starting a new aquarium is a lot of work, i have found that this site has been so helpful for me. One of the main things i learned is to SLOWLY add new fish.. one or two per week. My mother-in-law started hers and after he cycle threw about 10 fish in at once... needeless to say she started a whole new cycle and her aquarium is still having problems, but of course she won't let me help her (she doesn't even think she needs to do partial water changes, i have told her, but she won't do it, she also won't test her water parameters, and has an awful UG filter that she never vacuumes)
Anyway, i don't like the UG filters, a nice power filter is my favorate. As long as you add dechlorinator to your water you can add a couple of hardy fish... i used Zebra Danios for mine and then gave them away once my tank was cycled.. i still have one though. I hear mollies and plaites are really hardy as well. My two corey cats i had from the beginning and they are still doing really good.
One more thing i would suggest, that i didn't do, would be to read up on the fishless cycling, if i would've known about it, that is definetly what i would've done, i have heard people get wonderful results and you can add more fish at once when the cycle is done.
I am a beginner as well, but ive had a small 5 gallon aquarium for about 10 years (actually just got it back for
QT tank), but i wish you luck...and i hope this helps.