1st i'll say don't do it.but if you are going to anyway.put a plenum in the sand bed and do it right.also.sea squirts and sponge may help alot with filtering.to many hermits will eat the squirts so idk if they will make it without a sump to live in.a masive hob skimmer,or 2.prizm makes a skimmer rated for the big tanks but its loud and without a sump you will have to adjust it every day.or get 2 high quality skimmers,maybe remora.even with over skimming and a big filter with like 2 cups of carbon replaced monthly you are still going to need an extra large cleaning crew.if their is a person capable of setting up the tank you want,it is eric bornman.it wont be hard to find a forum he's in somewhere.he's a famous aquarist.he runs tanks with seasquirts and sponges with no skimmer,but i think he puts that stuff in a sump.
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55 gallon reef with 4x54 watt t5,29 gallon sump,red monti cap,1blue echinophyllia,trumpet,red lobo,2 toadstools 1purple and 1neon,gsp,xenia and yellow xenia,red ,many mushrooms,2 giant frilly shrooms,cabbage coral,yellow polyps,many zoos,1 orange and one neon green nepthia,duncans,cladiella | 
