Fish Tank Supplies Checklist: Everything a New Aquarium Needs
What a new freshwater aquarium needs before fish: tank, lid, filter, heater, light, conditioner, test kit, substrate and food, with sizes from vets and makers.
Part I5 chapters
Tanks and setups
The first-tank checklist, tank sizes from 5 to 75 gallons, betta and goldfish setups, and substrate and decor.
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This part of the handbook starts where every aquarium does: with the tank. The setup checklist lists everything a new tank needs, in the order you set it up. Then choose a size in fish tank sizes compared, which gives Aqueon’s dimensions and filled weights from 5.5 to 75 gallons, since a 55 gallon tank weighs 625 pounds full and needs a proper stand.
The fish decide the rest. A betta lives alone in 5 gallons or more with a heater and a gentle filter, as the betta setup chapter explains from University of Illinois and RSPCA guidance. Goldfish need far more water, a strong filter and usually no heater; the goldfish chapter shows why bowls fall short. Finally, substrate and decor covers gravel, sand, aqua soil, driftwood and rock, including how some of them change your water’s pH.
Aquarium kits from 5 to 40 gallons
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Tanks and setups
Aquarium Substrate and Decor: Gravel, Sand, Aqua Soil, Driftwood
Aquarium substrates compared: gravel, sand and aqua soils, how driftwood and limestone change pH, rinsing and safe decor, and silk vs plastic plants for bettas.
Betta Fish Tank Setup: Tank Size, Heater, Filter and Decor
How to set up a betta tank: 5 gallons or more, a heater for 76 to 81°F, a gentle filter, a lid and soft decor, from University of Illinois vets and the RSPCA.
Fish Tank Sizes Compared: 5, 10, 20, 29, 40, 55 and 75 Gallons
Standard aquarium sizes side by side: dimensions, empty and filled weights from Aqueon, what each size suits per vets, and the stand and stocking caveats.
Goldfish Tank Setup: Why Bowls Fall Short and What to Buy Instead
Goldfish need a filtered tank of 20 to 29 gallons or more, not a bowl. Tank size, filters, temperature and whether a heater is needed, from vets and the RSPCA.
Other parts: Filtration and water, Heat and light, Fish food.
Frequently asked questions
What size tank should I start with?
VCA suggests 10 or 20 gallons for most beginners. A single betta can live in 5 gallons or more, per University of Illinois vets, while goldfish need 20 to 29 gallons, per an NC State fish vet.
Can I set up the tank and add fish the same day?
No. VCA says a new tank must cycle for 4 to 6 weeks before fish are added, so the bacteria that break down waste can grow.
Sources
- Pet Fish: Setting Up an AquariumVCA Animal Hospitals
- Bettas Need More Than BowlsUniversity of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
- Your First Fish: Happy, Healthy Goldfish Require Diligent CareVetstreet
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