hopefully, this helps. It's a list of what *I* think are important test kits and why/what they mean in the scheme of things:
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...46&postcount=2
and consider THIS an addendum to that post:
Salinity - I can not stress the importance of getting a refractometer instead of a hydrometer. It's a little more money, but considering how much you'll spend on everything else (live rock, lights, skimmer, etc), it's really not much more. Dr's Foster and Smith are sellin pretty decent refractometers for like $40.
pH - If you plan on getting corals, add a pinpoint pH monitor to your "To-Get" list. Not really necessary early on in the set up of the tank...but when you start collecting corals, and are having unexplained problems with them, the pH monitor will become a necessesity.
