Pick a wholistic approach and not just piecemeal something or another... this can fail. No one thing gets it done, but one thing, without some others can fail.
Contrary to popular belief, there is not a million ways to run a reef tank. Most successful tanks are more alike than not and do the same basic things, but they can be split into more natural methods or mechanical methods needing human intervention, but the tasks get done. There are a million ways to have a nice take for a year or two and about two million ways to fail. For example, if you don't want sand or lots of rock, then have a way to handle nitrate... so maybe a sulfur denitrator will need to be on the list. The denitrator is probably a waste on other types of systems. If you don't want to grow macro, then you need a way to export phosphate/phosphorous, so maybe a GFO reactor or socks built in for Lan Chloride.
I figured out my tank style a long time ago which is heavy feedings and heavy export with low residual levels... 3 inches of sand, real live rock (worth nearly any cost), multiple protein skimmers, wavebox, adequate (not excessive) flow pumps, calcium reactor, metal halides and lots of fish. 44g brutes for (mostly) regular water changes. Fuge comes online after a year or two (when it is needed, but NOT before). Sustainable for decades and does not take much of my time. I detail more of this in my rebuild thread.
