220 Gallon tank blank slate, do i take the plunge?

[abcha0s]

The question is, can i make this low cost and low maintenance.

Uhm. No.

A tank that size will cost you some real money. You can cut corners and keep costs down initially, but if you go that route you will end up doing everything twice as you upgrade your hardware. The cheapest way to build a tank this size is to buy the hardware you want right out of the gate.

I say go for it, but don't have any illusions of this being a cost effective tank. Your costs will tripple your wildest expectations. It will suck every spare dollar you have for the next 5 years. It will become an addiction.