Aquarium List

Here is a basic list of all you need to start an aquarium.

What size aquarium do you want?  The bigger the aquarium, the more fish , and the bigger the fish you can have. But it is A LOT more work.

Before you decide on what tank size to buy, figure out if you want a saltwater aquarium or a freshwater aquarium. Freshwater aquariums are cheaper and easier.

Here are some basic sizes.

• Smaller than 1 gallon (only for Betta)
• 2.5 gallons (only for betta)
• 5 gallon (betta and breeding fish)
• 10 gallon (most fish,but not big or many fish)
• 20 gallon (good starter tank, can have most small fish)
• 30 gallon (good starter tank, can have most small-medium fish.)
• 40 gallon (a great tank for people who know that they love aquariums, and it can handle more and larger fish.)
• 50-60 gallon (expert only, large fish  lots of fish)
• 70-100+ gallon (EXPERT ONLY, BIG fish, lots of fish, expensive, lots of work.)

That gave you a look at the size of some tanks. I recommend 20-30 gallons for the beginner because they are large enough to have cool fish, and small enough to be easy to care for.

There are lots of bottles that you pour into your tank

There are many things you can add to your tank.  There’s water conditioner, plant food, water purifier, bacteria supplement, medicine, ick be gone...the list is long! But what you need to know today is about water conditioner.  Tap water will kill your fish because it has chlorine and a lot of minerals that are good for us but bad for fish. Water conditioner purifies tap water so that it’s safe for fish. Just follow the directions on the bottle exactly and your fish will be fine. I will cover other bottles in future articles.

Here is what you will need….

You need a lot of stuff to run a successful aquarium.

Here is a list of every thing you will need, and its price. (Remember, the bigger the tank, the more expensive the setup will be.)

What you will need for any Freshwater Aquarium

Here is the price for a 20-30 gallon Aquarium

• Water filter (two are good, but not absolutely necessary) $20-$30
• Water filter cartridges $10
• Air pump $15
• Air pump tubing $2
• Air pump diffusing stone $ 2-$10
• Heater $20-$30
• 20-30 gallon tank $30-$50
• Tank cover $40
• Tank light $50
• Gravel or sand $20-50
• Real or fake plants (Real plants need a special light, things you put in the water, and special soil.) $ Depends on how much you buy
• Decor $ Depends on how much you buy
• Tank stand $Free-$200
• Fish $ Depends on how much you buy
• Thermometer $3-$10

After you have done your homework, it is time to choose your fish.

Here is some stuff you need to know.

After you set up your tank, you need to let it cycle. This means that you need to turn the heater, filter, air pump on for at least two weeks before you purchase your first fish.

When you cycle your tank, you are setting up a complete system of bacteria. That is a whole other topic. The bacteria are crucial to the survival of your tank. You can by stuff that you pour into your tank that speeds the cycle up. I would do that. Once your tank has cycled for two weeks, you can take a sample of your water into your local pet store and have them test it. Most pet stores do that for free. If they don't, you can buy a test kit and test the water yourself. The kit is only about $30.

Your first fish will most likely be the fish you really want. Your first fish need to be hardy, “starter” fish. This means they are tough and the imbalance of chemicals in your tank will not kill them. These fish will help even everything out in your tank. Every 1-2 weeks take a water sample into your pet store and see where your chemical balances are.

After your water has been cleared, YOU CAN BUY SOME MORE FISH!!!!!

Here are some Great Fish    

*= one of my fish **= one of my starter fish

*Mollys **

Sailfin Molly**

*American Koi

*Knifefish

*Gourami**

Swordtail**

*Placosimis (Some can grow HUGE)

*Cory catfish**

*Most small species of catfish

Discus (They are beautiful, but expensive and not the easiest.)

Most Tetra

Cichlids (Aggresive, needs to be in an aggressive tank with other cichlids)

*Loches

All Guppies

Goldfish (Non-fancy, fancy take care)

Oscar (Need to be alone, will eat all other fish)

---

Possible future topics

The science of the tank

Salt v. Fresh

Types of fish

The science of the fish

All the aquarium chemicals

The basics