I've found a great saltwater site!!!

[Aqua]

go here: http://saltaquarium.about.com

bursting with info - my brain got confuzzled within minutes...

I'm thinking about getting a SMALL marine tank... At Hollywoods they had one where they kept the seahorses, but now that they're no longer there, they've got a couple of clown fish in there, and I just LOVE them!

Any ideas on cost/set-up people? I don't really want a big tank, as I'm renting, and although I don't forsee me moving anytime in the near future, you never can tell, so I want to be able to pack and up move with relative ease if need be...

[Pies]

I'm setting up a reef at the moment. Cost with OUT stock, $10 per litre (700ltr tank).

Marine is EXPENSIVE. Now you can reduce your costs but not keeping coral, then you can downgrade lights, skimmer, water flow etc. Remember you need BIG light to keep an anenonme for the clowns (1x halide will do it, $350 min for a 150watt 10000k).

Equipment you WILL need. this is my list if I was setting up a FISH ONLY tank, with perhapps the idea to move to a reef tank later:

1. Skimmer

2. Sump

3. Tank & lights (halide and fluro actinic)

4. heater

5. live rock

6. trickle filter/wet dry

7. test kits etc etc

8. Return pump + Power heads (turn over 10x tank volume hr last)

Also it takes about 3-4 months to cycle a marnine tank. I know this can be ingnored with freshwater and a lot of people can setup a tank and put fish in on the same with little real problems. This WILL not happen with marine. You have been warned

Go for it and do it! I am not an expert by any means but I am VERY well read, and will have saltwater in my 700ltr in the next 10 days.

Bigger tanks will work out cheaper and easier in the long run, as there will be less need for maintenance.

Gotta run, brb