Advice Needed for Setting Up My First Marine Tank

[mitcheljohn]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the reefing hobby and am in the process of setting up my first marine tank. I have done some research,, but there’s so much information out there that it’s a bit overwhelming. I am hoping to get some advice from experienced reefers here to make sure I am on the right track.

Here’s what I have planned so far ::-
•    Tank Size: 40 gallons
•    Lighting: LED (still deciding on the brand/model)
•    Filtration: Protein skimmer and live rock
•    Substrate: Live sand
•    Livestock: Planning to start with some hardy fish (like clownfish) and eventually add soft corals

A few questions I have ::-
1.    Is a 40-gallon tank a good size for a beginner: ?? Should I go bigger or smaller: ??
2.    What’s the best way to cycle the tank: ?? Should I use bottled bacteria or let it cycle naturally: ??
3.    Any recommendations for a reliable, budget-friendly LED light: ??
4.    Should I consider adding a sump, or will the setup I mentioned be sufficient: ??

I appreciate any advice or tips you can share. Looking forward to learning from the community...! I also read this blog https://www.sgreefclub.com/home/starting-your-first-marine-tank-overview-to-plan-your-equipment-and-budget-part-1-tensorflow/ this helped me a lot but now I am looking for more advice.

Thanks in advance....!

Mitchel Johnsons