Ben, you can build yourself so much more in a sump for so much less. I looked at prices, and a basic sump is $200, without pumps or skimmers. For only $50 you can build a large sump, saving most of the money for your return pump (~$100) and the rest on your skimmer.
My sump was a manufactured sump, but I bought the whole system used, so it was a deal. Only 2 sections, the first section for the skimmer, cheato and rocks and the return section. Only 1 critical baffle in the entire sump, with a second bubble trap baffle that is not critical, even if it leaks (but it doesn't).
So simple and cheap to build. Only 1 rule, glass tank sump means glass baffles, and acrylic tank means acrylic baffles because silicon doesn't stick long term to acrylic, and glue doesn't work well on glass. "That was EASY"
OK, 2 sections, the first section and the return section. That wasn't clear on rereading.