, supplements, new additions to your tank and, oh yeah, a jump in your electric bill especially with metal halide bulbs, pumps etc.
*Make a detailed plan of action to use as a guide. By this I mean, what type of tank biotope do you plan on replicating? - FOWLR, inverts included, or full-blown reef- Design on paper, the tank set-up regarding equipment and placement in your tank. Do you plan on having a sump, refugium etc.?
Draw a picture/layout of the rock work and how you would like it set-up, how much live sand, rock, macroalgae etc.
Decisions on types of coral, husbandry(lighting and water flow requirements, toxic levels etc.) need to be aknowledged. The type of coral you wish to keep will assist and dictate to you the type of lighting and intensity to help you keep them successfully for a long time to come. ( This will also affect your electric bill!)

The best advice I can offer you is to research and do alot of reading on the types of equipment and its importance and significance...whether you need it now or can come up with an alternate solution or device.
Read on the types of livestock you plan on keeping to ensure that they will have a good chance of success in your tank.
Go with the largest tank you can afford and fit into the house. A larger tank will be more forgiving, especially to a novice in the saltwater hobby. You can get away with more dramatic changes in temp., salinity, pH with a bigger tank, however, you don't want to get into the habbit of taking short cuts etc.
Just take the time to do it right the first time! Don't try to skimp on the lighting off the bat, for example, just to get started with a tank and save a buck initially, because it will end up coming back to haunt you as you find out you want and need stronger light for the corals you want to keep and end up going out and buying another lighting set-up.
Things like this should be addressed to help you be successful and save some money at the same time.
Good luck and enjoy!!!

 

Welcome to 3reef.

You couldn't have found a better site for this really fascinating hobby. Everyone in here is always ready and more than willing to help out with any questions or concerns which you may have.

Enjoy the site!

 

Back in here with a small update =)
It is a shame that I had to get a 29gallon saltwater set-up instead (I still live with my parents and they said I would have to pay part of the power bill if I got the tank I wanted ) So for now I supppose I have to keep it small but it doesn't mean I still can't make it look nice.........(or spend alot on it for that matter =D ) I have to wait till the begining of jan till I can afford to spend money on geting the live rock, although I may get the live sand sooner (hopefully)
So for now I get to stare at a tank with saltwater ( 1.021 specific grav.) with only 10lbs of fine sand and 10lbs of medium grit crushed coral.........need the rest of the live sand and I will have perfect cover.

When I eventually do get live fish, which could be at the end of jan but prob later, one of the fish fish I would like to get is a flame angel, it might end up being the last eddition though.

 

Very beautiful Centropyge, just be careful with inverts and certain corals!