32 Gallon Biocube Budget Build

[kodak]

Hey, I recently started a budget reef project.
I bought a used 32 gallon biocube setup on facebook marketplace for $200 USD, and spent around $600 in total for all the equipment, rocks sand etc. I have everything needed except a skimmer and phosphate reactor because I havent set up a sump yet, and there isnt enough room in the back chamber. If anybody knows a HOB Skimmer/reactor that's compatible lmk

Here's the list of equipment I have setup so far:
Biocube 32
Stand
2 hygger 1050 gph pumps
kessil 160 tuna blue
AI prime 16hd (not added yet)
DC pump/diy plumbing
2 intank media chambers - might setup refugium idk
Filter media
Jager heater
30lb caribsea live rock
~0.5-1 inch caribsea sand
Red sea 4 doser/hoses
Custom acrylic lid
RO/DI unit
Duetto ATO

I added some cycle quickstart product, ill try adding hardy fish/coral in 2-3 weeks
Here's some pictures of the tank. It's been running for 2 days now, i added some fish food to let it deteriorate for a few weeks.

 

[kodak]

Id appreciate advice with stocking if possible. im thinking of either adding one fuzzy dwarf lionfish since the aquascape has a lot of caves, or a regular stock list of a pair of clowns a goby etc.
Im reluctant to get the lion just because i wont be able to keep many inverts, kinda worried itll be worse when algae appears. How would you deal with this? I'm aware of the feeding requirements for lions, and would pick one from my lfs that eats well, i just dont want it and coral to suffer from excessive algae growth since there wont be a CUC. thank you for your help

 

[fishywishy]

A lion fish would be a good addition but imo i would just get normal fish because the lion fish will be the only fish you can get and it will probably just hide in the rocks all the time so it will be a pretty boring fish. I had a couple of clowns, royal gramma, ywg pistol shrimp pair, fire goby, and a dwarf angelfish in my 30g.

Tbh my CUC barely does anything, you are going to have to do most of the cleaning until the tank becomes established and you stop having algae. But you can still have some snails and hermits because the lion fish probably won’t touch them.

 

[kodak]

A lion fish would be a good addition but imo i would just get normal fish because the lion fish will be the only fish you can get and it will probably just hide in the rocks all the time so it will be a pretty boring fish. I had a couple of clowns, royal gramma, ywg pistol shrimp pair, fire goby, and a dwarf angelfish in my 30g.

Tbh my CUC barely does anything, you are going to have to do most of the cleaning until the tank becomes established and you stop having algae. But you can still have some snails and hermits because the lion fish probably won’t touch them.

thank you for the reply. Yea, if i would get the lion it would definitely be the only fish in the tank, im leaning a bit more to a couple smaller fish instead just cause of the CUC. Probably easier for maintenance as well, considering i wont be running a skimmer for a while