55g setup - advise please

[c_scherer123]

I have a 55g tank and of course I wish to convert it to saltwater (why else would I post here? ). I have experience with freshwater, but I find little of my experience is carrying over.
I need some advise on stocking, corals, and especially on the lights and skimmer. I apologize for the length, but I want to be certain before spending so much money.

I have read some online (and have 7 books coming in the mail...).

setup ideas:
50-60 lbs of LR
1"-2" of aragonite sand
aqua-scaping: curved wall with holes, and an arch over a mini mountain
(I have several ideas to ensure lots of pods for a future mandarin)
unfortunately no sump or refugium - just no room...

corals: (probably one or two of each, but I bet I will never find half in local stores...)
colonial polyps (zoos and zoas) various colors.
mushrooms (smaller ones like blue-purple), various colors.

blue ridge coral
pipe organ
xenia
long polyp leather
tree sponge
maiden's hair
favia (perhaps, perhaps not...)

plate coral (perhaps one - not sure - need to do more research)(can all plate species sit on the sand?)
frogspawn
torch coral

I would really like but not sure my planned lighting is up to it:
acropora
staghorn
birdsnest
(are there any LPS that are hard and have that bushiness like birdnest?)

perhaps a small clam (tough finding a non-giant around here though...)

Fish: (not sure how many I can have, I will likely need to slim down the list more)
clown fish Ocellaris x2 (pair)
royal gamma x1
green chormis x3
bartlett's Anthias x2 (pair)
neon goby x2 (pair)
Mandarin (when tank is over 1yr mark and lots of pods - I will be trying to train to pellets and frozen - will live grindal worms or white worms also work?)
I doubt there is room, but is it possible to add a blue hippo tang?

Inverts:
peppermint shrimp x 3-5 (how well do they eat aipista anyway? the live rock around here all tends to have it...)
cleaner shrimp x1
astrea snails x3-5
cerith snail x3-5
bumble bee snails x5-8

maybe a hermit crab? I am unsure which kind is best for reef tanks...


Lighting: (need serious help here... I am pretty clueless...)
My tank is 48" long and has a center brace. Not sure how the brace will affect the lights or how the light falls...
I am looking at (but I am open to suggestions and ideas!)
either two "Coralife Aqualight Pro 24" 1-150W HQI, 2-65W PC, 2-1W Lunar LED" (http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquar...p16715917.html)
or one "Coralife Aqualight Pro 48" 2-150W HQI, 2-96W PC, 3-1W Lunar LED"
(http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquar...p16715919.html)
They are both wider than my aquarium, which is 12"-13" (depending on how you measure it...

Skimmer: (also serious help here! Suggestions welcome! I have no sump.)
I was looking at either:
Red Sea Berlin x2 Turbo
Deltec MCE600 100-150g (can't seem to find this locally... someone said the European models don't work with Canadian plugins - is this true?)

How noisy are these skimmers? This is very close to a bed - could it be turned off at night if it is too noisy?

Pumps:
2x Hydor Koralia 1 Water Pump 400 GPH (is this enough flow? or should I go with one or both 600gph?)
(http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquar...p16920367.html)


Any other suggestions/comments welcome!
Thanks in advance!