Adding an aquarium to your home is fairly simple and easy to maintain. As someone who has had a wide variety of fish throughout my life, here is everything you need to start your first aquarium.
Fish Tank Equipment You’ll Need
Setting up a fish tank requires you to invest in some basic equipment. Without it, your fish will not have the quality of life they deserve. With the right equipment, you can ensure an aquarium that will bring you and your family enjoyment for years.
● ⬥ Tank Stand
● ⬥ Aquarium and Hood
● ⬥ Primary Aquarium Filter
● ⬥ Airstones or Air Curtain
● ⬥ Power Supply Strip
● ⬥ Battery Power Backup
● ⬥ Substrate
● ⬥ Fish
● ⬥ Plants
● ⬥ Fish Accessories
Aquarium, Stand, and Hood
To start, you will need to invest in a tank stand, an aquarium, and a hood.
Choosing the right aquarium size for your fish can be difficult – you’ll need to pick something that fits your house, fits your skills, and fits the fish you want to keep.
The larger your fish, typically the more room they will need (though some small fish need lots of room!), so keep this in mind when choosing the right tank for you.
A good size for a starter tank is about 20 gallons, although you can be more ambitious. Much smaller than that and keeping the water chemistry right gets tricky. Bigger tanks are actually easier to keep and clean!
You also have to consider whether you want a glass tank or an acrylic tank. Glass tanks are cheaper and more resistant to scratches, but acrylic tanks are more expensive and come in more shapes.
Once you have your tank, it is important to also get a sturdy tank stand so you can display it properly.
The aquarium hood keeps your fish in the tank, keeps foreign objects out (looking at you, cats) and prevents evaporation.
Filter
You will also need a reliable filter for your aquarium.
Since your aquarium is a closed environment, it gets polluted much faster. For this reason, you need an aquarium filter to maintain the cleanliness and safety of the water in your tank.
Fish naturally excrete ammonia, which gets turned into nitrite. This can be very toxic for your fish and other inhabitants of your tank, so it is important that it is filtered out.
You can choose options like mechanical filtration, in which a filter catches all the refuse in the tank, or bacterial filtration, where a bio-sponge or other cartridge absorbs toxins from the water.
Airstone
Another beneficial item to have in your aquarium is an airstone (or air curtain for larger aquariums).
Traditionally, pieces of limewood or other porous stones are used, as they help eliminate the noise and bubbles of your filtration system. Airstones are sold in many different sizes, shapes, styles, and coarseness levels. Airstones and air curtains help increase the water circulation in your tank, as well as the oxygen levels.
Power Strip and Battery Backup
Because your aquarium will require a large amount of products which run on electricity, a power strip and a battery powered backup are necessary.
You will most likely have more plugs for your aquarium than outlets, so an aquarium safe power strip is essential. Make sure it has a surge protector, a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), and is easily mountable.
You also want to make sure it’s suitable for aquarium use, as water and electricity do not like to tango.
Should your power fail, a battery powered backup will keep your aquarium running. If you do not have one of these, the lives of your fish could be jeopardized. This is super important and not something first time fish owners always think about!
Substrate
Once you have all of these basics, you can get into the fun stuff!
Personalizing your tank is truly one of the biggest appeals of having an aquarium in your home, and can be used to express your personality.
First, you need to look into some substrate. Not only do they provide color and enhance your aquarium’s theme, but they are the key to a healthy habitat.
Substrate acts as a site for beneficial bacteria to grow, which helps break down waste products produced by your fish.
Some popular substrates include gravel, sand, and crushed coral. All of these have their own benefits, and you should choose what fits your fish and habitat the best.
Gravel is by far the most popular choice, as it comes in a variety of sizes, colors, and even shapes. To find out how much gravel you should put in your tank, take a look at this fish tank calculator.
Adding Fish
Now, you can finally choose what fish to put in your aquarium! I would recommend starting with freshwater fish, as they are easier to care for and much less care intensive than saltwater fish.
They are also more forgiving to mistakes made by new fish owners.
Some popular choices include:
● ⬥ Neon Tetras
● ⬥ Guppies
● ⬥ Mollies
● ⬥ Angelfish
● ⬥ Golden Dwarf Barbs
● ⬥ Rainbowfish
Before adding any fish, make sure you consult with a professional about what fish can peacefully coexist with each other. Some fish can become territorial, which can turn your aquarium into a bloodbath if not designed correctly.
Live Plants
For increased oxygen production, you also want to invest in some live plants for your tank. Each plant has their own unique care requirements, but they are vital for a healthy and balanced tank.
I have tried using plastic plants and I very strongly do NOT recommend them. Plastic plants have microscopic jagged edges from the way they’re produced in molds, and these edges can damage fish fins, scales, and tails.
Some good starter plants for freshwater tanks include:
● Java Moss
● Amazon Swords
● Java Ferns
● Anubias
● Pygmy Chain Swords
● Water Wisteria
Accessories
Finally, it is time to choose your accessories and decorations.
It is important to make sure you provide decorations for your fish to hide in and explore, as they best mimic a natural environment. You can enhance your aquarium’s theme using rocks, driftwood, aquarium trees, or other novelty items such as underwater castles.
Just make sure your accessories do not affect your water chemistry and suit the fish in your tank. It is best to consult a professional regarding the best accessories to choose for your tank.
Other things to consider are a gravel vacuum for cleaning, water conditioner, and of course, food to feed your new fish.
Aquarium Setup FAQs:
Q – Will fish only grow relative to tank size?
A – This is one of the biggest misconceptions about aquariums. Larger fish need a larger environment, so restricting them to a smaller tank may stunt their growth. This could lead to physical deformities and unhealthy fish, so be sure to provide the right sized environment for all of the fish in your tank.
Q – How many fish can I keep in my tank?
A – A good rule of thumb is “1 inch of fish per one gallon of water.” Larger fish strain the tank’s environment more, so in that case, use “1 inch of fish for every 3 gallons of water.”
Q – How long should I leave my lights on?
A – For tanks with live plants in them, 8 to 10 hours a day of light should be more than enough. Just make sure not to leave them on all day, as the fish and plants in your aquarium need to rest. Also, make sure to keep your tank out of direct sunlight to mitigate algae growth.
About Author: Matt Leighton has been keeping fish for as long as he can remember, starting with his parents’ multiple tanks. His goal is to help fishkeepers give their fish as healthy and natural of a life as possible by sharing expert tips and guides on his blog, VIVOFISH.
