1. You should always take the time to acclimate your fish to the aquarium. Acclimating your fish will get them used to the environment of the aquarium. Adding fish directly can be too much a shock for your fish and can pose health hazards.
2. You should always stay up to date on the new and exciting practices for fish keeping. Subscribe to several news letters to keep up to date. If you like to read, go to your local library and get some books on fish keeping.
3. You should be sure to rinse out all of the materials you are going to be placing in the aquarium with water. Do not use soap or detergents, soap can cause toxic results for the fish in your aquarium. Just rinse the equipment with distilled water.