Cpetrosky's First Saltwater Build Thread

I am finally taking the plunge into saltwater with possibly the hardest way to go about it! i just bought a jbj 3 gallon picotope (tank only) for $5! i also got a biowheel 100 for only $10 so that will be the basis of my setup. lighting will be a desk lamp with a aqueon 10 watt 10k/acintic 50/50 compact florescent. Getting reef sand a reef water from my LFS so cycling should be minimal. Getting my live rock as well, around 3-4 pounds. I plan on keeping some simple corals such as zoas, mushrooms, green star polyps, and maybe some others if i get any good suggestions. Any advice would be appreciated

im getting it form a guy on craig s list out of one of his tanks he just broke down. is that considered fully cured or not?

great. my plan is to get the tank tomorrow, i get my paycheck on Wednesday so go get the water, sand, rock next weekend, wait a week to see how well i can keep that stable, start adding my CUC (1-2 blue leg hermits, 1-2 snails (not turbo)) i think il add them one every two days to try to give the system time to catch up. Then wait 2 weeks with just them, again trying to give myself time to learn with as little $ on the line as possible. Then after the tank has been up for a month if all has gone well, add 1 clown goby and possible a few frags of zoas, shrooms, and other simple corals. eventually add a peppermint shrimp or two as well not sure at what point i should do this tho.

ok i got the light and filter today, ended up with a old brass bankers light that holds one long type bulb. i put an aqueon 50/50 10 watt bulb in it and it looks like it projects good light on my desk. should be picking up tank tomorrow then i will put some pictures up

i bought two 7 gallon camping water containers one with saltwater and one with RO. my LFS dosent offer Ro/Di, is that a problem? and thank you for the articles, they were very informative on what people have done