should the additional filter be carbon only or somthing else? I'd rather get all the filters I need now than add the additional filters later.
Diy, carbon does not reduce Inorganic Nitrate and Inorganic Phosphate, which is what causes nuisance algae on your rocks, sand and glass. Skimmers don't remove it either. A scrubber removes it very well, and if your scrubber is built and operated properly, you should not need additional "filters" for ongoing use. If you are planned a fish-only (no corals) tank, and you are going to be feeding very very heavy, then you should get a skimmer also to start out with. But if it's going to be a reef, then a scrubber alone will do all the work.
I went to a LFS today that had several turf scrubbers and swear by them. Their models were counterweighted(for lack of a better term) And when they filled with water they would pivot and dump the water starting cycle all over again
Did you go to Inland Aquatics? They were the only dealers for those types of scrubbers, unless they now have shipped to other stores. Anyways, the scrubbing process is the same, totally identical. The only difference is cost, size, noise, etc. Currently there is nobody who makes waterfall scrubbers, so you have to make it yourself, or hire someone from the scrubber-builder directory to do it for you. The dumping-styles scrubbers are ready to use. (make sure the screens are removeable, so you can clean them in a sink.)