Sure a mentor is a great idea, but I would qualify that by stating that the mentor should be in the same geographical area. I, for instance, would consider it a great idea to go without the expense of RODI water. I would, however, only advise this for my immediate area because I know from experience that it works here.
Similarly I do very well without a skimmer. Again, it works for me, and might not work for a beginner. For those reasons it might be better to post questions on a number of boards, and make an informed decision from the answers.
