New Fish Tank Checklist

Thinking about adding a new fish tank to your home or business? Make sure you have everything you need before you get started. Print this list and bring it with you to the store to make sure you don’t forget anything.

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED: What kind of tank do you want? How big of a tank can you comfortably fit? What kind of fish do you want to have? How many fish of that type can your newly described tank hold? Sorry, but the 1″ of fish per gallon rule does NOT work. Research your species and understand what environment works best for them BEFORE you buy ANYTHING!

Check List for New Fish Tank

• _____ Fish tank of _______ gallons
• _____ Table that can hold ______ gallons fish tank (1 gallon of water = 3.78 kg or 8.34 lbs)
• _____ Lid for tank with light
• _____ Filter capable of volume 1.5x ______ gallons (canister or hang-on)
• _____ If tank is >30 gallons, consider adding aerator or powerhead to improve water flow
• ______ Substrate (gravel, rocks, sand, etc.)
• ______ Gravel vacuum
• ______ Decor items (must be FISH SAFE) – for bettas, stick with items that will not snag fins
• ______ Live plants, if you like. Read this guide before you start with live plants. We do NOT recommend them for beginners.
• ______ Dechlorinator to treat tap water for chlorine AND chloramine
• ______ Bucket that can hold at least ~40% of your total water volume (or multiple buckets if necessary)
• ______ Scrub brush for decor
• ______ Algae scraper for acrylic or glass tank (they are DIFFERENT)
• ______ Heater – if your fish need it; did you do your research? Hint: goldfish do NOT, bettas absolutely DO
• ______ Thermometer – to make sure your heater is working properly
• ______ Water quality test kit – this is NOT optional
• ______ Fish food (enough for 6 months), you may want to try a variety to start to see what they like
• ______ Fish, obviously

Notice that we did NOT have bacterial starter, water conditioner other than dechlorinator or additional filter media. YOU DO NOT NEED IT!

Taking the leap into saltwater? Then you need to read our 10 Questions to Ask Yourself BEFORE Getting a Saltwater Tank.

Once you have everything you need, check out our setup demo. And once it’s time to clean, make sure you have our handy How To Clean a Fish Tank and check list ready!