I have a 72 gallon bowfront and can tell you some of what I've learned. First go with Living Rock. The more the better. Get a good skimmer that can handle the load. I use a Kent TE skimmer and it works perfect.
Get a sump filter system. Something with a wet/dry trickle set-up. Some people don't like the bio-balls in a wet/dry but if you keep a good prefilter before them, they are great at eliminating ammonia. I have found that adding mangroves to an under tank refugium was a good decision. The mangroves remove all algae causing substances from the water including nitrates, phosphates, etc. They keep your water incredibly clean. I haven't done a water change in almost a year and everything is great.
I, unlike many here, recommend using crushed coral substrate. Many will disagree with this but I'll tell you why I like it. If you have a good filter system with plenty of LR, then you don't need to rely on your substrate for filtration. Add a small layer of crushed coral to the tank and rely on it just for looks. It cleans better and will not crash your tank if you stir it... I wrote a long post on crushed coral... I'll dig it up in a minute.
I recommend an ozone generator also. I have one hooked up to my skimmer and it leaves the water completely crystal clear. Ozone kills water borne bacteria and parasites that can harm the fish. It also breaks down protiens better than just regular skimming.
Buy plenty of powerheads to keep the water stirred. This keeps junk from settling on the substrate decomposing. Instead the junk stays suspended in the water where the filter system can remove it. Maxijet powerheads are the best in tank powerheads you can buy. Rio are cheaper, noiser and break sooner.
Buy a good main tank pump. Iwaki (sp?) is a good brand. You want lots of water circulation through your filter system.
Clean out your pre filter (filter floss, foam, etc.) at least once every 2 weeks. This is not hard to do and will remove most of the junk that causes ammonia, etc in the water.
If you want coral, you will need good lighting. I bought the parts individually and built my own but there are lighting systems out there that are very good. I recommend something on a timer and that has moon lights. This provides some soft ambient light for the fish at night so that they are not stressed out from being in a totally dark environment. For coral, something around 5 watts per gallon is good. I have Power compact lights on mine, but if you can afford it, Metal Halides would be a better choice.
Don't waste your money on cheap gear that you will have to replace later. Too many people spend too much money on trying to save money. I'm included in the bunch. Buy what you need the first time and if you can't afford it, wait.
Don't skimp on the lights, pump, or skimmer. These are all necessities.
