reef baller or bare essentials?

hey guys, i know there are several "approaches" to keeping a reef aquarium, and i was just wondering if you are a reef baller that buys all the equipment (automatic dosers, absolute best lighting, kalkwasser reactors, denitrators, sumps, fuge, CO2, UV sterilizers, RODI, so on and so forth), or are you a bare essentials kind of reefer, whose most expensive piece of equipment is the tank itself.. me? i'm a minimalist for several reasons... 1) all the good equipment may make maintenence easier, but i think it would make a high risk of equipment malfunction, flooding, electical fire, etc.... 2) i'm broke anyway, so i don't need to worry about anything else... 3) you lose the enjoyment of the aquarium because you don't spend as much time keeping it in top shape (same reason most people would rather buy a rust-bucket and turn it into a hotrod, than spend the money on one that's already built, if any car fanatics can relate)

 

I like the rust-bucket metaphor! same way with me it would be cool for a tank to just be -poof (like if I bought a pre-established tank and service) But i really want to do the plumbing/set-up and have the mistakes and sucesses!

 

Reef Baller, hah. I would place myself somewhere in between. I have a few little goodies...but nothing too extreme. I have yet to hook up my tank to the good ole Mac...but it will some day.

 

I'm definitely somewhere in between, although I do like to tinker.
I own a classic car restoration shop, so I can relate with that metaphor quite well!

 

Almost a Baller but not quite. Got the Ca reactor, auto top off, 3-Fluidize reactors running different stuff and my DIY lighting but most of this stuff is needed when you cross the line and step above the 180 gal. range.