New to saltwater, opinions for a 40g tank please

[Kayluhlin]

Hello I'm new here and very new to saltwater. All that I currently have is my 40 gallon tank. It was on sale so I couldn't resist snatching it up. I still have to get all the rest of the proper equipment and a stand before I even start to set it up but I just want to be prepared for everything ahead of time haha. I know you need a protein skimmer, a water/circulation pump or whatever(maybe someone can recommend the best one for my tank size/the type of fish i'd like) and lights (recommendations for those would also be nice, and which would be good for corals). But I'm also wondering if you need anything else? I also do not plan to have a sump because I don't have the proper equipment to drill a hole into my tank.

And here is a list of fish and invertebrates that I'd like in my tank, I know I can't have all of them haha. I just hope some of yall could give me some combinations that would do well together and do well in my tank, or if you have any suggestions of what I should have. Also what order I should put them into my tank.

-Strawberry Dottyback
-Diadema Dottyback
-Bicolor Dottyback
-Pearly Jawfish (with these will they dig their own burrows or need to be provided with something special?)
-Green Chromis
-Jewel Damsel
-Six-line Wrasse
-Filamented Flasher Wrasse
-Citrus Goby
-Firefish Goby
-Tangaroa Goby
-Randall's Goby
-Starry Blenny
-Bicolor Blenny
(I would maybe like some type of clown fish, what type would do best in my tank? and what anemone would be best for them)

-Tiger Pistol Shrimp
-Candy Stripe Pistol Shrimp
-Porcelain Anemone Crab
-Emerald Crab
-Neon Blue Stripe Hermit Crab
-Sand Sifting Starfish
-Pencil Urchin
-Colored Pincushion Urchin
-Tiger Sand Conch Snail

Where would the best place to get live rocks from? And some coral suggestions because I'm not sure what kind i want to get yet.
Thank yall so much in advance, and I'm so sorry for the long post haha.

 

[SFish]

Well as far as sump goes you could take the tank to a glass place or a fish store and have it drilled if you don't want to do that you could use an over flow box. I think getting the tank drilled would be better. I would think you would want to run a sump even if it's the hang on the back of the tank type. I would look at a 10 gallon tank for a sump. Get a RO/Di filter as one of the first things. There are a lot of different types. It all comes down to how much space you have and how much money you want to spend. Look at BRS and Marine Depot.

 

[SFish]

As far as test go I would pick up the following

Temp
specific gravity
PH (not test strips)
Alkalinity
Calcium
Magnesium
Ammonia
Nitrate

As far as RO/DI water
chlorine
TDS meters

Something to read

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1805742

 

[SFish]

Post your fish here

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2068112

 

[SFish]

A good place to start reading

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1031074

 

[Cole.97]

I would go with Real Reef (the brand) live rock because you will not get any unwanted hitchhikers and also you will not be taking the foundation of the reef from the wild. It is a little more pricey but totally worth it IMO. As far as lights go, I have reef breeders led lights and they have been working great for over a year now and they can grow anything that I want. Once again these are expensive up front but will save you money on replacement bulbs and you will (probably) never have to upgrade them. With regards to water flow, the amount of flow that your tank will need all depends on the types of corals that you want to grow. Also, you will need a lid for some of those fish. Good luck with the new tank!

 

[SFish]

As far as water movement in the tank most people use power heads. Two of them one on each end of the tank facing each other. I don't know enough about them to tell you which ones are good. As far as a skimmer goes I would get one rated for 80 to 100 gallons. I like reef octopus. Light wise I like LEDs. This is something I'm looking into my self right now. A lot of people use T5 lights if you don't want to go with LEDs. The stand most people make them self. Oh yeah you will also want to pick up a heater for your tank as well. A lot of people will get two they split the amount of watts you need total. So for EX if you need a 50 watt they will get two 25 watt heaters that way if one goes bad you still have at least one working until you can pick up another.

Welcome to the site

 

[apstreck]

Dottyback last, or skip them altogether imo. I got one early on and he's the biggest bully in the tank despite being one of the smallest fish. He claimed over half the rock as his territory and wont let anything except the cleaner shrimp into the rocks. He even gives new coral dirty looks if its on "his" rocks lol.