New... everything

[Mcjudge]

New to forum!
New to salt water reef.(1st tank, have run fresh water setups before)

I have some pretty elaborate plans and will be trying to marry 3 of my passions in life obviously aquariums, architecture and computers.
Architecture wise I will be designing building my own stand.
Computer wise I will be building a computer into a different partition in the stand to monitor the tank fans ect. wirelessly.

I have plans for a 70G 48x24x13 rimless starfire reef tank with overflow drilled, Berlin method.
I am aiming for a 30 Gallon sump and possibly a refugium.

I really want to go all out on 2 things really 1 being the protein skimmer and 2 the lighting.

So that is where my questions stem from.

I have seen alot of posts on the MSX, AquaC, Euro, and Tunze. The AquaC seems like they just have to be tweaked too much for my liking. I can't find specs or a website for the MSX models. Basically I want the best skimmer I can get for about 100 Gallons. Which is the most efficient? Which has the easiest and least amount of maintenance?

2nd Lighting.
I want to be able to grow anything in my tank without having to add more lights for clams, corals, ect.. My local reef shop is recommending these Coralife 48 Inch Aqualight Pro, 2x250W HQI Lamp + 2x96W CF Lamps Sq. Pin + 4x1W LED. The hood runs about $1000. I have read up and seen good things about Icecap. The question is it worth making my own hood to house a icecap 14k Metal halide, some T5's, and some LEDs or should I just go with the all in one solution? Or is there a manufacturer out their that makes hoods that I could mount all of that lighting into?

Again I am new so if I am headed majorly in the wrong direction please let me know.

I don't really have a budget for either of those items (lighting and skimmer) so I would like the best but I also don't want something that is too overpowered for the tank.

I will do some more research on refugiums before I ask some really stupid questions.

[Mcjudge]

And as just an opinion rethinking that 13" tall tank obviously I was going for the most surface area possible, with evaporation would it be a wiser in the long run to get one that is at least 17" tall, expanding total capacity to 95 gallons?

[jthao]

as far as skimmer goes, and you said you have no limit, then get something like a BubbleKing mini. can't go wrong there. next to that are those new cone skimmers (sorry forgot the name). or to save a little more money, get a deltec rc, or h&s rc. those are all pretty top skimmers. I run a euro reef, I'm not a baller so money is an issue. for lighting if you want an all in one hood get something higher end than a coralife. I would say elos or something along that line. but if you have a canopy, then just build your own system. lumenarc for sure if you got the money. HQI ballasts and bulb of your choice, either DE or SE, SE you'll get very good output if using HQI ballasts, just shorter life (I think). As far as building a computer that will control your lights etc..... that's what Neptune systems are for, you don't have to build one, they already did you just use your computer to program it.