Ty for input ...yea the guy was like you don’t even need a skimmer but heck no I’ll pay the extra few bucks it’s helped tremendously in the past especially I think such a tiny tank with a decent amount of fish I’m gonna need itPump getting loud may be a dangerous indicator meaning that water level in the return chamber is getting dangerously low. I would recommend setting a water level in the return chamber in your sump (when you get it) to be high enough to avoid the pump becoming more noisy before refilling.
A HOB filter can work fine for lower bioloads, but most seem to move away from them eventually for better methods on a reef tank (including a sump). Maintenance of the filter is key, so, due to easier access, a HOB filter may be better for some than even a cannister filter.