first off ... welcome to
Talking Reef !!
i suggest that you start here before doing anything ...
Talkingreef - Podcast Episodes
the earlier episodes of the podcasts are more NEWBIE oriented, which is what i suggest for you AND your son. they are full of very valuable information. i also suggest joining us on the TalkingreefLive, a LIVE call in talk show that we (Rob, Carmie, and myself) do on a bi monthly basis.
as for your question about nano's ... the more water that you have ... the EASIER it is going to be to keep a successful marine tank. it will give you more room for error than having a small tank. i would suggest going as big as you can afford.
you CAN keep both in a small tank, but you will have to keep fewer fish. most of the inverts are considered to be a part of the clean up crew.
to set one up you will need sand,
live rock, and a heater (??). i would suggest a nano
skimmer down the road, and maybe an extra powerhead for better flow. the tanks will come with lights, flitration (-
skimmer) and the tank, so there are a few other things to buy.
HTH some.
