If i were to start a 60g reef what would i need?

[michika]

You may want to start a tank journal thread. It will allow people to keep up with your progress, comment, and offer you suggestions.

As for pumps, do you know what kind of return & flow you are going for? I noticed you said you wanted clams, and corals. I would first figure out how your going to return the water from your sump to your display. Some suggestions are a manifold, closed loop.

I personally like the Reeflo pumps (reeflopumps.com) because you can dial them back, and they are reasonably efficient when it comes to energy.

I also second the suggestion to use two heaters over one. It has saved me at least once.

You are smart to choose a skimmer above your expected capacity. Go big, its worth it, especially when your tank becomes more established and the bioload increases. I've only ever used 3 brand-name skimmers, so I don't have any recommendations for you. I run an Octopus right now and it does well, but I'm unsure how it would work on a larger system like yours. Watch the buy/sell forums for DIY skimmers, sometimes they are both cheap and extrememly well functioning.