The only source of filtration in my tank is the live rock and live sand. Ontop of my rubble in the filter chamber I have a bag of Chemi-Pure. Ontop of that is cheap filter floss that I toss out, not rinse, toss out each and every water change, which for me is 2x a week.
I have had many reef tanks, and this one is by far my favorite. I love the AP and its ease of maintanence. Yes, ditch the rings and the sponges, unless you can be diligent about rinsing and cleaning. Even then , I would not recommend it. Your live rock IS your filtration system.
There are 4 plugs to the AP. 3 lights (2 are three pronged and the LED), and the pump.
I see you are new to the hobby slam308. Do lots of research and decide what kind of tank you want first, FS-FOWLR- a reef, corals, etc. Then do even more research. This site has a wealth of information.
But first, before you do anything, or spend any money, you must determine what kind of tank you want, and what you want to keep. This will determine everything from your filtration system to your aquascaping.
I hope this helps and I'm not sounding like I'm preaching. Just trying to save you $$ and headaches and confusion!