my first salt water tank

[hillegom]

A sump is better. But you have a lot more plumbing. On the plus side, more water, the skimmer can go into the sump, so a cleaner looking display. Part of the sump could be a refugium, where macro algae can grow, so that takes out nutrients
Well worth it in my opinion.
If money is tight, you could put the sump in afterwards.