So, the folks selling the aqueon stand backed out and decided not to sell... oof! But on a positive note, I've got a budy that's gonna hook me up with a skimmer and MH lights! I've decided I'll go ahead and do it right with a sump, but I'm not going to do the refugium. Instead, I'll just use more sand and LR. I was also told that sponges and certain clams in there will help clean up the water, but I'm not sure about that approach. I think I'll just keep it simple and take advantage of the additional water volume and bio-filtration.
So, it's going to be a 25g tank on a homemade stand with a 10g used for the sump (unless I can find a 15 tall - that would be better). I won't be adding any corral for probably 9 months. I will wait for the LR and any fish I add to be happy and stable before I go to the next step.
Little by little, I'm finally figuring this thing out. Not quite as difficult as I originally expected, but definitely pricey if you're not careful. I spent big $$ on my planted 40B, so I'm taking my time, looking for sales, buying amazon, checking Craigslist... all that good stuff. And getting a free skimmer and MH light is a HUGE expense averted!
