looking to start a FOWLR

[TheFishman]

hello all,,, great site you have here. i am looking to start a FOWLR tank
it will be a 30 gal octagon tank. i have had aquariums for over 12 years
but they have all been freshwater.
i have done a ton of reading but would like some personal experiences and
help. any info would be greatly appreciated. i want to be able to get as much info as possible before i even attempt to set up a SW tank.
basically i need to know everything i need to do.
1. filtration- would a canister filter work?
i know the live rock helps with filtration.
2. protein skimmer- can i make a DIY or would it be better to buy one
since i am new to SW tanks.
3. what equiptment do i need??
a. hydrometer
b. test kit
c. sea salt
d. tub to mix sea salt in b4 i add to tank
e. heater
f. thermometer
4. lighting
a. do i need special lighting since i am not doing a reef tank?

5. livestock
a. what would be some combinations of livestock i can keep
in a tank this size? please let me know all types from fish to crustations.

any other info that i need to know and did not ask about??

thanks in advance

paul

[leebca]

WELCOME TO REEFLAND PAUL!

Your question can be divided into two parts. One is the system to setup and the other is starting the system.

With regards to the second part, you'll get your answers here: Setting Up a FOWLR Aquarium

With regards to the system equipment, there are multiple combinations and possibilities. Few systems are identical. There is not enough space here, and not enough time to reply to this part. However, the system and its components are covered in several available books. You'll find the book list linked in the above linked post. You'll also find in the above post a list of ancillary equipment you'll need to maintain the tank.

Read through the above and ask any particular question you may have. You are doing a great job by first investigating and looking into what it takes before you acquire the system.