You think I'm an extremist?
Thanks for the morning laugh.
Some equipment (like say a Prizm skimmer) are money best spent elsewhere. They aren't worth the money you spend on them. I've been in this hobby a lot longer than you gobytron. I remember when underground filters were all the rave, and no one knew what a powerhead was or why you would want one. J&L Aquatics didn't exist, and neither did The Conscientious Marine Aquarist (book). I have spent a lot of money and a lot of years getting the experiences I have now. Don't be so hasty to rub prejudice on my suggestions.
And I wonder why I didn't miss CanReef when I quit posting on here in January. Oh right...@$$holes like gobytron. Now I remember.
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Basically fishgirl, my biggest suggestion for you as a novice reefer is to drill the tank before you ever set it up (whether you plug the holes or not) because you will probably regret it if you don't. Put up a poll, many people later regret not drilling their tank. My next main suggestion is if budget is a concern, don't spend money on equipment that you plan to replace in a year (like an HOB skimmer) since you will lose a lot of money on it when you go to sell it in a year. If you can find a used HOB skimmer that may be your best option then you won't lose so much money when you move on in a year.