Im thinking about taking 1 link out of the chain to make it fit on the bike without the idler wheel. Would this be a good idea or will it cause problems?.
Check your chainstay clearance. Just because it clears with the bike at rest doesn't mean it will clear in motion. My skyliner has about 1/8'' without the tensioner so chain slap shreds the stay if I leave it out..
If u take a link out of the chain to run it "real tight" it's going to put unwarranted stress on other components.To me it's better to ditch the supplied chain-tensioner and opt for a much better one....something that's originally meant for a trail bike/trials bike.
I use a trail bike chain-tensioner and once setup u never need to worry about the chain again.Also use a KMC 415H motorcycle chain....that's MUCH better than the crappy Chinese original.
If you find you need the tentioner wheel, get a inline skate wheel and modify it for your use. It will work much better than the original. You can find threads on the topic using the search.