I sokong you 100% on that. If we follow the guidelines in the initial set-ups, near 0% of getting it wrong the first time. The problem starts when you take shortcuts or skimp on equipment or have little patience.

The equipment is dead simple and according to your budget:
1. Tank - the BIGGER the tank the easier to maintain the water parameters.
2. Filteration system: Hang-on-back - nano tanks to 10 litre tanks. External canisters - medium to large tanks (above 10 litres). Sump tanks are an optional alternative.
3. Lights - no point using those 6500K lights, they'll just make your tanks a b**** to clean when your plants 'melt'.
4. Substrate - make sure you calculate your tank size before making purchase. Otherwise its so many trips back to the LFS only to find the ran out of stock of THAT particular type of soil. Unless you damn terror, then go ahead and use your gardening soil.
5. Flora (the PLANTS): Google and read up on parameters on specific plants. If you can find this thread, I'm sure you know how to google. Rule of thumb to NOT have ALGAE bloom in the beginning is to get a plant like Cabomba - which you can either plant or let it float, to soak up all the extra nutrients unused by the plants of your choice.
6. Fauna (the fish/snails/shrimps/etc): Again Google and read!! There are thousands of articles on these things you'll get an info overload. An example of a very common question is: What fish can I put in my planted tank? The answer is: Look at Nature (river got fish, right? lake got fish, right? aisey, longkang also got fish, right?) laaaaa!!!

Important thing about this hobby is you get to learn interesting stuff about nature and our ecological environment which they don't teach you in school; through peer knowledge sharing and by reading what's available on the Internet laaaa!

Oh ya! Nearly forgot: Make sure you don't mess up the house, if not your mother/minister of home affairs gonna slaughter you!