Build help, please

[Mark75]

I am in the very early stages of a build. Would you look at my set-up and offer advice.

Tank; 36x24x24 Glass cages rimless with external overflow
starphire front panel.

Lighting; ???? I would like it to suspend above the tank, if money was not a concern I would like 2-250 w/4-39w T-5's but I am afraid that will be out of my price range.

Skimmer; I am leaning towards a DAS ex1 but may try the new Octo extreme 160.

Sump; I am unsure about this, I do not want to spend much money here and have no experience with building one. I may just throw a 29 gal. tank under it and put a skimmer in it?

Water movement; I have two Koralia 2's that are in my tank now I may add a couple of 3's or 4's in the other corners?

Return pump; Ehiem 1260

Topoff; ????

What else will I need? Keep in mind this is a low budget build ( well as low budget as reef keeping can be.) This being my first all out build I want to keep it simple with the option of expanding but some things have to be done right to begin with. For example I can always add a better skimmer or sump but the design of the overflow is forever. Thanks for your advice.

[Cheesy_Puffs]

Some recommendations:

Tank: Get at least a 4ft tank if you can fit it. It'll give your fish some back and forth room.

Lighting: If you go rimless with the tank, DIY some hanging pendants otherwise if you get a normal tank its easy enough to build a canopy.

Skimmer: Up to you...remember whatever you get it still only makes bubbles

Sump: 29g would work, just partition it with baffles and you could put a refug in it also...check out Melev's web site for ideas

Return pump: You can get an Ehiem, but Mags work just as well and its cheaper so you can get some lights

Topoff: DIY a kalk reactor and find an autotopoff system for it. Theres alot of info in the equipment/DIY forum. We bought ours and got a peristalic pump to feed it, its one of our better investments as i HATE hair algae.

Just some random ideas