I'm not here to criticize or try n bully my way of thinking but ill try n speak from my experiences in the hobby and the results of conversation on this topic with other reefers.

I dont wanna argue about water changes and there cost effectiveness or convenience.. but ill say this, by my math the cheapest way to have a successful reef tank is water changes method. The non WC method is possible, but far more costly to implement.

I follow a 10% a month from the day i set up the tank. And I do so automatically now for sheer convenience and to stay on the schedule that i know will reward my efforts and $$$.. The money I spent on automating the WC far out weights the cost of trying to get around water changes and affords me alot of stability and end results of success.

For 90% of the hobbyist, there route to success begins with a water change schedule. Above skimmers, and dosing, and bio pellets, and all that.. Wc will do more for less.

Consider that a good quality salt mix and good rodi has everything but light n flow that you need to be above average successful in the hobby.

more and more now days i believe the rocks, sand and so forth only complicate the issues that can n will arise in normal reef tanks.

most tanks, aside from system malfunctions, end up failing due to the build up of unwanted stuff in the system. Be it in the rocks, the water column, in the sand bed, or by eventually the over stocking from growth or new additions.