Beginner’s Guide on How to Set Up an Aquarium in 4 Steps

So, you’ve decided to get an aquarium. First of all, feel free to ask for help in our aquarium forums. Before you jump into it, make sure you are ready to commit your time to taking care of the fish. It’s not as easy as it may seem at first. But if you are ready, it’s quite a rewarding experience. So, let’s begin.

How to Choose a Fish Tank

I recommend getting the largest tank you can afford and have room for. There are several reasons for this. First of all, a large fish tank is more forgiving if you make any mistakes. You can keep a greater variety of fish in it. If you start with a small fish tank pretty soon you will want to upgrade and it’s a big hustle. If you are just starting out it makes sense for you get a complete kit that will include lights, heater, hood, filter, etc. One word of advice I can give you here is don’t get the one with incandescent light bulbs, get the one with either fluorescent lights or LEDs.

Most common tank sizes are 10 gallon, 29 gallon, 40 gallon, 55 gallon, 60 gallon, and 75 gallon. I would not recommend getting anything smaller than a 10-gallon fish tank unless you are planning on keeping a betta fish.

Do not get tempted by the small fish bowls you see in a pet store. They are worthless and it’s cruel to keep fish in a fish bowl even if they survive.

How to Choose Filter, Aquarium Lights, Heater, and Other Accessories

If you don’t buy an aquarium kit, you will need the following:

• Aquarium Water Filter
The type of filter you will need to get may vary depending on the size of the tank you pick. Filters usually have rating on the box, so a 10-gallon filter will say something like use in 10 to 15-gallon fish tanks. I’ve had good experience with Aqueon brand.

• Aquarium Lights
A good rule of thumb is to get lights that can provide 2 watts per gallon for your planted aquarium. So, let’s say you get a 40-gallon fish tank, then your lights have to be 80 watts. As I mentioned before don’t get the incandescent lights, get either fluorescent, which are the most common, or LEDs. LED lights are just taking off in the industry, so they are not freely available yet but you can usually get them as part of the kit or online. Lights will usually come with the hood, just make sure the hood will fit your fish tank. We have a detailed article on how to choose lights for your aquarium.

• Aquarium Heater
If you are getting tropical fish you will need a heater. The submersible ones are the simplest to use. Some fish thrive in different temperatures, so choose a heater with an adjustable thermometer. Usually, each gallon of water should have 3-5 watts of heat. For example, a 55-gallon tank should have a 200 to 250-watt heater.

• Aquarium Substrate
Gravel is probably the most common substrate available and there is nothing wrong with that. I would stay away from sand as it gets compacted and accumulates bad bacteria. If you are planning on having a planted aquarium, get the substrate designated for plants. Gravel will work but not as well as a specially prepared mix for plants. As a general guideline, you’ll need 1 pound of substrate per gallon.

• Other Stuff You’ll Need:

o Thermometer
So you can monitor the temperature of the aquarium. Any will do.

o Water Conditioner
Water Conditioner removes chlorine and chloramines from tap water before you add it to your aquarium. I recommend AquaSafe by TetraAqua. Regardless of the brand, this is a must-have.

o Aquarium Plants
Choose the right plants for your fish tank. They help remove ammonia from water and make your fish tank healthier. Here's an introduction to freshwater aquarium plants.

o Cycle Solution
This will help you cycle your fish tank faster. Nutrafin Cycle is pretty good. You can’t just add fish right after you fill your aquarium with water, you have to first “cycle” it. This will help you to cycle it faster.

o Test Kit
This is optional as most pet stores will test your water for free but it’s a good idea to have one handy. You will need a test for ammonia, nitrites, and PH. It is not as complicated as it sounds. Please read on to find out more.

o Gravel Vac
You can use it not just to vacuum the gravel but also to do water changes. This especially helps if you get a larger aquarium.

How to Choose Fish for Your Aquarium
Let me warn you that you shouldn’t buy your fish at the same time you are getting an aquarium. You will need to wait until the ammonia and nitrite levels drop before you can add your fish.

I would recommend staying away from cold-water fish. The most common coldwater fish is gold fish. They are cheap and look fine but they need quite a bit of room and produce a lot of waste including ammonia. You will need to provide 10 gallons per goldfish. They also have very few tankmates. Stay away from them.

If you are starting out I would get neon tetras, zebra danios, and cory catfish. They are hardy and easy to care for. As far as how many fish you should get, a rule of thumb is you will one gallon of water per inch of a full-grown fish. Don’t forget that if you have a 29 gallon tank, it doesn’t mean you have 29 gallons of water. After you add substrate you will have about 26 or so gallons, possibly less.

Setting Up the Fish Tank
Once you bring your fish tank and accessories home, you can start setting it up. Add your substrate and fill the tank with water. Add water conditioner to remove chlorine and chloramines from it. Check the tank for leaks. Add any plants that you bought and fill the tank with water to an inch from the top. Follow the instructions and add your cycle solution. Set up your heater, thermometer, filter, and lights. Change about 10 to 15% of your water in 3 days. I usually use gravel vac for that. You don’t need to vacuum the gravel at this time. Test your water regularly or take it to the pet store. If you are using a special cycle solution, it might be ok to add fish in as early as two weeks. When you test your water you have to have 0ppm (parts per million) of ammonia and 0ppm of nitrites before you can add your fish. Here's more information on how to test your water. The initial cycle period will vary. The bottom line is that fish produce ammonia and you need bacteria, which can break it down into harmless nitrates, otherwise it will hurt your fish. The preferred PH level for tropical fish such as neon tetras is 7.0. You can take that measurement with a test kit or have your water tested at a pet store.

After you have checked that the tank temperature and the chemical levels are fine, you can add the fish.

That’s it, you should be all set!