Need help picking filters for a 55g fish only

[CJA53]

Hello all, I need major help picking my filtration for a 55 gallon fish only aquarium. Its been 25 years since i had a saltwater tank and things have changed a bit, so I'm not new to the hobby, I just forgot about much of everything:).
My past tanks in the 90's had a HOB, one had an under gravel filter and one had a wet-dry. For this tank, I dont really want a HOB because it needs to be somewhat close to the wall. The LFS educated me briefly on sumps...and I am lost.
So, what would you recommend? I think I need a bio filter and a mechanical filter. Is there a AIO canister type filter that would serve this purpose, like a Fluval FX4?
Should I do a wet-dry with a separate canister? Are wet/dry filters still a good choice? I can get a WD100 on marketplace for cheap with pump and protein skimmer.
Should I bite the bullet and go with a sump? (I am trying to do this a little on the cheap side)
I am not closed off to a HOB, as long as its a low profile.
FYI, the tank is glass with no holes in it yet...so I was hoping to not drill holes just yet.
Fish will just be damsels, a puffer, a trigger and no reef just yet
The tank I bought was freshwater and came with a Fluval 204 and an Eheim canister. If we could reuse those, it would be great.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[TX_REEF]

Welcome back!!!

If you don’t want to drill, just go with a sturdy canister. Fluval makes great reliable units.

However, drilling your tank is not hard at all (unless it is tempered glass - don’t drill tempered glass haha). If you can muster up the courage to give that a go, I think you’ll love having a sump. Super easy to keep all equipment concealed with unparalleled access for filter maintenance. If you go that route, check out my tank thread, I show step by step with photos how to build a DIY sump that is cheap and effective!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The rocks are the biofilter on a salt tank, so no need for a biofilter. Mechanical filters are not really that important on salt tanks, I don't run mechanical filtration on my 3 tanks. I prefer filtration that exports nutrients.

This guide a good introductory guide that explains sumps and other filtration. Good luck

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

 

[Fish Fan]

Welcome to Reef2Reef and back to saltwater!

Have you seen an All-In-One (AIO) tank yet? These are somewhere between a full sump and using a Hang On Back (HOB) gear. These tanks are a solid idea if you're just getting going again, and feel intimidated by sumps, plumbing and choosing equipment for a tank.

Examples:
https://www.innovative-marine.com/s...RG8O6N5FLq-CcFYaJ1hyGglSFM4lQwdS9jdyeQE&gQT=1
https://waterboxaquariums.com/produ...n=sag_organic&utm_source=google&utm_campaign={CampaignName}&tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=17553404636&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-e6-BhDmARIsAOxxlxVYfjvI_yTMunOaPlGu9IW8ScoeWJFaLio-b36ogly3lprSgTq_aowaAvm0EALw_wcB

EDIT: I'm sorry, I now see that you already have your 55. If you consider swapping that out, then please look at an AIO. If not, I'd concentrate on circulation pumps and possibly a HOB refugium or protein skimmer. I wouldn't worry about a canister or traditional HOB filter (I personally do not like canister filters, others do (sell yours for cash to buy fish!)).

I can think of two members here who still run a tank on an Under Gravel (UG) filter, so anything is possible :)