So you’re ready to take the plunge into fish keeping, eh? When you first start, there is a LOT to take in and it can seem really complicated. Fear not, I will do what I can to answer all of your questions. I will try to be as thorough as possible without making 
it overly complicated. The good news is; if it’s too much, you can always come back and read this again!
What you’ll need to know:
- The Set Up
- The Cycling Process
- Choosing Your Fish
- Diet *NEW*
- Cleaning your tank-Coming soon!
The Set Up
Here are the basic essentials you will need in order to start your tank:
- Aquarium
- Filter
- Heater
- Thermometer
- Lighting
- Dechlorinator
- Test Strips/Test Kit
- Substrate
- Decorations
- Net
- Cleaning Equipment
Aquarium
You will either have the choice to base your fish options around the size of the tank you have decided on, or you will have to choose your tank size around the fish you plan to keep. It is your choice to make; but if you aren’t limited on reasonable tank size, I would highly recommend doing a bit of research on your fish choices before investing in tank size. Keep in mind that tanks usually come in two different style, breeding and show. Show tanks tend to be taller and more square, while breeding tanks tend to be longer and rectangular. Therefore, a 40 gallon tall would not be able to fit as many bottom/mid dwelling fish as a 40 gallon long.
Filter
There are many different options with filtration and each has their pros and cons. I will discuss the different types of filtration at a different time, but for right now I will discuss which options make the most sense for beginners. The two types of filters that would be best for a beginner would be the power filter and the canister filter. I’ve used many different types of filtration and while I’m partial to the canister filter over the power filter; a power filter is a perfect choice for a tank anything under 40 gallons. When starting your first mid-sized tank, you may find that the power filter is the easier option.
Heater
While they may not be necessary when keeping cold water fish, a heater can be helpful in keeping your water stable and avoid dipping too cold. I recommend getting a heater that is the next size up from what you require as long as it still fits. For example; if you have a 30gallon aquarium getting a heater that heats up to 40 or 50 gallons at least. The more powerful your heater is, the less time it will take to heat up your water; therefore not turning on so often, which saves you money in the long run. I personally like Eheim. They are good quality and tend to last better than most. They can be re-calibrated to give you a more accurate temperature. They also have a sensor that will turn off the heater if it is out of water which could potentially break it. They have shatter-proof glass, and most importantly they have a 3 year warranty.
Thermometer
I like and use the liquid filled thermometer over the digital or sticker, because I feel like they get the most reliable read. They are typically the most inexpensive and many come with a green zone that shows the ideal temperature for most fish.
Lighting
Lighting choices will depend whether or not you decide to go with live plants, and what type of live plant. While LED may be more expensive initially, they end up costing much less in electricity bills, they last longer, and many LED lights can offer enough power to support plant life and coral. I will discuss lighting options in detail at another time.
Dechlorinator
A must have if you decide to use tap water. Dechlorinators remove and detoxify chemicals and metals that are hazardous to fish. I personally like “Prime” and “Ultimate” as both products also detoxifies ammonia and nitrates/nitrites. Prime is one of the more popular choices of dechlorinators with fish keepers and is safe enough if you accidentally overdose.
Test Kit/Test Strips
If your LFS does water testings, having a test kit/strip isn’t absolutely necessary; but it is highly recommended in order to closely monitor your water chemistry. You will have the option of either strips you can dip into your water or a kit that has test tubes, both are very useful. The kit will have the most accurate read, but can be tedious to use on a regular basis. The strips are easier, less likely for human error, and are useful for a quick reading to make sure everything looks good. However, strips are much less accurate and will give you a “ball park” answer. I like having both so I can use the strips anytime, and if something looks off, I can pull out the kit for a more in depth look. I recommend starting off with the kit since it’s more important to know your water parameters in a new tank vs. an already established tank. The kit will last a very long time as well.
Substrate
Choosing a substrate will also depend on whether or not you want plants and also which type of fish you want. Gravel tends to be easier 
maintenance as it’s easier to clean, but many types of fish such as eels, cory cats, geo cichlids, and other bottom dwelling fish do not do well on gravel and require a smaller grain substrate. Color of substrate is a personal choice; but black, white, and natural colors tend to bring out the best color. Black tends to darken a fish a fish’s colors, while white tends to lighten them; both can create a striking contrast in your fish. Natural, tan, substrate seems to be the best of both worlds and is also a great option as black and white tend to show poop more. Make sure you rinse any substrate really well to reduce the amount of cloudiness to your water.
Decorations
Much of this is a personal preference, but even decorations have their purpose. Many fish appreciate somewhere they can hide or feel they have cover. Whether you use plants, rocks, wood, or whatever; it’s important to make your fish feel secure. By making your fish feel secure, they tend to show themselves more; this is especially helpful with shy fish. You may think by having less hiding spots you will be able to see some of your more elusive fish, but in reality this will make them want to hide more and can be very stressful. I have found that by adding duckweed or water lettuce at the surface, some of the more shy fish feel comfortable about coming to the front of the tank. The same concept can be used with a floating piece of driftwood or plant.
