$1600 Budget - Setup Advice?

[dsustko]

Friends,
I have decided to get a reef tank. I would like to keep it around 65 Gallon size and stick to a budjet of $1600. LFS is selling DSA 65 Gallon tank with stand, canopy, and sump for $950.
That would leave me ~ $650 for the rest of the equipment.
How would you suggest to spend the rest? (This is only for equipment - I have set aside more for live rock, sand, etc).
Thank you for helping us young enthusiasts be more educated!

[Meanstreet5150]

Skimmer that is for double your tank size, and lighting would depend on critters

[Drae]

Friends,
I have decided to get a reef tank. I would like to keep it around 65 Gallon size and stick to a budjet of $1600. LFS is selling DSA 65 Gallon tank with stand, canopy, and sump for $950.
That would leave me ~ $650 for the rest of the equipment.
How would you suggest to spend the rest? (This is only for equipment - I have set aside more for live rock, sand, etc).
Thank you for helping us young enthusiasts be more educated!

Get a sicce 3 return pump (100$) get an aquamaxx cone co-1 skimmer (250) and get a LET retro fit t5 from reef geek ( 6x39 watt 299$). All quality components that would allow you to have a very nice first reef tank. All you would need is a heater and a couple of powerheads. Your budget is very tight but for under 2000$ you could make it work. Don't worry about livestock just yet, let some quality dry rock cycle and age for a few months ( say 100 days or so).

[dsustko]

Get a sicce 3 return pump (100$) get an aquamaxx cone co-1 skimmer (250) and get a LET retro fit t5 from reef geek ( 6x39 watt 299$). All quality components that would allow you to have a very nice first reef tank. All you would need is a heater and a couple of powerheads. Your budget is very tight but for under 2000$ you could make it work. Don't worry about livestock just yet, let some quality dry rock cycle and age for a few months ( say 100 days or so).

Thats a great advice! As far as the powerheads, I know that vortech's are all the rage right now, but would two WP-10 be sufficient? its a standard tank size 36" x 18" x 24".

[Sk8r]

I'd advise go 100 gallons, because most people find the fish they want to keep can't live in a 50-60 gallon tank. If your ambition is for blennies and gobies, fine. Most species want more room.


Start shopping, but fix in your head what a proper reef tank looks like, how it drains, how it's pumped, what it takes. Then start looking for second-hand equipment. No few people get into this and discover it takes more research and work than they want to devote to anything: they ignore advice, take a short cut they thought of, kill half a dozen fish and out they go, selling off their equipment at fire-sale prices. This is a very good way to start. Look for somebody in your area that's moving---another big reason for selling a good tank---getting a larger tank (this happens) or is simply going off to take up knitting or hang-gliding.
For a basic reef you need: a reef-ready (drilled, with downflow box) tank of 100 gallons if at all possible; a T5 or better light kit that will support highlevel light; if you want stony coral or clams, needs to be 10000k light color or more; you need a skimmer for 200 gallons; you need a 30 gallon sump; a stand; a pump that moves about 1500 gph or more (you can valve it back, but not up); and a ro/di filter to turn tapwater into useable 0-content water; a 50 lbs bucket of reef salt mix; 200 lbs live rock/dry rock mixed; 200 lbs of aragonite sand, live or not, washed; and an ATO (autotopoff system with large reservoir [the evaporation rule is 1 gallon a day for each 50 gallons) and a very high-end heater (cheap ones are dangerous). I know that's a big list, but if you know what all these things are before you buy, and know the brands, you can save yourself re-buying and problems. The rig I outlined can sometimes be had for 700 dollars on Craigslist or the like, when somebody needs to move and get out of the hobby for a while (or forever) or upsize. That leaves you a lot of room. Don't be scared of second-hand: it's ok if you do your homework first.

Note my measurements on pump strength and sand/rock are based on 100 g. Divide by reality to get a proportional number.

[Drae]

Thats a great advice! As far as the powerheads, I know that vortech's are all the rage right now, but would two WP-10 be sufficient? its a standard tank size 36" x 18" x 24".

24" tall and 18" wide make for tall narrow tank. I don't think the mp 10's handle the 24" hieght very well but they handle the width just fine. Sk8r had some great advise also. Food for though, turn that tank sideways and you'd have awesome dimensions... 36x24x18= awesome aquascape. Nothing wrong with the setup your lfs has but you could do better imo. If you like that tank and dimensions then by all means go for it but I urge you to look for a 24" wide tank. JMO. Do you like fish or corals more?

