If I wanted to get my hands wet for bottom dollar without cutting unreasonable corners I would:
- NOT use a DSB. They do NOTHING for nutrient export; they just trap them until they reach critical mass and then release them back into the system. Use bare bottom or shallow crushed coral so that you can siphon out the crud. Yes I used to run one. There are extra costs for all the sand and the 'critters' that you supposedly need. Plus there is the loss of useable tank volume (an 18" tall tank becomes a 14" tall tank with a 4" DSB).
- Look for used lighting in the Buy/Sell section. You CAN save money if you go DIY if you know what you are doing. However, for first timers you usually end up spending more money and much more time experimenting until you get it right and even then you often have a ghetto system that looks marginal with no resale value.
- Not bother with a skimmer. I see absolutely no problem going skimmerless if you are sticking with a lower stocking level and soft/lps corals. IMO, like every industry there is propoganda to increase consumer consumption. Good skimmers cost a fair bit and cheap ones are next to worthless. I would only consider skimmers 'necessary' if you are pushing the envelope with stocking levels (not a good idea anyway) or if you want to go with SPS (in which case you have to buck up for other things as well.) Water changes and siphoning are the best forms of nutrient removal and for the price of a good skimmer you can buy a lot of salt mix. Down the road when budget permits, consider adding one.
- Go sumpless. Smaller tanks have thinner glass which have a good chance of breaking when drilled. Even if you succeed in drilling you have to buy the fittings and plumbing, build an overflow box, and buy a return pump. Again, more time and money.
If the tank does well you will probably want to upgrade down the road, then budget for what you want (bigger tank, reef ready, skimmer, Ca reactor, SPS, etc). In the meantime go for the simplest system but buy quality gear. In the hobby, equipment failures can cost you orders of magnitude more than the amount you saved on cheap gear.
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