Welcome to R2R!! A good place to start is figuring out what you ultimately want for your tank. FOWLR? Reef? Community/reef? Possibilities are endless. Get a cardboard cut the size of your tank base, stay 2 inches inside that all the way around, and set up your rocks how you want. There are glues available to secure things. Once you get your aquaculture the way you want it, put it in the tank on bare bottom, add about 2 inches of live sand (if that is what you want) then fill it up to start your cycle. I would recommend getting a RO, or RODI system and installing in your home. That will make life much easier in the long run. That is the ONLY WATER you want to put in your tank, ever. Please never use tap water. You can get all the info you want right here on R2R. For equipment, I would recommend a minimum of a good protein skimmer and a UV sterilizer. Lights and filter options are kind of endless, based on what will be living in the tank.
