Use the 29. Hex tanks are not very practical in many ways which make a reef tank a bit harder than it should normally be.
As for what you need, the first thing you need is a BOOK, and a good one, like The Conscientious Marine Aquarist, or at least The New Marine Aquarium or even The Simple Guide to Marine Aquariums.
Once you have read at least one of these, you'd know the answers to these questions and many many more you don't even know to ask, and you'd be able to understand those answers.
Skimmer- yes
sterilizer- no, but handy
Lighting- powerful & expensive
Fish- very SMALL ones
Kinds of fish & critters- too complex an answer for too complex a question; we don't know anything about your would-be tank, so we can't tell you what would be good for it. The Practical Guide to Corals is another book which will help you immensely.
Substrate- oolitic aragonite
Supplements- yes
Food- hooboy, you ARE a beginner. Start with fish which will eat saltwater fishfood.
Sorry for the lameness of this response. I don't have time right now to go into any better detail, but I'm sure that you'll get lots of help from others soon, and I'll probably come back later myself.
|