noob just beginning questions

[Coralgurl]

I had my best results with T5's and LED combo with corals. If you want corals and it sounds like you do, then your lights will be important from the beginning. Once you get comfortable with the easy corals, you'll move to the more challenging ones, and if you have the right lights from the beginning, you are good to go. Lighting is not as important for fishes...

I'm using Radions now (Gen 1), they are a good fixture and have come down substantially in pricing. Others have converted back to T5's and metal halide from LED, so when you are ready to make a decision, ask questions. When it comes to lighting, heat will be a concern, but there are a lot of options available (DIY), so deal with that aspect once you start exploring your lighting options.