The Must-have Aquarium Supplies for Beginners

The pandemic made the distance from people to people. Some people might start the hobby of keeping fish. But for those who just started the hobby, what are the must-have aquarium supplies? Today we are going to discuss this topic for both saltwater aquarium supplies and freshwater aquarium supplies from aquarium shop online.

Supplies Checklist

• aquarium
• hood/lid
• stand
• light
• filtration system
• heater
• substrate
• fishnet
• water conditioner
• test kit:(ammonia, nitrite, PH)
• siphon (gravel vacuum)
• algae scrubber
• water bucket
• decorations/plants

Aquarium:

First, you are going to need to give your fish a home. You could start by buying an aquarium that comes with a lid, and sometimes the lid will also include the default lighting (that’s what we call a fish tank hood).

This hygger 3 in 1 fish tank also comes with a hood, water pump, thermometer, and biofiltration.

If your first fish tank is small, you could put it on the desktop directly. If you have a larger fish tank, you will have to use a stand or sump tank.

Light:

The lighting is crucial to the aquarium like lighting is to us human beings. The lighting can bring the best color out of your fish and your plants and with the right lighting, it can help the growth of the plants.

Filtration:

I believe filtration is the most important supply of all. Without the right filtration, fish will die over their poop and the fish tank will not look as appealing as it is supposed to be. Filtration consists of mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration. As many, experienced fish keepers would recommend, a sponge filter could be the best choice in terms of filtration. It could be used as both mechanical filtration and chemical filtration. Chemical filtration is the least important of all. The most common chemical filtration media is active carbon which could be used to get rid of discoloration, odor, and impurity.

Heater:

One of the most common questions being asked is, “Does my aquarium need a heater?” Well, most fish are cold-blooded animals that rely on the surrounding waters to regulate their body temperature, and most freshwater pet fish are tropical species that enjoy balmy temperatures around 78-80°F. So, if you usually keep your home cooler than that, then the answer is yes.

If the water temperature is stable, then your fish is less stressed and will not get ill easily. Sometimes, the reason why we do not suggest changing too much water at one time is to prevent the temperature from being dropped too sharply.

Substrate:

This is the material that lines the bottom of the aquarium. Generally, a small, smooth, dark-colored gravel is preferable. Get one pound of gravel for each gallon of water. Rinse the gravel before placing it into the aquarium.

Fishnet:

Get two fishnets for those sneaky ones

Water Conditioners:

Choose a safe water conditioner that will take care of chlorine, ammonia, and heavy metals. It should be used in the tap water when filling the tank and when doing your regular monthly water changes.

Test Kits:

Water testing is important as ammonia, nitrite, and excess nitrate will kill your fish. You should test your newly set-up aquarium before you put in any fish. There are also kits for pH, hardness, alkalinity, and chlorine.

Siphon:

Siphon or vacuum cleaning is very important to keep a fish tank healthy and clean. The manual siphon is slower than that of the electric vacuum cleaner. The siphon can help a fish keeper remove the gross debris that hides in the gravel, and can also partially change the water. You are going to need to vacuum-clean your fish tank sooner or later, why not now?

Algae Scrubber:

The fish keepers will fight with algae the entire time while he or she is keeping. So an algae pad is a must, or you could choose a magnetic cleaner that will stand on the aquarium walls and will not fall easily into the water. The way to use magnetic cleaner is easy, just to place it on both sides of the fish tank, and move the one on the outside to get rid of algae. You don’t need to get your hands wet cleaning your fish tank’s wall that is full of algae with an algae cleaner.

Water Bucket:

Who doesn’t have a water bucket? But do remember the water bucket that you have shall be used for the aquarium only. Even the smallest amount of residue of chemicals can result in the death of your fish.

Decorations:

Fish keepers can show their taste via decoration, too. As a beginner, fish keepers could choose decors that are made from plastic. With more experience gained in your aquarium, fish keepers could keep live plants as decoration in other fish tanks. Live plants look more natural and help you get rid of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate that is lethal to your fish.