Sorry, if you think you can do SW on a budget you are fooling yourself. If you can't afford it don't mess with it.
Some comments on your post:
Dreaco;1640603; said:
So fast forward 6 days and my tank is ready for fish.
Totals
Tank, stand, canopy, light and filter, $650
Salt: $ 17
Water: free
Sand: $40
Rock: $60
Live rock: $20
Fish: $34
Pc light $60
Misc. inverts: free.
Fish food: $15
Hydrometer$15
And due to a small algae bloom $15 for phosphate remover
lol
So the grand total is $926! Not bad, about $30 over my budget.
1) You said you bought 20 pounds of Live Rock "I also bought approx. 20lbs of live rock." so @ $6/pound that is much more than your quoted $20.
2) How did you test to see the filtration had cycled? Test kits are required to determine that the cycle has started and leveled out. Test kits cost money. So either you stocked the tank without testing the water, or you forgot to add in some more money you spent.
3) Water is not free unless you have a private well.
4) Where are your water treatment chemicals? Idodine? Calcium? Yest again more money.
5) Then there is the monthly bills for new salt, new food, new chemicals, etc. etc. etc. 40% water changes on a tank that size without a skimmer is going to be your norm. So that's another outlay of cash you are pretending doesn't exist.