The best thing you can do in this hobby is go SLOW. Start with live rock. and don't add live stock until your diatom (brown algae) bloom goes away. Mine took 2 months. Nothing happens fast in this hobby except a tank crash.
Use aragonite not crushed coral. If you use crushed coral you are automaticly eliminating some of the cool fish that sift sand (i.e. gobies) from you live stock choices. While coraline algae looks amazing on rocks, it looks dirty in crushed coral. Don't forget all the detrius that gets trapped in crushed coral.
The most important thing I have found is DO NOT start with a 55
gal tank. It is to thin at 13 inches. by the time you get all the cool live rock in and aquascape it so there are cool places for the fish to swim there is VERY little open room in the front of the tank for fish to swim. A 75 may cost $50-$75 more than a 55 but that is a drop in the bucket compared to the money you are going to spend on equipment. it is only 5 inches wider than the 55 so it will fit in the same place. better yet get a 90 5 inches wider 4 inches taller.
I made these mistakes and luckily figured it out before I had purchased a protein skimmer or reef lights.
The only benefit I have seen from the 55 is that I get to have more cichlids once I get my 90 for my reef and the 20 that the cichlids are in is going to make a great QT.
Advice from a newbie to a newbie
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