You are getting it now. I have a 20 long glass sump on my 75, I glued my own baffels. It is very easy, you can do it. the live rock usually provides all the benifical bacteria you need.
If you want I will post a close up of my sump design, It is ok there are some things I will do differntly, well that happens everytime I do a tank.
I have a prizam pro skimmer, I got it before I had a sump, and it is not at all the best skimmer for sump applications, It works but not as well as I would like, I am getting the aqua-c skimmmer in sump. I will try to draw a picture fo what I am doing next and what I have now so you can decide what you like. We really do want to help you have the best tank ever. I believe the more people in this hobby succesful, the more ideas and corals we have to swap and learn about, the better we will all be. Oh and on a side, note, everybody is stressing over the holidays. LOL Merry Christmas to you and yours. Steve
ps the little pump that keeps them from breaking siphon (aqualifterpump) is 9.99$ cheap insurance. Go with the cpr 102 it has 2x 1" bulkheads and flows 1200gph my pump supposedly flows 1500 gph at 0 head and works perfect with my overflow.