My best advice is to stop researching for a bit, it sounds like you’ve done enough. Just let your PH stabilize through proper and regular maintenance, and start enjoying this hobby. Everything doesn’t have to be by the book. I break the so called rules all the time. The only rules that are absolute IMO are having a cycled tank with zero ammonia or nitrites, keep nitrates down, preferably under 20ppm and try to limit temperature fluctuations. Get quality fish from a trusted source and QT new fish if you can. I don’t always QT, if I get fish from someone new or an untrusted source I will, but I rarely buy from anyone I don’t have experience with or trust. Just have fun with this and enjoy your fish, otherwise, what’s the point?So in short I basically got, I don't want to say swindled but, talked into spending more money than I needed to. I didn't open anything yet so I might be able to return it but, I'm still just so downtrodden...
I'm trying so hard to do everything by the books, to the letter, and that's leading me to trying to follow advice from 50 different sources all telling me completely different opinions about the right or wrong way to do everything. It's so overwhelming, so frustrating, I just feel lost...