Complex Setups: What gives?

[Moogled]

I agree with what you all said. Understanding how a certain item contributes to a tank is central to success.

What is another example of a piece of equipment that makes the overall reefkeeping experience easier?

The complexity that I'm thinking of is aimed towards the equipment setup itself. As Tony mentioned, you can have a large system with a complex setup that has problems while a smaller tank can be very successful.

In light of that, would superior experience itself play a larger role in maintaining a tank than all the reef tank add-ons which ultimately make the maintenance tasks easier?