I will suggest that you find somewhere other than your local fish store to be able to do your research. There are plenty of good internet resources available and I think you are in one of the most sense parts of the US for dedicated fish hobbyists; you don't need to rely only on the guy who is looking to make money from you... They may be great, they may not.. without naming the store you will only have time and experience to go on .
As for temperature, that is gonna depend on what fish you are trying to give ideal conditions. Again, I'm not sure how many of the fish you should keep to give them a good life.