Dude,
2 things for u to ponder over:
1) unfortunately, this hobby requires a fair bit (no u dun have to be madly rich) of investment especially during the initial stage. Maintenance is much more manageable. All these money u are spending on livestocks you should really just keep them for ur setup fund until u have your basic equipments in place. This not only gives your pets a better survivability rate, it also give you more time to slowly cycle and correct ur tank. If budget is really a concern here, like it or not, i would suggest a different hobby for the time being
2) i am no expert, guru or saint and in fact had quite a few set backs when i first started (and i still do! But thats whats enjoyable about this hobby! Theres so much to learn)... One thing i learn (in fact some other bros also mentioned) is that u shouldn't solely depend on hearsay or lfs to tell u what to do... Whatever u hear/read, cross reference with others, check the different forums, google and read up on the subject. Until most ppl say its correct or most ideal then u do... its the most logical way...
So many bros here are pointing u to a single direction, but u choose to heed the advice of one opinion which clearly points you differently, thats what frustrates ppl...
This is a fun hobby so just enjoy urself k!