[sh0ck]

Sk8r summed it up well.
For powerhead 1 jebao wp-25 should be enough for 65G tank.
I would still aim for ~100g used system, as most ppl love tangs and 65g is not enough. well standard tang table http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1946007

[loui]

I think you can do better on the price for tank, stand and canopy. I got a 75 rimless RR from a LFS they said it was only used for about 2 weeks for a show, for 300.00 and the stand (which is your standard stand you would get at a fish store that msrp around 250) for 50 bucks I don't really care for the look of a canopy I will be hanging LEDS from the ceiling.

With patience and some work checking out craigslist and local aquarium society's forums and website you can find some great deals.

[dsustko]

I'd advise go 100 gallons, because most people find the fish they want to keep can't live in a 50-60 gallon tank. If your ambition is for blennies and gobies, fine. Most species want more room.


Start shopping, but fix in your head what a proper reef tank looks like, how it drains, how it's pumped, what it takes. Then start looking for second-hand equipment. No few people get into this and discover it takes more research and work than they want to devote to anything: they ignore advice, take a short cut they thought of, kill half a dozen fish and out they go, selling off their equipment at fire-sale prices. This is a very good way to start. Look for somebody in your area that's moving---another big reason for selling a good tank---getting a larger tank (this happens) or is simply going off to take up knitting or hang-gliding.
For a basic reef you need: a reef-ready (drilled, with downflow box) tank of 100 gallons if at all possible; a T5 or better light kit that will support highlevel light; if you want stony coral or clams, needs to be 10000k light color or more; you need a skimmer for 200 gallons; you need a 30 gallon sump; a stand; a pump that moves about 1500 gph or more (you can valve it back, but not up); and a ro/di filter to turn tapwater into useable 0-content water; a 50 lbs bucket of reef salt mix; 200 lbs live rock/dry rock mixed; 200 lbs of aragonite sand, live or not, washed; and an ATO (autotopoff system with large reservoir [the evaporation rule is 1 gallon a day for each 50 gallons) and a very high-end heater (cheap ones are dangerous). I know that's a big list, but if you know what all these things are before you buy, and know the brands, you can save yourself re-buying and problems. The rig I outlined can sometimes be had for 700 dollars on Craigslist or the like, when somebody needs to move and get out of the hobby for a while (or forever) or upsize. That leaves you a lot of room. Don't be scared of second-hand: it's ok if you do your homework first.

Note my measurements on pump strength and sand/rock are based on 100 g. Divide by reality to get a proportional number.

I would agree with you on getting a deal on craigslist; however, I have some hesitations as well. It seems like most of the tanks listed have the overflow in the corner, which means that they are close to 10 years old. From my limited knowledge I know that the silicone is in poor condition around that age. Similarly, it's hard to tell the "true" condition of the equipment you're purchasing on craigslist i.e. RO/DI that has bad filters.
My point is, as much as I would love to save some money on used equipment, I would hate to have a bad experience with the hobby if I get poor equipment.

[dsustko]

I think you can do better on the price for tank, stand and canopy. I got a 75 rimless RR from a LFS they said it was only used for about 2 weeks for a show, for 300.00 and the stand (which is your standard stand you would get at a fish store that msrp around 250) for 50 bucks I don't really care for the look of a canopy I will be hanging LEDS from the ceiling.

With patience and some work checking out craigslist and local aquarium society's forums and website you can find some great deals.

This is great feedback, I wasn't aware of looking local forums. Can you recommend a site for local aquarium community forum?

[Arnel0387]

Definitely start with a 100 gallon tank! 48x24x20! Get a really nice skimmer (rated for 240-300 gallons just in case you want to upgrade down the road, which you will!!!), start with dry rocks and do a muriatic acid bath. Get two WP25 or WP40 for flow. Sicce, mag-drive, or Eheim 1262 for return pump. For lights, I'd suggest T5/LED combo. I'd suggest bare bottom, or shallow sand bed of 1-1.5" and start with dry sand (don't buy those live-sand bag). I'd spend about $400-500 for a used, great condition tank, stand, and sump combo set-up. $300-400 for a skimmer. $300 for flow. And the rest for plumbing, rocks, sand, ATO, and controller.

