[DaveK]

As good as this forum is for planted tanks, by it's nature it's not going to be nearly as good for SW reef systems. There are a lot of good SW forums out there. Reef Central has been mentioned. They are big and there is a lot of good information, but they do have the reputation of being rough on new people to SW. I recommend that you look around and fine a reef forum that you like. I happen to like Reef Sanctuary, which I think is a lot more friendly, especially to a beginner.

As pointed out be others, SW systems can get expensive fast. It helps to have lots of money to throw at the project. (grin). Equipment and livestock can be out of sight expensive, giveing even ADA a run for the money in price.

I think the most difficult thing to over come is the mindset of FW verses SW systems. While the goals are that same, that is keeping the fish and livestock alive, the ways that this is done are often completly different. For example, for planted tanks we tend to love canister filters. In the SW world, some people do use them, but often the advice for a SW reef is get rid of the canister filter.

Good luck in converting to the "dark side".

Lastly, I have a SW reef and a FW planted tank. I'd sure hate to have to make a choice between them. I love both aspects. Sometime, if I can ever take some decent picts, I'm going to post picts of my planted tank on the SW forum, and picts of my reef here, just to stir things up a bit (grin).

 

[DaveK]

I will enjoy it for sure but I want to know what equipment I should purchase and also specific brands that are decent for a beginner...

The closest place I would trust would be that pet place that fish place about 45 minutes away...

Well see I have no clue as to what equipment to get at all so I am a complete beginner at this...

Before you get involved with equipment selection, figure out what sort of livestock you want to keep in the tank. That will drive the equipment selection, much more so than in a FW system. For example, if you want corals your going to need much better light and water quality than you will for just a fish only system.

A lot of people here have given you good advice, but it's all in fragments, and as such doesn't help you too much. I recommend that you get yourself a few good books on state of the art reef systems. Then read and study them, so you have some idea about what your are doing. Here are two I like -

The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Robert Fenner
The New Marine Aquarium by Michael Paleta <---This book has an especially good section on fish suited to someone starting off in the hobby.

Neither of these books are expensive.

This is information that you can not easily obtain from the net. While it's out there, it's all over the place, and there is a massive volume of information.

Now you'll have the background to make intelligent equipment selections, and your questions will be more in the line of "Is brand A better than brand B?" or "Do I need to ...?"

As for LFSs, even fairly good ones like That Fish Place, you are going to find that most all of them are just about clueless with it comes to any kind of advanced aquarium system. This includes planted tanks and SW reef systems. Verify anything they tell you and especially anything they try to sell you.

BTW, I see your in Reading PA. If your a fanatic about SW, and want to kill an entire day, it's worth a trip to visit Pacific East Aquaculture. Here's the link to their facility, which is open to the public (offsite) - http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com/about_us.html If you buy at the store, you get the same great prices as online, but you don't have to pay shipping. Note that this place is 100% SW, and deals mostly in livestock and a few products like foods and speciality stuff. They don't really deal in much equipment.