Filters? Equipment?

[AberFitchFish]

1. I was wondering what kind of filter would i need for a 75 gallon aquarium?
I was told i wouldn't need a UGF or a canister, so what type do i need? I'm also not sure if i want to do reef or octopus, but i'm thinking about keeping a tank of liverock and some fish until my tank is "stable" enough for an octopus and aquires all the necessary requirements.

2. From my research on octopus they said it would be good to have a canister filter with carbon, but i am not sure what i need, exactly, can anyone offer help to what equiment i need to setup an aquairum?

3. Also curious to the type of substrae, i know the best "type" of substrate for an octopus is somethign soft that won't scrape their exterior. Someone recommended using Southdown Play Sand from Home Depot. if that is a good substrate to use, how many lbs do i need to put in a 75 gallon aquarium?

4. What are these "wavemakers" that i've been hearing about? Are they necessary?

5. Is there any equipment that i need, because i want to know all the equipment i have to buy and how much it is going to cost before i "start" to transfer my tank to Saltwater?

Thank you...

[rayjay]

Unfortunately, there are many ways to succeed in the salt water hobby. Many differing opinions can all be good suggestions. I have used Berlin system, plenum, deep sand bed, and pre-filtered reverse flow undergravel filtration, and all worked quite well for me.
I tend not to use "filters" as such, rather use the live rock for the biological filtration, and large protein skimmers for removing dissolved orgainic before they can cause problems in the system. What filters I do have, are used only to move water, and have no filter pads of any kind in them.
There is no way to learn all you need to know in a few posts. You are going to have to do a lot of research before you make your move.
For instance, did you know that the octopus is an escape artist? It will ooze through any slight crack in its containment. Most people cannot believe the octopus getting through the places it does.