Beginner Question - What do I need?

[George]

I am considering starting a Marine aquarium. I have had a fresh-water
aquarium for a few years and have always been fascinated with salt-water
aquariums. Can anyone suggest a list of the items I will need, and the
formula for calculating fish per gallon of water?

Any info greatly appreciated.

George

PS - suggestions as to potential suppliers would also be appreciated
(i.e., where to buy?)

[b. wu]

i just started a marine tank after a period of layoff.
first, get the biggest tank that you can afford. big tanks tend to be
more stable systems, and you have more of a margin of error. try not to
get tanks that are too tall, because that tends to cut down the surface
area, and can be a pain to clean.
you'll need at least the following equipment (aside from the tank and
hoods/lights):
1) filter system (a lot out there, price range varies)
2) protein skimmer (good for removing extra waste, and especially you keep
fishes that can release poison into the water--e.g., cowfishes, puffers,
boxfishes)
3) sea salt
4) hydrometer
5) heater
6) substrate--e.g., crushed coral, coral sand.
7) rocks--more necessary for certain types of fish which like hiding
spaces, such as angels.
8) appropriate foods for the fish (varies widely)

marine fish keeping is not really that different from freshwater. the
fishes tend to be more fragile, especially if you keep too many of them.
also, some fishes don't eat very well, so i'd recommend buying a fish that
the LFS has shown to eat in front of your eyes. finally, make sure you
get compatible fishes; most of the time there's no gurantees on marine
fishes, so you also want to get the healthiest possible. don't just go
for a relatively "cheap" fish or be unduly influenced by colorations.
hope this has been a bit helpful. good luck.