I would read until you are blue in the face. There is a lot more to consider when doing a reef. I am far from an expert in reef tanks, but I am currently setting up one myself and have been doing a lot of reading. I think your equipment list really depends on your goals for the tank. If you want to keep only fish, it's pretty much the same as freshwater; need to cycle the tank (live rock will cycle tank itself if you go that route), need a heater of proper size, and need a filter. Many people use aquaclears and turn them into refugiums to grow macroalgae, whether reef or not, to absorb nitrates. For reefs, you will need a bit more.
One thing I will say is that there is no cheap way to set up a reef tank. My reef is only 7 gallons, and is just in it's beginnings, and I have already spent more than on my much larger freshwater tanks. I would probably recommend going a bit smaller if budget is a main concern. Could start with a 20 gallon long. People often try to scare people away from smaller first SW tanks... but it's up to you, if your willing to keep up with maintenance it's not that hard. Equipment for larger tanks costs more. And you don't want to skimp on initial setup, or buy used unless you know and trust the seller, because if any piece of equipment goes wrong, your whole tank could be wiped out, and that can be much more expensive than just buying new, reliable equipment.
You will basically need:
Heater: whichever brand you like, proper size. Change every year to avoid malfunction.
Filter: many use sumps or HOB for reefs; canisters can be difficult on a reef because you need to change the media alot more than with FW
Light: go with best light you can, I bought myself what is considered the most economic option, Hipargero LED. AI prime, and Kessil tuna blue, are also good options for smaller tanks. On a large tank, you are pretty much going to need a big expensive light to grow corals.
Skimmer: good to have but you can do without it if you keep on top of everything. People with tanks larger than 20 or 30 gallons usually have them because they have the room; people with small nanos tend to do without them because of limited space, and the tiny skimmers on the market tend to not be that great.
Salt: I mix my own, lots of people buy it pre-mixed for the convenience, it is not a "scam" like the betta water they sell. It can be time consuming and messy to mix your own water. If you do mix your own, you will need to use RO or DI, not tap water. I buy mine in plastic gallons at the store.
Rock: live is what you will need, some people just use dry rock and after a while it becomes alive with bacteria; personally I bought pre-cured LR. Usually about 1lb per gallon.
MFK is my favorite fish site, but probably not the best place to ask about reefkeeping tbh. I would go make an account on reef2reef, reefcentral, nano-reef, one of the large reef forums. You will get lots more input there I am sure.
One thing I will say is that there is no cheap way to set up a reef tank. My reef is only 7 gallons, and is just in it's beginnings, and I have already spent more than on my much larger freshwater tanks. I would probably recommend going a bit smaller if budget is a main concern. Could start with a 20 gallon long. People often try to scare people away from smaller first SW tanks... but it's up to you, if your willing to keep up with maintenance it's not that hard. Equipment for larger tanks costs more. And you don't want to skimp on initial setup, or buy used unless you know and trust the seller, because if any piece of equipment goes wrong, your whole tank could be wiped out, and that can be much more expensive than just buying new, reliable equipment.
You will basically need:
Heater: whichever brand you like, proper size. Change every year to avoid malfunction.
Filter: many use sumps or HOB for reefs; canisters can be difficult on a reef because you need to change the media alot more than with FW
Light: go with best light you can, I bought myself what is considered the most economic option, Hipargero LED. AI prime, and Kessil tuna blue, are also good options for smaller tanks. On a large tank, you are pretty much going to need a big expensive light to grow corals.
Skimmer: good to have but you can do without it if you keep on top of everything. People with tanks larger than 20 or 30 gallons usually have them because they have the room; people with small nanos tend to do without them because of limited space, and the tiny skimmers on the market tend to not be that great.
Salt: I mix my own, lots of people buy it pre-mixed for the convenience, it is not a "scam" like the betta water they sell. It can be time consuming and messy to mix your own water. If you do mix your own, you will need to use RO or DI, not tap water. I buy mine in plastic gallons at the store.
Rock: live is what you will need, some people just use dry rock and after a while it becomes alive with bacteria; personally I bought pre-cured LR. Usually about 1lb per gallon.
MFK is my favorite fish site, but probably not the best place to ask about reefkeeping tbh. I would go make an account on reef2reef, reefcentral, nano-reef, one of the large reef forums. You will get lots more input there I am sure.