Don't buy Craigslist rocks and sand! If you do,kill everything, you never want bad hitchhickers! Be patient with your purchases, don't settle for cheap stuff because you'll end up upgrading anyway.

[mbingha]

I would agree with you on getting a deal on craigslist; however, I have some hesitations as well. It seems like most of the tanks listed have the overflow in the corner, which means that they are close to 10 years old. From my limited knowledge I know that the silicone is in poor condition around that age. Similarly, it's hard to tell the "true" condition of the equipment you're purchasing on craigslist i.e. RO/DI that has bad filters.
My point is, as much as I would love to save some money on used equipment, I would hate to have a bad experience with the hobby if I get poor equipment.

Overflow in the corner doesn't mean it's old. I just bought a brand new 75 rr tank with a corner overflow.

[dsustko]

Overflow in the corner doesn't mean it's old. I just bought a brand new 75 rr tank with a corner overflow.

Good to know, today's lesson - don't trust everything that LFS say's.

[dwolson2]

. It seems like most of the tanks listed have the overflow in the corner, which means that they are close to 10 years old. .
They still make new tanks with corner overflows, I just bought a 90 with a corner overflow.

OP, I have purchased a few tanks on craigslist and they worked just fine. You can definitely get a better deal on a tank. you can get a 90 gal tank pretty easily. Also I do like my MP10's, but everyone seems to like the WP's and you can get 2 for the price of on MP10.

[Arnel0387]

Tank, stand, sump set-up
Protein skimmer- I'd suggest a reef octopus brand
Return pump
Flow pump- 2x WP25
Heater- jäger 300W
Dry rocks (I love pukani but need a muriatic acid bath)- minimalist aquascaping for me
No sand for me (or 1" sand if you don't like barebottom)
Plumbing- (bulkheads, pipes, etc.)
ATO- (JBJ if you're on a budget or the Tunze Osmolator for another $100)
Test kits- API is fine to test for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate; salifert or Red Sea for cal, alk, and mag; Hanna for phosphate
RO/DI unit and salt
Refractometer
GFO&Carbon reactor
Lights
Fan or chiller to cool down your set-up
Controller
QT set-up

and I think that sums it all up!
Oh and a table shrimp to start the cycle! And A LOT of patience and research!

Good luck and happy reefing my friend! :)

[dwolson2]

Tank, stand, sump set-up
Protein skimmer- I'd suggest a reef octopus brand
Return pump
Flow pump- 2x WP25
Heater- jäger 300W
Dry rocks (I love pukani but need a muriatic acid bath)- minimalist aquascaping for me
No sand for me (or 1" sand if you don't like barebottom)
Plumbing- (bulkheads, pipes, etc.)
ATO- (JBJ if you're on a budget or the Tunze Osmolator for another $100)
Test kits- API is fine to test for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate; salifert or Red Sea for cal, alk, and mag; Hanna for phosphate
RO/DI unit and salt
Refractometer
GFO&Carbon reactor
Lights
Fan or chiller to cool down your set-up
Controller
QT set-up
Lights
Refractometer
Test kits- API is fine to test for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate; salifert or Red Sea for cal, alk, and mag; Hanna for phosphate

and I think that sums it all up!
Oh and a table shrimp to start the cycle! And A LOT of patience and research!

Good luck and happy reefing my friend! :)
This stuff is all niceties. You can buy premixed saltwater from your LFS and RO water from them too.
ATO- (JBJ if you're on a budget or the Tunze Osmolator for another $100)
RO/DI unit and salt
GFO&Carbon reactor
Fan or chiller to cool down your set-up
Controller

[clay12340]

I'm useless on your original question, but I will offer this little bit of opinion. If you go used and you're picky be sure you check the tank out VERY thoroughly. I've never been happy with a used display tank that I've purchased. Seems like I always find some little scratch or blemish that I missed when I first looked them over and it annoys me to no end. At least when I scratch my new tanks I know who to blame.

That said I've never had a problem with any other used equipment. You can find people who have gotten tired of the hobby or had a crash or something similar selling tons of stuff for a little bit of nothing. Also bring along a little extra cash. I've had several times when I walk in to pick something up and they've got a half dozen other things laying around that they don't really want either and will take offers just to get rid of it and not deal with the hassle of bringing another random buyer into their home.

