Set up your tank. Get a big tank, larger than 10 gallons (37.9 L) ideally. But that's just a preferable size, you can choose the size of your tank according to the size the fish you want to get will need. When you do this make sure that you don't take a tank with thin glass. Check that the tank doesn't leak when you buy it from the shop. If you're on a budget, purchase a glass aquarium. You can also look into getting an acrylic tank, which generally comes with a lifetime warranty against leaks from the manufacturer.
Add your layers. The flooring can be done in different layers but it's best to stick with one single layer. You can use gravel or substrate or sand. The finer the flooring materials the better. Make sure that it covers 1/20th of the tank's height.
Add in your decoration pieces. Decorate using your imagination any way you like. Remember that the ornaments should not take up more than 40% of the tank space. Give some shade or hiding place for the fishes to rest when they get fatigued or want shelter.
Slowly add water, being careful not to disturb your setting. Leave about 1/20th space at the top of the tank. Stop pouring water at that level.
Put in your power filter. Turn it on to enable circulation and filtration of water. It is to be turned on the entire day; do not turn it off.
Add a heater and a thermometer. These are a must as temperature control is crucial. For community tanks the average acceptable temperature is 22–27 °C (72–81 °F). Make sure that the temperature is within this range.
Wait for 3 days. Keep the filter turned on for 3 days at least to enable helpful bacteria to develop as these will help keep the tank clean. You may add fish and other aquatic animals after this period.
Introduce your fish slowly. Do not just pour them in; put the plastic bag they came in in the aquarium water for 20 minutes whilst pouring your tank water in to acclimate them to differences in your tanks ph,ammonia,and nitrate levels to the water in their bag.You should do this slowly and carefully so as to not send new pets into shock which most aquatic animals do not recover from. If you're not sure what to get, some options include: Guppies Zebra Danios Neon Tetras are also a good choice for beginners. Zebra Danios and Neon tetras are schooling fish so they will be fun to watch.
Feed your fish 2 times a day. Do it once in the morning and once at night. Avoid overfeeding, as this will make water cloudy and lead to an ammonia spike that could kill your pets. The amount of food you give should be enough that all of it is gone in roughly 1 minute. Make sure you vary your pets diets to make sure they are getting all of their nutritional needs met. Some foods include things like bloodworms, micro worms, dried/frozen brine shrimp and high quality pellets and flakes. Make sure you do research on the diet of the fish or other aquatic animals you want to keep in your community tank to ensure they are getting what they need. Guppies/Zebra/Molly/Platy/Neons; for other fish, follow any species-specific suggestions.
Keep the lights in your tank turned on for 8 hours a day. No light in fish tanks can result in fishes getting de-colorized or worse-blind!
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