Well, I've had an inauspicious re-entry into the hobby. 
Maybe some of my goofs can help someone else not make them. If any older forum member corrects me in this thread, assume they are right and I am wrong.
1. Get a bigger tank. Many think a 10 gallon is a good starter tank but unless you specifically want to keep a betta or a half-dozen neon tetras in a nano tank on your desk, think minimum size of 20 gallons or even 29. They are not much more expensive than a 10 gallon setup. You could go even bigger, but I wish I'd not have gone with a 10 gallon.
2. You can save money with a kit, but you'll end up probably wanting to replace a lot of gear. If you wait for a tank sale at your local pet store, and watch for sales online, you can put together a kit of your own with gear you'll likely be happier with. Research your gear. That said, if you get the basics in a kit, especially on sale, you can get started and will have plenty of time to research and upgrade pieces later.
3. Beware of Youtubers' advice. Some are true experts, like Cory at Aquarium Co-Op, some are just hobbyists with no special expertise, and some are just oddballs with definitely out-of-the-mainstream advice. I, and probably you, won't have any way of knowing how reliable their advice is. Watch Youtube videos, just be careful about believing everything you see there. There's a lot of good stuff, but also a lot of chaff.
4. Get a good test kit before staring your aquarium. My biggest problems were because I started my aquarium on a Monday and did not get my test kit until Friday. I got the API Master Test Kit, which has a good reputation, but there are others available. Just have a kit and know how to use it, and use it before you get near any fish!
5. Spend some time learning about the nitrogen cycle before you start. I was learning as I went, and that was a disaster, I lost several fish. There are excellent resources here on cycling. Learn it before you start an aquarium, not as you go. I got excited about a fish-in cycle I saw on the Internet and didn't do well with it (others have to be fair), but now I wish I had done a fishless cycle. It need not take 6 weeks to 3 months as you often read. I would urge you to read about it here until you really understand it, then check out Dr. Tim's Aquatics website. Using his process you can likely cycle a tank in 2-3 weeks and you'll have a much higher probability of having a healthy stock of fish using his method. I'm going to have to wait much longer now.
5a. First, he is a real Dr. of Marine Biology. He was the chief science officer for the parent company of Marineland products for many years, and his area of expertise is in nitrifying bacteria. He has a patent on a live bacteria product, which is why his cycling method can go so fast. I'd use his products and process, although there are other processes out there. He's the real deal, you can trust him.
5b. Using his ammonia product for feeding his bacteria and his live bacteria product is simple and foolproof (if you do it right), and you'll likely have great success. A fish-in cycle, while possible, is an iffy thing, and I would not try it again. Two to three weeks is not too long to wait for a very nicely cycled tank.
In summary, get a bigger tank than a 10-gallon, think minimum of 20 or even 29 (or larger). Get a test kit right away. Do a fishless cycle. While there are many ways to do that successfully, I suspect the fastest and most foolproof method is Dr. Tim's process. But regardless do a fishless process and using the test kit, wait until it is fully cycled, no matter how long that takes, before adding fish. I hope someone learns from my mistakes.
Oh, and ask questions here, the members are extremely helpful!
Maybe some of my goofs can help someone else not make them. If any older forum member corrects me in this thread, assume they are right and I am wrong.1. Get a bigger tank. Many think a 10 gallon is a good starter tank but unless you specifically want to keep a betta or a half-dozen neon tetras in a nano tank on your desk, think minimum size of 20 gallons or even 29. They are not much more expensive than a 10 gallon setup. You could go even bigger, but I wish I'd not have gone with a 10 gallon.
2. You can save money with a kit, but you'll end up probably wanting to replace a lot of gear. If you wait for a tank sale at your local pet store, and watch for sales online, you can put together a kit of your own with gear you'll likely be happier with. Research your gear. That said, if you get the basics in a kit, especially on sale, you can get started and will have plenty of time to research and upgrade pieces later.
3. Beware of Youtubers' advice. Some are true experts, like Cory at Aquarium Co-Op, some are just hobbyists with no special expertise, and some are just oddballs with definitely out-of-the-mainstream advice. I, and probably you, won't have any way of knowing how reliable their advice is. Watch Youtube videos, just be careful about believing everything you see there. There's a lot of good stuff, but also a lot of chaff.
4. Get a good test kit before staring your aquarium. My biggest problems were because I started my aquarium on a Monday and did not get my test kit until Friday. I got the API Master Test Kit, which has a good reputation, but there are others available. Just have a kit and know how to use it, and use it before you get near any fish!
5. Spend some time learning about the nitrogen cycle before you start. I was learning as I went, and that was a disaster, I lost several fish. There are excellent resources here on cycling. Learn it before you start an aquarium, not as you go. I got excited about a fish-in cycle I saw on the Internet and didn't do well with it (others have to be fair), but now I wish I had done a fishless cycle. It need not take 6 weeks to 3 months as you often read. I would urge you to read about it here until you really understand it, then check out Dr. Tim's Aquatics website. Using his process you can likely cycle a tank in 2-3 weeks and you'll have a much higher probability of having a healthy stock of fish using his method. I'm going to have to wait much longer now.
5a. First, he is a real Dr. of Marine Biology. He was the chief science officer for the parent company of Marineland products for many years, and his area of expertise is in nitrifying bacteria. He has a patent on a live bacteria product, which is why his cycling method can go so fast. I'd use his products and process, although there are other processes out there. He's the real deal, you can trust him.
5b. Using his ammonia product for feeding his bacteria and his live bacteria product is simple and foolproof (if you do it right), and you'll likely have great success. A fish-in cycle, while possible, is an iffy thing, and I would not try it again. Two to three weeks is not too long to wait for a very nicely cycled tank.
In summary, get a bigger tank than a 10-gallon, think minimum of 20 or even 29 (or larger). Get a test kit right away. Do a fishless cycle. While there are many ways to do that successfully, I suspect the fastest and most foolproof method is Dr. Tim's process. But regardless do a fishless process and using the test kit, wait until it is fully cycled, no matter how long that takes, before adding fish. I hope someone learns from my mistakes.
Oh, and ask questions here, the members are extremely helpful!
!
JCinPA for those kind words. I’m both honored and humbled.
