Can Anyone Tell Me Exactly What I Need To Start Out?

[Spishkey]

i have here an aqua 40, its just sitting there, doing nothing. ive read a few online articles about turning it into a nano reef - which i would love! but am getting conflicting info about what i need to set it up.

so far my list is
# Aqua 40 Tank
# 1 x 25 watt heater
# Live Rock
# Backing Paper or Paint for back of tank
# maxijet 750 pump (is this a bit of an overkill, should i go with a 450?)
# sand (do i need a specific type?)
# hydrometer/Refractometer
# RO water and aqua medic salt

now ive read the standard lighting in an aqua 40 is no good.....what will i need lighting wise then?
also what strength filter do i need or will the rock do most of this for me?
will a freshwater test kit be ok to test the water or do they do special saltwater test kits?

is anything missing from my list so far

 

[ben1987]

what do you want to keep?

sand, aragonite sand. No need for live. Crushed coral sand is also fine

refractometor is more accurate.

if you want corals ditch teh aqua medic salt, ive heard nothing but bad things about it. D&D, KZ and TMC are most popular reef salt.

I would re-buy new salt water test kits if i were you.

 

[Anguilla82]

so far my list is
# Aqua 40 Tank i assume this is a 40l tank? if so thats a pretty small tank if its to be your first venture into marines (bigger is more stable, and in marines stability is key!)
# 1 x 25 watt heater
# Live Rock
# Backing Paper or Paint for back of tank
# maxijet 750 pump (is this a bit of an overkill, should i go with a 450?)
# sand (do i need a specific type?)
# hydrometer/Refractometer as ben said go for the refractometer, soooooooo much more accurate
# RO water and aqua medic salt

now ive read the standard lighting in an aqua 40 is no good.....what will i need lighting wise then? will depend on what you intend keeping, but for a small tank like this your can get clip on power compact lights that would be fine.
also what strength filter do i need or will the rock do most of this for me? generally you just use the live rock as a biological filter and do small weekly water changes
will a freshwater test kit be ok to test the water or do they do special saltwater test kits? you'll need specific marine kits. Salifert are pretty good

is anything missing from my list so far a full wallet, cos if you're going into marines you're gonna need it

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Yeah just echoing the above really. The only other thing I would suggest is considering drilling the tank and adding a sump. You could use any foodsafe, strong, container for the sump and depending on how much room you have got you could give yourself a LOT more water volume (which will make the system a lot more stable and easy to look after).