[dwolson2]

IF it was me....
Tank, stand, sump set-up(craigslist, no more than 500)
Protein skimmer- Aquamaxx CO1 or 2
Return pump: laguna
Flow pump- 2x WP25
Heater- eheim 300W
Dry rocks (I love pukani but need a muriatic acid bath)- minimalist aquascaping for me
No sand for me (or 1" sand if you don't like barebottom)
Plumbing- (bulkheads, pipes, etc.)
ATO-Jbj
Test kits- salifert or Red Sea for cal, alk, Hanna for phosphate
Refractometer
Lights DIY LED
Controller(if you have money Apex Jr to start with)

[dsustko]

This is great information.
Although I have a lot of patience to wait for a nice used tank, I always wonder if I will be still here 5 months later waiting for a tank...

But that is my problem, not yours to solve. Anyway thank you very much everyone for the awesome feedback.
I can't believe how friendly and helpful everyone is on this forum. :love1:

[dsustko]

I've been watching this ad for few days now. I know it is hard to tell from the photos alone, but do you think it's worth driving up and hour for this setup?
http://tulsa.craigslist.org/for/4188869249.html

[OU11BB]

thats a nice budget. I would strongly recommend searching your local fish stores, craigslist, etc for used tank or equipment. You can get some great stuff and top end equipment for 25% the cost. I did this for my last tank with a similar budget and and wouldnt do it any other way unless I need something custom for a certain space etc. Good Luck! Remember that once your tank, sump, pumps etc have that saltwater go through it, you cant tell the difference between used and new after a couple weeks!

[dwolson2]

I've been watching this ad for few days now. I know it is hard to tell from the photos alone, but do you think it's worth driving up and hour for this setup?
http://tulsa.craigslist.org/for/4188869249.html

It seems nice. Always try to get it a little cheaper if you can. You will more than likely get a lot of little stuff like refractometer and test kits with it, and those add up, so I would go for it. You will more than likely make a few changes, or I would. I would change to a herbie overflow, but its a descent sized starter tank.

[Arnel0387]

I've been watching this ad for few days now. I know it is hard to tell from the photos alone, but do you think it's worth driving up and hour for this setup?
http://tulsa.craigslist.org/for/4188869249.html

Looks good! What's the tank and sump dimensions? Pumps? Any ATO system? What lights are installed? Heater? It seems like you might need to upgrade the sump and skimmer. Show up his/her house with a $400 cash. I wouldn't buy this for more than 400.

I'd pass though if I were you, but if you end up buying the system, sell the fish, don't use the substrate (appears to be crushed coral), and kill the rocks..

[nouveaux]

I think you can easily get a setup like this for $300-$400. Be patient, you're bound to find a good one. There are a lot of people who want to get out of the hobby because of how much work is involved.

[zenom]

My advice would be don't skimp. Make sure you get the important pieces with your budget. The tank you want, a nice skimmer, proper lighting & good powerbeads. Everything else can be purchased used or over time.

[wickerj]

I agree with most of what everyone on here is telling you. Patience is the key.
Couple of getting started questions -
Where are you putting the tank?
How much room do you have?
I like a 120 with dual overflows, pick up a used 55 gal for a sump and put in some baffles. good return pump, and good skimmer and you're set. Keep an eye on your local forums, and check with your LFS. One of ours here just had a used tank sale and they were cheap.
Good luck.

[dsustko]

I agree with most of what everyone on here is telling you. Patience is the key.
Couple of getting started questions -
Where are you putting the tank?
How much room do you have?
I like a 120 with dual overflows, pick up a used 55 gal for a sump and put in some baffles. good return pump, and good skimmer and you're set. Keep an eye on your local forums, and check with your LFS. One of ours here just had a used tank sale and they were cheap.
Good luck.

I'm putting the tank in my living room with plenty of room for up to 6ft tank. It will be about 10 feet away from any windows (which are closed with shades all the time anyway) and against the weight bearing wall. I did check the floor joists and the tank will be sitting accross 2-3 joists; however, I would still be nervous to put up a 120G tank on the second floor. By the time its all set up that would be ~ 1,500lbs.

[Drae]

Get a deeper ( front to back) tank. 24" trust me. A 48x24x20 would be about 85 gallons after water displacement and you'd love this size. I'm a carpenter by trade and I build casinos and hotels for a living but before that I built apartments, condos, and homes and beleive me when I tell you you'd be fine with 1500lbs on the second floor. Don't take my word for it, call a structural engineer over to verify this for piece of mind. You'd be hard pressed to find a sngle thread about a tank gong through a floor. I had a 150 on the second floor of a 30 year old condo once. I weigh 220lbs and 10 of me would be fine standinng shoulder to shoulder on a non load bearing wall. Everbody acts like a ton is heavy. lol. It's not that heavy at all. Food for thought.

