Hi everyone this is my first post on this forum so here I go. For christmas I got a 12 Gallon Nano Cube for a reef tank. So over the past few days I have been researching and working on it nonstop because this is my first saltwater though I have done a huge amount of studying because I was planning one anyway. So I want to make it a reef tank. And I have a few questions but first, the stocking and equipment list (The coral is coming from Live Aquaria in a special nano softie pack).

Fish:
Yellow-Tail Damselfish
Black Sailfin Blenny

Invertebrates:
Dwarf Blue-Leg Hermit Crab
Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
3x Turbo Snails
5x Nassarius Snails
2x Super Tongan Nassarius Snails

Coral:
Random Mushroom Coral
Random Polyp Coral
Random Soft Coral
One random coral from one of those categories

Equipment:
12 Gallon Nano-Cube with modified chambers
(First Chamber:Sera filter wool, and Purigen)
(Second Chamber:Stock Carbon, and LR rubble
(Third Chamber:Maxi-Jet 900 Pump, Heater and Aquatic Life Internal Mini Skimmer 115)
Hydor Koralia Nano 240 Pump

Supplements(Alot!):
Kent Essential Elements
Kent Iron and Manganese
Kent Liquid Calcium
Kent Marine-C
Kent Strontium and Molybdendum
Kent Iodine
Kent Superbuffer-dKH

I have test kits for all those as well as for copper,alkalinity,phospate,ammonia,nitrite,nitrate ,ph,and silica

I am planning on using one and only nitrifying bacteria

Now for my questions:
Some people say I shouldn't use a protein skimmer for such a small tank. What do you think?

I don't know how I am going to be able to get the cords out of the aquarium. Anyone with experience, please help!

Thats all for now!