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Before I even get started the first thing you should know about the "Saltwater World!" For every ten saltwater hobbyist you meet or read up on, every one of them will have a different opinion on caring for a saltwater tank! Not to say this is a bad thing but just to forewarn you! 
Here I will teach you the first simple steps to building your very own "Saltwater World." I truly believe every persons opinions will prove to be different from the next but through your own experiences you will figure out what works for you and your new hobby in the "The Saltwater World."
Making your first purchase:
Tank/Aquarium
    
Obviously it would be your choice of tank. You can buy any tank your budget will allow. Tropical saltwater fish tanks or aquariums can range in size from small sizes, which is usually as small as twenty gallons, to large sizes, which can hold up to one thousand gallons. When you first go to your favorite pet store to purchase a tank consider how much work and patience you have and you'll want to invest into this hobby.
The bigger the tank you choose, the more time you will spend on cleaning it and maintaining your saltwater fish tanks. Another thing that should also be considered when purchasing a saltwater aquarium is whether you want the saltwater fish tank to have a background or not. Mine has a blue foil background. I felt this was the cleanest look so that your attention is on the reef and or fish rather then the wires hanging down the back.
Please Note: If you choose a much smaller tank like a thirty gallon you will be limited to the number of saltwater fish you purchase, also many saltwater fish grow to very large sizes and some do not get along with other types of saltwater fish. So you might want to consider this before you decide on the size of your tank. Ask yourself questions like;
"Can I live without a Lionfish if I decide to purchase a thirty gallon?"
"If I purchase a fifty gallon and a Lionfish can I live without a Clownfish?"
"Can I live without a reef in my tank if I were to buy an Eel?"
Heater
    
You will also need to get a heater that is capable of warming the water in your tank. I use the heater I previously had with my freshwater tank. You want ideally 3 watts per gallon.
Substrate & Hydrometer
The next thing your saltwater tank will need is for you to make a decision on what kind of aquarium substrate you would like to use on the bottom of your tank. You can choose crushed coral or a layer of live sand. I purchased live sand for the bottom of my aquarium. Live sand holds tons of beneficial bacteria which is a great start for saltwater aquariums. I will tell you more about that later on.
 
After you have decided on what substrate you are going to use, you'll need to purchase a saltwater mix and a saltwater hydrometer. You should be able to purchase these items at a pet store that specializes in tropical saltwater fish or you can always find these things online!
Powerheads
  
If you are considering a reef/fish tank then you may want to get yourself powerheads. I have two, one on each side of my tank, one aiming upward to break the surface of the water. Corals and anemanes need a good water current to help filter feed. Plus some good waves just make it feel more like home. You may want to get an extra powerhead for mixing your salt mix with your water when doing water changes.
Test Kits
   
You will also want to get yourself a test kit. This is a critical element that you will definitely use time after time. Saltwater kits are kits that test the levels of ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and pH levels. There are tests that also tell you the levels of your Salinity/specific gravity, carbon dioxide, chlorine, carbonate water hardness, phosphate, dissolved oxygen and the amount of iron in your saltwater fish tank. Buying a master test kit will save you some money rather then buying each one separate. I purchased a two master kits myself and use my master kits often!
Live Rock
    
Next you should get yourself "Live Rock!" This will be your primary biological filtration. Serving many purposes, live rock is probably one of the most popular materials used for natural biological filtration in saltwater aquariums. Live rock is not just decoration nor is it just a pile of rock in your tank! The rock itself is not "live," but it is packed with tons of beneficial bacteria. Live rock not only provides homes for your tank critters, it also serves as a biological filter base and platforms for corals, anemones and coralline algae. Most people have at least some Live Rock in their tanks while other, true reef enthusiasts have lots of Live Rock in their tanks. Most believe you should have somewhere between one to two pounds of live rock per gallon. Live Rock will also further you with your first cycle along with Live Sand. There are different types of "Live Rock!" Cured Live Rock and Uncured Live Rock. My recommendation is Cured Live Rock, although this is your most expensive alternative you will not have to cure it yourself. It can take months to cure uncured rock,.. personally I did not have the patients for this but it can save you money. Live Rock is sold usually by the pound. If possible I recommend buying Live Rock from a Local dealer this way you can pick and choose your rock. When buying Live Rock over the Internet you may be shipped "rubble," very small pieces of rock that you cannot stack or create the vision you anticipated. Although, you could use "Rebble" in your sump to help with your biological filtration.
Protein Skimmer
Next to primary biological filtration, foam factionsating, better known as protein skimming, is the next most important aspect of any healthy marine system. Protein Skimmers create bubbles inside the body strip the water of the undesirable waste by products. These bubbles are microscopic and the results can only be seen after they burst and deposit their films into the collection cup. In English,. they pull away unwanted protein from your tank.
Thermometer, Water buckets, Aquarium siphon,
Power strip, Fish net, Aquarium safe glass cleaner,
Magnetic algae cleaner and gloves
      
Thermoneter, you can get either digital one or standard. You will want to monitor your temperature daily. One or two new five gallon buckets will come in very handy for tank maintenance, a aquarium siphon to remove water from the tank during water changes. Power strip with built in GFI protection. You'll need a fish net to get out dead fish, crabs, ext. Get aquarium safe glass cleaner for the outside of your tank. Saltwater can be a tricky thing to get off your glass. Vinger/water solution works great. I DO NOT recommend Windex or anything containing ammonia, magnetic cleaner to clean algae off the inside of your tank and gloves if your a sissy girl!
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