Future reef tank?

[Jroxsox101]

Right now I have a 26-36 gallon FOWLR tank.
40lbs sand
22 lbs live rock
200 marineland bio-wheel filter
200watt heater
1200 maxi-jet powerhead
1 green chromis
1 false percula clownfish
1 Mexican turbo snail
levels are all in check, and the fish are healthy.
It's cycled for about a month, but I've only had fish in there since late last week.
Since I've put so much money into it (around $300), I'm waiting for my birthday for people to get me things. So that gives the tank alittle over 4 months, since my birthday is in December. Whether I start a reef tank now or later, I definitely want to upgrade the lighting and get a skimmer. What is a good skimmer for a 26-36 gallon tank, that has a reasonable price? ($0-$200) Also, what is a good light that will support most corals, if not all? And since my tank has a hood, do I have to get rid of it to accomodate the lighting, or is there something that will fit on the hood?
Thank you very much(:

 

[dcantucson]

It depends on the type of hood you have but you can probably retro fit it with T5's. You will want to shoot for at least 4-5 watts of lighting per gallon to sustain corals.

Also look into Octopus brand skimmers. They are great for the money.

 

[Jroxsox101]

It's a freshwater hood. Nothing special . The light i have now is 18 inches long.

 

[Bifferwine]

You are probably better off just buying a new light fixture and forgetting about the old hood. A set of T5s would be perfect, and would allow you to keep anything you wanted. What is the length of the tank?

 

[Jroxsox101]

24 inches

 

[Jroxsox101]

Oh! And it's a bowfront.

 

[reeffreak]

You will probably have to get rid of the hood altogether.A T5-HO fixture with four bulbs and individual reflectors will allow you to keep anything.

I know this skimmer is out of your price range but it is probably the best HOB skimmer on the market.
oct-sr CV-SRO-LX1000S Premium Aquatics

A Bak-Pak will probably be good too if you don't overstock your tank.