[kazin]

About 6 months ago I got this salt water aquarium from a friend of my moms who was going through a break up.

We previously only had fresh water tanks. We immediately started buying cool looking fish and spending a lot of money on these fish, but we couldn't seem to keep them a live.

Our tank sat there, and now I want to redo it.

So I was reading these forums and noticed a few things that I have not priviously heard of before

Questions #1: Is a sump necessary to have a nice reef aquarium? I have a 45 gallon tank.

Question #2: We still have three fish miraculously living in this tank, 1 is a blue damsel fish, then we have a yellow fish, and a black and white zebra looking fish with a little blue stripe on the edge of his caudel fin. Should I get rid of them (if so how), or should I set up a small tank, like an acclimation tank to hold them while I redo the tank.

Question #3: I have read through the forums and I have read about the cycling process, Should I just get rid of my sand, and get new sand (idk if my sand still has the proper nutrients and stuff it needs?) or can I just take out the water and put in new water and then replace the 50% weekly and continue from this point, and can I use regular faucet water with the dechlorinater stuff or is it better to use special water?

Question #4: Asking this question kinda makes me feel stupid, but I suppose I'll never learn if I don't ask the question. What do I use to test the Ph and Alkalinity <sp?>, nitrite and nitrates? Do the testers have special names, or just "Ph tester"? and about what is the average price of a good tester for each?

Thanks in advance, and I really appreciate any and all feedback. BTW I'm incredibly nooby at the reef aquarium thing, so while I do plan on reading many of the good articles on RBF's, if you feel there is any certain place I should start looking, please kindly point me in the proper direction, I really hope my tank can look as nicely as some of yours in the future :]

Thanks~