The items listed here are pieces of equipment and components that are fundamental for setting up and running a local salt water aquarium.
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Aquarium/Tank
You need to decide where you want to put your aquarium, determine what size you want or may only have room for, whether you want an acrylic or glass tank, and choose a style that will best fit into the spot you have picked out to display it. As to size of tank and the type. Basically the larger the tank the better (easier to keep water parameters stable), and a large surface area on the tank is better than a narrow deep tank
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Lighting
Our local marine life doesn't require high end lighting so T8's and T5 lighting will suffice. The type of lighting you choose will be based on the type of system you have planned to set up, as well as what kind of livestock you will be keeping in it.
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Skimmers, Filters & Filtration Equipment
A device used to remove excess waste products from saltwater aquariums. Protein skimming (also known as "foam fractionation") is achieved by the device producing fine bubbles or "foam" which organic impurities are attached to. The "foam" is channeled out of the device and into a collection cup which can later be discarded.

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Powerhead
Depending on the size of your aquarium, the use one or several powerheads is an excellent way to provide good water circulation throughout the system.
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Live Rock & Substrate
Here you need to decide on what type of material you want on the bottom of the tank, as well as whether you want to start with a live or non-living medium.
Live Rock plays an important role in a marine tank. Many marine animals, fish in particular, can be quite territorial. It is important to provide ample shelter or places where the animals can hide, sleep, and avoid potential problems with aggression from other tankmates in the confined space of an aquarium.

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Sea Salt Mix/Saltwater & Hydrometer
Sea salt mixes can be used or gather natural saltwater from a clean area preferably just before high tide to ensure best water possible is collected. A hydrometer or  salinity tester measures the specific gravity or salt content of the water, our local water is usually 1.027 specific gravity.
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Chiller
A chiller is essential during our summer months or all year round in a heated room. There are many types of units to pick from.
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Air Pump & Air Stones
Only needed if you are going to run a piece of equipment that requires these items, such as a counter-current protein skimmer or for hatching brine shrimp.
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Test Kits, Additives & Supplements
For live rock and reef tank systems, calcium (a.k.a. limewater/kalkwasser) needs to be added. Other supplemental vitamins or additives that are beneficial to the health of certain marine inhabitants you may be keeping, such a iodine for crustaceans, are important as well.
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Maintenance Tools & Supplies
This category includes having items on hand such as a various sized plastic buckets or containers, tank cleaning tools such as a siphon tube/hose, an algae scaper or magnet, as well as nets of different sizes, spare equipment replacements parts, and so on. A good way to keep track of what maintenance tasks you have preformed and when is to keep a log book or record of everything you do.