Here is my idea. I have a 90 gallon guppy tank with an overflow leading to a 20 gallon aquarium sump. The water from the sump is pumped up and crack into the tank through a spray bar. It's nothing fancy , sump wise , and the tank is more if a utility tank. 
But, I could move the guppies to a new tank and repurpose the 90 gallon for cycling a salt system, adding live/dead rock as I go and use it to get my feet wet and learn. Then when I'm ready, I can go with a more long term setup and already have all the rock and most of the equiptment and such ready to go. 
Only thing I'm not sure of is a spray bar return, but I dont see a reason it should be an issue. 
		
	
		
		
		
		
		
	
		
		
	
	
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