What do I REALLY need for starting a fresh water aquarium?

Question

I want to start a fresh water aquarium with tropical fish (no goldfish). I've gone to the pet store, searched on the net, and am basically just overwhelmed with information as of right now.
Aquarium starter kits, heating, lighting, ph levels, air pumps, plants, fake plants, decorations, rocks, etc. WOW!!! HELP ME!
Can someone break it down for me on what I need (just the starting out essentials), what the stuff does, and basically just give me a straight answer for someone new to it all? Thanks very much!!!

Answer 1

You need:

an aquarium- based on how much work you want to put into this, get a tank. A bigger tank will hold more and bigger fish, but is a lot more work. For a starter, I recommend a 10 gallon.

a filter- This just filters the water in the tank. It keeps it clean. This in the tank does not mean you don't have to do a water change. Do a water change whenever the water gets cloudy (read on for more info) My favorite filter is Tetra Whisper Internal Power Filters. You can find them at your local pet store.

A heater- the name explains it all. This is used to keep your tank at a warm temp. Some fish need a warmer tank then others, but you can adjust the heater so it warms up your tank at the desired temp.

Gravel- some people think that gravel is just in the tank for decor, but they are wrong. Gravel also helps keep the tank clean. Fish food and feces will sink to the bottom of the tank and settle inside the gravel. With out the gravel there, the feces and food would just float around the tank. If you are planning on getting big fish, get big gravel. The big fish will try to eat the small gravel.

Food- well, food, is for feeding to the fish. Just buy tropical fish flakes at your pet store.

Decor- this stuff is not needed in a tank, but it makes it very pretty and you WILL need it if you plan to breed fish. Go to your pet store and just pick out some fake plants and maybe a cool rock or two. Real plants are the best thing for your tank, but they are a lot more work, especially when they die.

Hood and lighting- you DO need a hood and a light. Most fish tanks will come with a hood and a light bulb, but keeps the bulb package so you can buy more when they brake. It doesn't really matter what kind of light you have unless you have some sort of amphibian in your tank too.

Cleaning tools- you also will need a gravel vac (this is used when you do water changes). I use Lee's Self-Start Ultra Gravel Vacs. Great product. Also, you will need to get replace filters. If you use Tetra Whisper Internal Power Filters, then you will need to get Tetra Whisper Bio-Bag Disposable Filter Cartridges.

Fish- you need fish. Always get your fish in twos. I recommend you also get a bottom feeder or snails of some kind. It helps keep the tank clean the natural way.

Well, I think that's about it. Good luck!

Answer 2

1. Get a complete Aquarium kit from petsmart or any other petstore (with a heater)
2. Buy gravel and real plants, and a thermometer strip you put on the outside of the glass if it isn't included in your starter kit
3. Aqua Safe, Easy Balance and a Test kit
4. If you are going for like a 20 gallon tank, it costs you about $100 to $150
5. Set your tank up, wash the gravel thourogh, and also the carbon filter for the pump
6. Use fresh water and put Aqua Safe in as directed on the bottle
7. Turn on your pump and your heater and you're all set to go
8. Let the aquarium sit that way for at least 3-5 days before you add any fish, and test the water regularly before you add fish ( your temperature should be about 76-82 for tropical fish)
9. Turn your light on for 12 hours a day and turn it off at night, (a timer is very helpful for that)
10. After you add your fish add "Easy Balance" as directed on the bottle and check your water regularly for amonia
11. Be careful what fish you buy, some of them are aggressive and others are not, not everybody gets along with each other, best is you ask your professional at the petstore

Good luck

Answer 3

Since this is your first aquarium the kit would be an easier way to go rather than selecting everything on your own. You should also check out craiglist.org for good used set ups. Often you can get most everything you need from there cheaply.

What you need:
Tank
Hood (to keep too much water from evaporating
Light- so you can see your fish
heater-makes sure the tank doesn't drop below a set temperature
filter- one of the most important pieces of equiptment, cleans the water mechanically, chemically (if you have carbon), and provides a place for bacteria to grow.

The above should all be included in a kit. The following may or may not be included in a kit:
gravel/sand- not necessary, but looks nice and provides a surface for beneficial bacteria to grow, also a way to keep your plants in place

Decorations-silk plants look nice and provide hiding spots for your fish. get whatever decorations you like, you can decorate with a natural theme or choose some other theme. I'd avoid live plants until you have a bit more experience.

Air Pumps: you only need an air pump if you have an undergravel filter or if you want to run airstones

Test kits: I recommend getting a master test kit if you can afford it. If not, at least get one for ammonia and one for nitrite as you will need to monitor these while the tank is cycling.

Dechlorinator: Personally, I like Prime, but any water conditioner that removes chlorine/chloramine will be fine.

Food: tropical flakes/crisps, etc are fine. Depending on what fish you get you can get treats (for example, bettas and gouramis love blood worms)

Net-a darker colored one is better, makes it easier to catch fish

You need everything I've listed, except possibly the gravel or the air pump/airstone. I don't run airstones on my tanks, but I have powerful filters that oxygenate the tank enough.

