there a several advantages.
1) a clean look. throw all your equipment in there. heater, skimmer, etc.
2) increased water volume
3) when adding supplements, top off water, water changes, etc. it gives it a chance to dilute before entering your tank.
4) clip a light on, and have your algae grow in there.
there are a lot of perks but, if you're going set up a tank, do it right from the start and take your time. this is a long term hobby, meaning, it takes a long time for a tank to get established, so spend the extra few bucks and day of time to do things right. that's just my two cents.