Absolute Minimal Salt Water Aquarium

[mrg02d]

Hello all,
I am new here and have been scouring the net looking for info on starting a salt water aquarium. I have had numerous fresh water tanks in the past, but have always wanted a SW!

Now I have read a lot of confusing information. Everything from dropping fish in a bucket of pre-mixed salt water to extremely expensive systems. I want a small tank with small fish. How small can one go? I would like something in the 10-20gallon range with fish no larger than 3in or so. Id love to have crabs and shrimp as well. Is it possible to have a small tank system like this and do so without dropping hundreds of dollars to do so?

So I guess what I am getting at is, can I get a 10-20 gallon SW tank going for under 300$? Again, I want it kept simple (for now). No coral or large exotic fish. (Just a couple fish really). I plan on having living rock, some hermit crabs, and some small fish.

Seems the actual tank is the most $$$ thing seeing as most the pet stores around here sell acrylic ones now.

So, can the KISS principle hold here? Or is it just unrealistic?

Thanks big time!
Matt