Decorations are also useful for aggression. By creatively placing your decorations, you can create territories and break a fish’s line of sight. By having enough territories for fish to stake out, you can reduce the amount of aggression. By breaking a fish’s line of sight they are less likely to see other contenders and feel the need pick a fight. It also can create obstacles that can slow down and break up chase. This is why it’s important to make sure when choosing your decor that you “baby proof” it as best as you can to avoid sharp edges and injuring fish.
Some decorations are a necessity when keeping certain fish as well. Driftwood, for example, is a must when keeping pleco as it aids in proper digestion.
Make sure to rinse your decorations really well to reduce the amount of cloudiness to your water. Driftwood also releases tannins into your water giving it a tea-like tint. To minimize the amount of coloring, it’s recommended that you allow the driftwood to soak for a week and/or boil it until the water isn’t so brown. Remember to allow the driftwood to cool down for at least a few hours before adding it to a tank with fish. Keep in mind that driftwood will continue to release tannins close to a year, though much more subtly over time. Tannins are not harmful to your fish (in fact in some cases desirable,) and can be resolved by simply doing a water change to reduce the tint.
Net
A net is a must when keeping fish in case you ever need to catch your fish. They are also useful when adding new fish into a tank. When adding new fish, you can use the net by putting the net over a bowl or bucket (to catch the water from the bag,) and slowly pour the bag into the net and catching the fish. This is a wise choice to make so you don’t pour any of the bag water into your tank. You never know what could be present in the previous water, if any buffers or medications were present, etc. It’s better to stay on the side of caution.
I recommend having different size nets as they each have their pros and cons. Large nets tend to make it easier to catch even small fish, but can be slow and hard to get into smaller spaces. Smaller nets are faster, easier to get into small spaces, but require more accuracy and speed. I also recommend always having at least 2 nets as this will save you some sanity when catching fish.
Cleaning Equipment
With fish keeping comes fish cleaning. You’ll find you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle by getting the right stuff the first time. Things like a water python and glass magnet are things that will make your life easier, but are more of a luxury. Here are a few helpful tools that are a great start;
- Gravel vacuum
This is a must when doing water changes. A gravel vacuum will aid in properly cleaning up waste in your water and substrate.
- Sponge cleaner
There are choices for both glass and acrylic, and there is also one that has a handle as well. Aids in scrubbing glass and large decorations
- Toothbrush
Yes you read that right, my secret weapon is a toothbrush! The toothbrush is very helpful in getting corners and hard to reach places your sponge would otherwise struggle with, and sometimes the toothbrush will scrape off difficult algae your sponge could not.
- Buckets
Buckets are useful to have when taking a fish out momentarily, they’re great for draining water, putting water back in, mixing solutions, and cleaning your equipment. The uses of a few good buckets are endless.
- White Vinegar
You won’t be using white vinegar IN the actual tank, but you can use it to clean things safely. Vinegar can help disinfect nets, buckets, and decorations; as well as help remove hard water stains off used tanks, cleaning your aquarium lids, and can be used instead of windex if you choose. Make sure that whatever you plan to put back into the tank is thoroughly rinsed with clean tap water if you have used vinegar.
- Bleach
I recommend bleach with caution. It can be very useful in sterilizing things, especially when buying used equipment. Can safely be used with non-porous items and is especially good for stubborn algae. Use no more than 10% bleach with plain water, DO NOT MIX ANYTHING WITH BLEACH. Typically 15 minutes is plenty of time. With stubborn algae such as black algae, I will soak in bleach until the algae has turned completely white.
There are a few different methods in making things safe to put back into the aquarium after bleaching. My personal choice is dumping out the bleached water and having the items soak in hot, heavily (like Seachem Prime) dechlorinated water for an additional hour, though preferably overnight (does not need to be as heavily dechlorinated this way.) After soaking in dechlorinated water, it is safe to scrub off stubborn algae which should come off quite easily now.
- Hydrogen Peroxide
I use hydrogen peroxide when dipping my live plants. It’s not as ideal as bleach or some of the other options, but Tis the best choice in my opinion for newbies trying to be conscientious of contamination, but are afraid to mess with stronger chemicals that could be catastrophic if used improperly. Hydrogen peroxide is also relatively safe as it just increases oxygen in the tank if a little gets into the water making it a little more forgiving product.
Your Guide To Everything Animal 
May 27, 2014 at 2:16 pm
Very nicely done! Very helpful info. Thanks Lauren Deadly!
July 18, 2014 at 8:34 pm
Have to add Lauren very informative you are also so talented re. The website!
August 4, 2014 at 8:52 am
Thanks was very helpful in learning about conditioning the water for a tank.