Bigger is better right?

[gobytron]

There are quite a few really nice skimmerless tanks out there.

I have always found that unless you are keeping sps, A skimmer can be left out of a successful reef.

You just need to be consistent and generous with your water changes.

You state you are primarily interested in softies.

If that's the case, you can definitely skip getting a pricey skimmer at first and get one down the line if you start to add more demanding coral or if you start to get lazy on your water changes.