Put the aquarium on a good even surface a few inches or feet from the ground. Fill it, and add some vinegar as a disinfectant. Let it sit for a day or so, check for leaks, then clean the glass using a nylon mesh pad like they use for dish washing. Make sure the pad is new, because you should avoid soap or chemical residues. You can also use a single edge razor blade to clean the tuff stuff. Since the aquarium is above ground level, you can start a syphon to remove the water. After that, rinse everything, fill the tank back up with just water, and let it sit for another day. Make sure the stand is evenly supported and that it evenly supports the aquarium (no rocking). Uneven pressure on the tank can cause stress cracks in the glass.
When you get the tank on the stand, you can add the substrate, filter, plants, light, etc. Cycling will go faster if you add a cup or two of gravel from an established aquarium. As for fish, make sure they are compatible. Single species tanks can provide ideal conditions for the selected species. Adding too many different species makes it impossible to provide ideal conditions. When selecting fish, consider their adult size and behaviors.
Sorry if that sounds like too much advice.
