[KTwo]

When (if?) I pull the trigger on a tank in the May/June time frame, I'll have a budget of about $5,500 to spend on everything - to include livestock and the first few months of 'consumables'.

For that amount of money, what would everyone recommend I buy, given the following requirements:
1. Min size of 50 gallons, max of 100
2. Gotta have a separate sump, not an all in one
3. Gotta have a refugium
4. Gotta have a protein skimmer
5. Lights
6. Needs to include an RO/DI solution and a mixing solution for someone who doesn't have a dedicated room. I have some storage in the furnace room but not enough space to dedicate to water.
6. System is going to go in my basement. No direct sunlight and ambient temp is around 66 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't think I need a chiller.
7. I'm interested in (hardy/easy) fish and some (easy/soft) corrals.

I'm drawn towards the Red Sea solutions because you can't really argue about the bang for the buck for a beginner (never had a reef tank before). There are some compromises there (sump with no fuge, wooden stand, small ATO) but to build a DIY system is way more money. I priced a 48x24x24 tank on Custom Aquariums and it was $1,400 for just the tank.

So I'm using my 'phone a friend' and asking what you'd buy with the above budget.

Thx
-K2