[indyjaco]

I put together my 75G last spring for under your budget and that included a new MP40 and SWC150 skimmer. I would keep an eye on CL for good deals in the 75 to 125G range.

Before I bought my current 125, I found new 125s RR's with a stand for $599 to $699 in my area.

I would also monitor your local reefing forums, there should be good information and used equipment.

[dkeller_nc]

There is, btw, someone that put up a brand-new, never filled 190 gallon 6-foot long DSA (Deep Sea Aquatics) tank with a 40 gallon breeder sump on the buy/sell section of this forum for $900. While you can't yet see the buy/sell forum (you have to have a certain number of posts and 3 months, I think), I don't think it's a violation of the TOS for the forum to put you in direct touch with the seller. It's in Chesapeake, VA, btw.

[tthnow]

Controller would be the very first thing!

[Eric Noa]

Friends,
I have decided to get a reef tank. I would like to keep it around 65 Gallon size and stick to a budjet of $1600. LFS is selling DSA 65 Gallon tank with stand, canopy, and sump for $950.
That would leave me ~ $650 for the rest of the equipment.
How would you suggest to spend the rest? (This is only for equipment - I have set aside more for live rock, sand, etc).
Thank you for helping us young enthusiasts be more educated!

I would suggest looking on your local craigslist for a use tank. Im sure you will fine a better deal for a tank with stand and canopy than what your lfs is offering.

[dsustko]

Controller would be the very first thing!

Your thoughts on Apex Jr?

[tthnow]

Your thoughts on Apex Jr?

I bought the lite, which I am glad I did. I would avoid the jr, as you are limited to the outlets. Jr was my first choice.

If I would have to choose all over again I would have picked the apex with probe package. You most likely end up buying a ph probe, salinity probe, etc. Which in my case I end up doing.

You can add additional outlets when you have enough funds. You can't go wrong with a controller that control's heat, ph, etc. Nothing beats a sense of security.

[dwolson2]

Your thoughts on Apex Jr?

I bought an apex Jr, used it for a while, then sold it and bought a full apex. If you put on radions, MP10's, and a bubble magus doser, You could easily get by with 4 outlets(or just add one eb8)

[President Evil]

yeah I have to agree to buy used parts.. I just bought a complete setup for 500 dollars, 75 gal tank, asm g3 skimmer, eurofil sump, return pump, and 2 150W MH and T5 fixture...
shop around.. you will find a good deal

[Saltwatercoral2]

Friends,
I have decided to get a reef tank. I would like to keep it around 65 Gallon size and stick to a budjet of $1600. LFS is selling DSA 65 Gallon tank with stand, canopy, and sump for $950.
That would leave me ~ $650 for the rest of the equipment.
How would you suggest to spend the rest? (This is only for equipment - I have set aside more for live rock, sand, etc).
Thank you for helping us young enthusiasts be more educated!


Too bad you wasn't a little closer to me.(I'm in Kansas.) I got a tank for sale. 48" x 24" x 17" tall RR. With a stand and sump for $300. Tank was new in june, but I gotta downsize as I'm moving.

[HPark]

This is a great thread. I'll qualify all of my advice by saying it's a little difficult to totally prepare and purchase all of your equipment without having some idea of what you'd like to keep. But we all had to jump in somewhere so if this is your first tank, you want enough flexibility with your equipment to experiment and try different things.

I say this b/c depending on your future fish/coral purchases -- some equipment can become overkill. A gigantic skimmer and super powerful lights are probably necessary if you plan to pursue SPS, but can actually make keeping soft corals difficult.

I'd recommend LED/t-5's over metal halides for this reason as a dimmer would allow you to control light intensity as you begin to figure out the direction of the tank.

Same reason why most people are suggesting the biggest tank possible (we almost always all inevitably want fish we can't comfortably keep in smaller tanks)..

Things like Auto-top offs, controllers...aren't exactly necessary. Maybe I'm just "old" but I've never used any of these devices...that said, if you have the money, I can see how they'd make life much easier.

