Brad - you planning to use an insump or external skimmer?
A setup I did for a friend had a 90g sump (48x18x24). I put in a 23" high glass baffle on one side so the 48" length was split 12"/36". I used the 36" side for the insump skimmer, reactors, return pump. The 12" side was used to hold ~20 gallons of fresh water topoff. In the beginning, we used the 12" side as a holding tank for new fishes to go through hyposalinity treatment over several weeks to get rid of bugs.
As far as internal or external overflow is concern, either way its gonna suck. Internal and it takes up coral real estate. External and it makes the tank shape awkward with protrusions coming out and more plumbing is visible. I have had both and i will stick to the internal. It just gives a more clean-line, finished look
I second the the tiles at the bottom idea if you want the brown sand look right away. or just grow gsp and let it take over the bottom.
One thing I really like on my current 120, i have an older tunze (one speed 6080) pointing straight down on the back wall. This pushes all the detritus out of the rock work, to the inside perimeter of the tank and helps push light detritus up in the water column towards the overflows. It provides great indirect flow and makes cleaning very easy.
good luck
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