I have been with my fiance now for close to 8 years. During that time, he has expressed to me that wanted to set up a saltwater fish tank, however we were really never in a location that was conducive for us, or the fish for that matter.

Now that we are more settled near the University, I thought for Christmas this year that I would have a tank set up as a surprise. I remember he mentioned before that his original tank had live coral that the fish used as a hiding place. He also had a huge array of different species that he had collected over the years from breeders and friends.

Reef aquariums are something that I'm to familiar with, so I was hoping all of you could help me out with some tips before I started the initial planning of the tank. I know which kinds of fish he loves including Clown fish, Blue Tang, and Mandarin Goby, and I have found a place to get them directly from the reef with 2 weeks time and with free shipping.

So what should my first step be? And what's the best way to make the tank a success?