One thing I try to do -- read the subforums whenever possible...explore what people are doing with SPS, LPS and Soft Corals (especially tank build threads) as that might inspire a direction for you and help you learn a lot about what you can/can't do with your eventual set-up.

Lots of liverock, water changes, lots of feeding have always been the cornerstone to my fish keeping philosophy. Good luck!

[BenBradford]

I'd advise go 100 gallons, because most people find the fish they want to keep can't live in a 50-60 gallon tank. If your ambition is for blennies and gobies, fine. Most species want more room.


Start shopping, but fix in your head what a proper reef tank looks like, how it drains, how it's pumped, what it takes. Then start looking for second-hand equipment. No few people get into this and discover it takes more research and work than they want to devote to anything: they ignore advice, take a short cut they thought of, kill half a dozen fish and out they go, selling off their equipment at fire-sale prices. This is a very good way to start. Look for somebody in your area that's moving---another big reason for selling a good tank---getting a larger tank (this happens) or is simply going off to take up knitting or hang-gliding.
For a basic reef you need: a reef-ready (drilled, with downflow box) tank of 100 gallons if at all possible; a T5 or better light kit that will support highlevel light; if you want stony coral or clams, needs to be 10000k light color or more; you need a skimmer for 200 gallons; you need a 30 gallon sump; a stand; a pump that moves about 1500 gph or more (you can valve it back, but not up); and a ro/di filter to turn tapwater into useable 0-content water; a 50 lbs bucket of reef salt mix; 200 lbs live rock/dry rock mixed; 200 lbs of aragonite sand, live or not, washed; and an ATO (autotopoff system with large reservoir [the evaporation rule is 1 gallon a day for each 50 gallons) and a very high-end heater (cheap ones are dangerous). I know that's a big list, but if you know what all these things are before you buy, and know the brands, you can save yourself re-buying and problems. The rig I outlined can sometimes be had for 700 dollars on Craigslist or the like, when somebody needs to move and get out of the hobby for a while (or forever) or upsize. That leaves you a lot of room. Don't be scared of second-hand: it's ok if you do your homework first.

Note my measurements on pump strength and sand/rock are based on 100 g. Divide by reality to get a proportional number.


summed up well

[JuJuMan16]

Craigslist!
After many years I'm getting back in the hobby. I just picked up a 75 gal with a custom stand and canopy, Dual HQI / PC lights, over 120 lbs of rock, fish, etc. All for $350.
The tank was neglected, so I donated the fish and corals to an LFS so they wouldn't be affected by the tear down and rebuild. The tank is filthy!
I'm not too crazy about the sump (wet dry modded to be a sump, ghetto rigged) and the skimmer, so I got on Craigslist again and picked up a 40 gal breeder tank, never used, with a metal stand which is a bonus for $50. That will be my sump.

Research for now, and pick a size you are comfortable with. IMHO, get a tank with a bit of depth if you can, more important than the height. Your corals will take better advantage of your lighting and trust me, you and your livestock will be happier with the depth.

Be patient. Many folks out there get tired of their tanks, hate that they take up space and time and don't care to let them go cheap or even free.

[sh0ck]

I would still consider ATO as one of most needed components if u dont want to became a slave of your tank.
Lights+ATO+stream is all u would need to start a tank plus RO/DI ofc.
You can even seal drain pipes and use overflow as RO/DI holder for few months and let your tank mature with leather corals in it, LED on 20% no fish.
Monitor NO3/PO4, mby add some GFO in socks.

U will have enough time to study and get good deals on your equipment correctly scaled for your tank size.
And will not cost u fortune to realize if this is not for you.
Than drain RO/DI from overflow, add sump, skimmer, return pump, move GFO and start big filtration with some happy fish from QT tank.

[dwolson2]

I would still consider ATO as one of most needed components if u dont want to became a slave of your tank.
Lights+ATO+stream is all u would need to start a tank plus RO/DI ofc.
You can even seal drain pipes and use overflow as RO/DI holder for few months and let your tank mature with leather corals in it, LED on 20% no fish.
Monitor NO3/PO4, mby add some GFO in socks.

U will have enough time to study and get good deals on your equipment correctly scaled for your tank size.
And will not cost u fortune to realize if this is not for you.
Than drain RO/DI from overflow, add sump, skimmer, return pump, move GFO and start big filtration with some happy fish from QT tank.

If you get the tank used, I wouldn't do that. I've seen overflows with small leaks.