People new to the fish keeping hobby are often not fully informed about what equipment they will need. Unfortunately, that often leads to being turned off to the hobby, as it can be considerably more expensive than than originally planned.
In this post, I’ll describe the most commonly required equipment and supplies for a standard freshwater aquarium. This is a good list for keeping the most common types of community freshwater fish. If you are keeping some species of fish, such as African cichlids, or you have extreme water conditions, such as very hard well water, you may require some additional equipment.
Basic Equipment Required for Starting an Aquarium
- Tank and stand
- Python no-spill for water changes
- Master test kit
- Clear ammonia for initial cycling of the aquarium
- Heater – not glass
- Thermometer
- Filter – canister filter, sponge filter or a “hang on the back” (HOB) kind
- Dechlorinator
- Fish net
Recommended Equipment for Starting an Aquarium
- Canister filter
- UV filter
- Master test kit
- Light
Optional Equipment for Starting an Aquarium
- Hood (may come with light, or may just be a flat piece of glass
- Algae brush
- Gravel
- Decorations
- Air pump/airstone (required if using a sponge filter)
Fish Medication
I don’t recommend beginners purchase any medications or salt. Nearly all problems with fish fall into one of three categories:
- Illness caused by poor water conditions
- Illnesses that are extremely difficult to treat
- Ich/Ick
Medication is not the best way to address any of these situations, and may well make the problem worse.
Salt
Too many people look for advice on how much salt to put in their freshwater tank. Some specific fish, such as mollies, may benefit from salt, but in general salt is only needed for brackish or salt water fish. The exception to this is in the treatment of ich/ick where aquarium salt is helpful during the treatment. The proper salt is “Aquarium Salt” sold by pet stores.
Do not use:
- Epsom salt
- Marine salt (this is for salt water tanks)
- Table salt