Consider fishless cycling, it'll keep your fish healthy: http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.php

Answer 4

Lol... sound like a pain in the A$$ to me



1. get a aquirium ( Walmart Supply a whole starter kit the light, air pumps, lighting....)

2. Let the fish have some senery ( this is where the colorful gravel, fake plants, and the little logs and signs come in) You decorate how you like it is your Fish Tank.. Use your Imagination

3. By some Fish food.. there is Tropical fish food that you can buy at the walmart

4. buy Aqua Safe this makes tap water safe for fish and it also makes your water safe and clear( walmart gots that 2)

5. After setting it all up with the water, and the gravel and stuff and after you put a a couple drops of that Aqua Safe ( Drops per gallon of water; on the back of the bottle) Wait for about a day or 2 before you by the fish to get all the stuff that doesnt need to be in there ... Then go get your fish.. Walmart might have what your looking for 2... lol

Answer 5

You need a tank with a light, filter and lid. You need a sturdy place to put the tank, or a tank stand if it is a large tank. For example, a filled 10 gallon tank will probably weigh almost 100 lbs. You need gravel so that the good bacteria that will grow in the tank have a surface to grow on. You'll need 1 lb of gravel for every gallon of water...so that's 10lbs of gravel for a 10 gallon tank. You need dechlorinator for the water. The filter will come with it's first cartridge. Shake the cartridge over a trash can and then rinse it well to remove any dust.

Put the tank where you want it to go. You can't move it once it's filled (you would have to empty it) so be sure that's where you want it. Put the gravel (rinsed well and not on the side of the kitchen sink with the garbage disposal) in first, then add the water. Put the lid on and plug in the light. Then plug in the filter and pour water into it until it starts. Wait at least 24 hours before adding fish.

Now, for the extras...

Net to catch fish
Vacuum for the gravel (a siphon hose with a tube)
Bucket that is not used for anything but the fish tank-5 gallon is good
Power strip for the plugs
Tank decorations
Tank background (pet store, not walmart, if you want a nice one)
Plants-fake or real, I would recommend fake at first
Air pump, plastic tubing, air stone
Heater


You'll need the net and the vacuum. The decorations are all optional, but a lot of fish are happier (and healthier) if they have hiding places. The background will hide all the cords.

The air pump is probably not necessary as long as you don't overcrowd your tank and as long as your filter puts out enough water that the surface is rippling a little bit.

The heater may not be necessary in the summer, but probably will be in the winter.

When you first get the tank, get only one or two inexpensive fish. Your tank will have to cycle, meaning that it needs to grow the good bacteria that eat fish waste. It may get smelly and cloudy while it cycles, and it's possible that your first couple of fish will die. It's important not to get too many fish at first.

The starter kits at walmart are the cheapest way to go...the ten gallon is $50 for the one with the fluorescent tube light (makes a huge difference in appearance) and heater, and the 29 gallon is about $100. It's actually a very nice size for a tank but you'd definitely have to buy a stand for it. One of my friends got one, and I told her about putting it on a sturdy stand...but she set it up on her desk and the whole thing collapsed.

Fish are a lot of fun. At first they are a lot of work, but once the tank has cycled, it gets a lot easier.

Oh, and never bring home a snail...it only takes one snail to make a thousand more!!!

Answer 6

The bubbles can be 1. A bubble nest from your gouramis 2. I hope you didn't use soap to clean your tank because you probably didn't get it all out... AND YES YOU NEED WATER CONDITIONERS! I hope you put some in be for you let those fish touch that water! And I don't recommend putting a turtle in your tank because they produce lots of waist! And it's not good for your fish..it sounds like your need to do some research! Also I hope you have a heater you have tropical fish! I just know a little more than the basics ask your local pet store

Answer 7

You need the following:
1. tank
2. light
3. filtering system
4. food
5. gravel (to promote microbial growth)
6. decorations--only if you want them
7. hiding places for fish (small terra cotta pots, other rocks, plants, etc.
8. thermometer and heater if you live in a cold area or use air conditioning (temp should stay about 73-78 degrees and not fluctuate too much).

once you get your tank all set up and filled with water, let it filter for a couple of days to get rid of any impurities in the water, and to let a microbial base build up. some bacteria and algae are beneficial and the fish need them. after a couple of days, get fish. go to a pet store and ask them what fish get along well enough to be in the same tank. don't get too many because they like to have room to swim around. don't forget a good quality food.

hope this helps. good luck and enjoy your fish!

Answer 8

The kits are great and a lot cheaper than buy everything separate. As for decor in the tank will depend on the fish you choose

Answer 9

What you really need to know is that you need to be very very comitted to this hobby if you want to grow with it, and waht it to grow around you. Everything else is secondary and you will have loads of very good answers from great guys (& gals).

:-)

Answer 10

gravel,. plants, filter, heater, some streescoat, and you deffinately need some live fish lol!