just because its privately owned doesn't mean they are 100% accurate in everything they tell you. granted, they could be a very good, reputable place. my point is simply that it always boils down to the individual employee, not the store. chain stores simply tend to have a greater percentage of under educated employees (fish education that is).
I will also agree that 10gal would not be a good size to start with. You'd be looking at 1 fish, and maybe a shrimp. water parameters will be difficult to keep stable at first until you really 'learn' the tank's habits and quirks.
when anyone mentions getting into
SW, I want to make sure they understand that its a little more expensive than
FW, or possibly a lot more expensive if you start going for reef setups. I also suggest no less than a 29gallon tank as minimum for someone new to salt, although many good
SW books recommend 55gal for newbies...I simply find this to be too costly and large for some of our younger members.
if you haven't already, pick up Michael Paletta's 'The New Marine Aquarium'. its a great starter book. if after reading it you're still looking to start on
SW, then purchase Robert Fenner's "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" which will give you more detailed setup info (mainly more options than the first book), plus good stocking guides for fish and corals.
Then you'll be ready to purchase equipment and start the cycle.