Looking for advice/input on reef plans

So I am brand new to the hobby. I have had freshwater tanks before, but only as a kid and no research was ever done to ensure proper fish to tank size/filtration/lighting/etc.

Anyways, for the last couple months I have been researching setting up a reef tank. I have a 40 breeder that would serve as the main display tank and about 50lbs of Pukani dry rock. But those are the only two things that I have already.

The ideal plans that I have for this tank are as follows;

Apex Lite controller
RO/DI system (BRS)

40breeder tank
RapidLED 40b retrofit lighting
1-2 Vortech MP10s (was originally planning 1, is that enough for most corals?)

29g sump/fuge
125w heater
enheim 1262 return pump
Super Reef Octopus 1000 Internal Protein Skimmer
cheato + spare rocks for fuge (ideally want to use it for mostly pod colonies)
ATO (BRS)

15g QT
AC70 modded fuge
heater
pvc

So much of the advice I have read states to be patient and save and get the best parts so you do not end up wasting money when you inevitably upgrade later on. My concern is that saving up to get a lot of this stuff is going to take quite some time. And I am worried that I am going to end up with a bunch of parts sitting in an empty tank after 6 months still just waiting to have everything for a great build.

My big question is how much can I build as I go. Meaning, I would love to start getting the tank set up as I add on all of the parts.

Can I start cycling and building my microbial population with just a tank and sump but no lighting or the MP10s?

If I wanted to add inverts like shrimp and small hermits would they need to wait for the entire lighting/pump/etc system?

Would fish work with the lighting/sump but no powerheads yet or vice versa?

I guess I am slightly impatient to start having something more to look at than an empty tank with rocks, but I do not want to move ahead and add things that may suffer without some of the more expensive components that I am saving for.

Thank you for any advice you have on my parts list or on my questions about a time frame.

 

Welcome to 3 Reef, you found a good site.

To your questions, yes, no, yes
.
Stick around. I feel this in the best SW/Reef site around.

Over at Coral somenthing or other in the middle, if you disagree with a moderator, and you're right, they still ban you for life. What a F-d up site Reef in the middle is!!

 

You can start right away, start with the Ro/DI, and salt. If it is a new start, you don't need to worry about lighting. Fish don't care. Even t-8 will work for initial set up. This will give you time to cycle your tank, while you gather the rest of your equipment. It takes a good 30-60 days to cycle anyway. You can keep a FOWLR indefinitely with that set up. It is when you start to add corals that the lighting becomes crucial. Make sure you have a few hardy fish, a good clean up crew, and some test kits to get you going. Then build from there...also good flow. It took me three years to accumulate all of my equipment.

 

Also, you can temporarily run a couple inexpensive powerheads like Koralia Evo's (a couple 750s should work fine) until you get the MP-10(s).

 

Thank you so much, I am a little relieved I do not have to wait for absolutely everything before I can start watching it grow.