Fish tank and fish room set-ups come in all different varieties and flavors. From the filtration to the plumbing to the lighting to the substrate, there are so many ways to set everything up.
The plethora of options often compels fish keepers to overthink things and subsequently spend more money than is necessary. In most instances, all you need is some kind of simple filtration and a way to keep your water warm. That’s it. You really don’t need a substrate (e.g., gravel or sand), in most cases. Sure, lots of people opt for bells and whistles such as plumbing for auto-water changes, flow controllers, heat controllers, mixers, and even fluidized bed filters. You don’t need any of that to be a successful fish keeper. A $25,000 Ford automobile will get you to your destination just as easily as a $150,000 Mercedes.
From a filtration perspective, a simple sponge filter (or two) is all you need. In fact, most of the top cichlid keepers and breeders that I know use sponge filters. I don’t. You can read why here. Also, you don’t need a sump. Yes, they can provide superior filtration in many instances, but superior filtration isn’t the same as inadequate filtration. All you need is sufficient filtration to handle your tank’s bioload, which can typically be accomplished without a sump.
Understand that I am not disparaging those who want to spend $10,000 and lots of hours setting up a state-of-the-art fishroom with the latest and greatest equipment. They’re really cool and they can make water changes and tank maintenance more efficient. However, unless you’re breeding and selling fish for a living, that’s a want and not a need.
Buy a few tanks, get some quality hardware (e.g., pumps, filters, heaters), get some fish, and enjoy.