The Basics

[DavesGirl]

There are some basics, everybody should know.  Things you will need or should at least consider in starting up a new tank!

1) Tank/hood/light (the larger you can start with the better!)
2) Filter (adequately or oversized for the tank you choose) - the best kinds will have three-part filtration: Mechanical (for catching floating stuff and sucking of foods/wastes), Chemical (carbon for removal of odors and organic compounds) and Biological (biofiltration should be seperate from mechanical - meaning there should be a filter pad and an additional sponge or biowheel for the biobugs)
3) Heater (for tropical tanks)
4) Substrates - there are lots of choices here, lighter colors tend wash out the fish's colors, but can still be very pretty.  Choose substrates that are inert - meaning they won't alter water chemistry.  Stay away from coral gravels, dolomite gravels, aragonite, and live sands and seashells.  These are best suited to specific setup ups, like brackish, marine or african cichlids.  The thickness of an unplanted tank, should be 1" or less, for plants 2-4" should suffice.
5) Book: The Manual of Fish Health, by Tetra Press.  Great book!  Lots of info to quench your thirst for knowledge!
6) Test Kits: In order of importance: PH (possibility of hydrogen), ammonia, NitrIte, NitrAte, GH (general hardness) and KH (carbonate hardness)
7) Knowledge of the Nitrogen Cycle and how it relates to fish tanks.  There's answers here, under the FAQ's and all over the Internet.  Read about it and understand, then read about Fishless Cycling.
#8) Gravel vac or Python (appropriately sized for your tank and how far you'll need to go to siphon outdoors if you want)
9) Buckets for water changes, if you choose not to get a python.
10) A broad use water conditioner that conditions for Chlorine, Chloramine, and heavy metals.  Avoid ammonia reducing or detxifying agents.
11) Small quarantine tank w/ sponge filter (this can be a tank, or even a rubbermaid container that you'd store sweaters in!)
12) Foods appropriate for the fish you choose

Many of the above items will come in new tank kits.  You can buy the tank/hood, filter, heater together with a sample pack of fish food, and the test kits will often come in multi packs, but you may have to pick up one or two seperate.  Fish stores will test your water for you for free, usually - so take your time picking up your test kits - don't go breaking the bank or anything.

Set up your tank, let it run for a few days while you scour the fish stores for the fish that you like.  Make a list of the ones you like, come home and google (and post here if you want advice) to be sure the fish is suited to your PH, GH and tank size.  

If you're planning a planted tank substrate should be layered, with a bottom layer of finer substrates first, like laterite, kitty litter, flourite mixed with a handful of peat moss works really well.  Topped with a layer of gravel or larger sand wil make a great planting substrate.  If you KNOW you want live plants, plan for this prior to setting up the tank...its kinda a pain to re-do everything once its setup and fish are in the tank.

Once you've started your tank, picked your fish and the water has settled, go buy yourself some fish!  Remember...if you didn't fishless cycling, you'll wanna take it slow, 2-3 fish to begin with (unless you have a really large setup) and let the tank cycle.  

Remember to acclimate fish to your water...it may not match the stores water!  To do this: float the bag of fish for 10 mins in the tank, unopened.  Then open bag, and add 1/2 cup of your tank water and let them get used to it for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes add a cup of water, and repeat the 15 minute acclimation.  Repeat with another cup of water. After 45 minutes to 1 hour, your fish should be ready for your tank (remember this time frame should be slightly shorter if you had to drive an hour home with your fish!).  Net fish and place in tank.  NEVER EVER add fish store water to your tank.  It may contain diseases and illnesses that you don't want!

Once the cycle is completed (0 ammonia, 0 NitrIte and readable nitrates) you can add more (assuming more fit in your tank).  Theres a large opinion on cycling methods...read about them all and choose for yourself.  All new fish should be quarantined if you were able to pick up a small QT tank mentioned above...this will keep sickly fish store fish, from contaminating your tank.

Do not change any filter media while cycling.  If you chose a filter with a sponge or biowheel, when the filter needs cleaning, just remove, rinse in tank water you removed after a water change and replace.  Do not rinse anything else.

Avoid ammonia detoxifying agents
Avoid PH adjusters, trust me...your PH is likely fine where it is as long as its between 6.0 and 9.0
Don't mix tropicals and coldwater fish
Always research fish before buying

#1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 are necessities. Oh, and the fish, of course...
#3 - Heaters will depend on the type of fish you choose, and what the room temps in your house are consistently set at.
#4 - some folks go bottomless with their tanks , no substrate at all - this is fine.
#9 is your option - if you choose a long gravel vac, and the tank's high enough, you can siphon water right out the window into your yard or flower bed or whatever.  But you may need buckets to refill your tank afterwards.

Ask lots of questions!

Hope this has helped someobdy out there get started!!!!  I know much of this info is likely in the all the FAQs here, but I find that not nearly enough folks navigate there and read them.  Good luck.

*EDIT*

I thought I'd add that when cycling your fist tank...keep an eye on your ammonia levels.  If levels reach 1.0 or above, its time for a waterchange.  The same goes for NitrIte levels above 2.0.  The higher your PH level, the lower your tolerance for ammonia should be.  1.0 is a more acceptable number at a PH of 7.0 than it is at 8.0.  Check out the ammonia table on krib to understand more of the toxicity levels http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html#how-much-ammonia

Its hard to keep it in an entirely safe level while cycling, but don't be afraid to change water!

*EDIT #2*

About Water Changing!
Using a gravel vac is simple and easy.  There are three types, the type that you hook to a faucet for long distances and/or better suction: Water comes out of the tank, and into your sink or other area using a hose end.  With the twist of an adapter, you can fill your tank (if temps are right) without usin buckets!  Then there's a simple vac, that is just a tube with one large end, one small end and water exits the tank into buckets.  This is good for smaller tanks.  The last type is a battery operated type.  With this, no water is removed, you simply suck up waste and debris, and it is caught in a bag, that allows the water to pass back through into the tank.  This is good for "in between" cleanings, but does not substitute for a  water change.  Clean fresh water is a key element in the maintenance of your tank!

How to use them?  Well, best as I can describe:  get your suction going 1st thing.  On simple vac they tell you to plunge the vac (large end down)  repeatedly to get suction going.  I've rarely gotten this done without alot of splashing!  I usually submerge the whole vac, plug my thumb over the small end of the tube once all the air has escaped, then with my thumb staying on the end I bring the small end out and into a bucket.  WHen I release my thumb, the water drains and starts the siphone effect.  Using the large opening, plunge it into the gravel, being cautions about any bottom feeders you may have or plants' roots. Hold it for a second and you'll notice any debris float up the tube and out to your bucket!  Too easy.  This can be done with sand, too.  Holding the tube perfectly upright will give you the greatests suction.  If you tilt the vac end at a slight angle, heavier stuff will sink back down toward the tank floor.  THe bigger the angle, the more stuff will fall.  This part is especially important if you are draining to your sink!  YOu don't want to get too much sand or gravel in your sink.  It cost me 300.00 to learn how little it actually takes to encourage a clog!

Follow the directions for using your gravel vac.

[biologist101]

I dont know about the first...."the larger you can start with the better" i think starting with a smaller size tank may be wise for beginners.......cus if something should go wrong you lower the cost of your losses with a smaller tank......bigger tanks are more expensive and difficult to keep up and if something bad happens it could be a greater loss of life or property...i personally like to learn all i can with smaller tanks then when i go to a bigger one its a breeze.

[DavesGirl]

Ahhh..but what most newbies don't realize is even tiny mistakes are disasterous in small tank, but large tanks are far more forgiving  THe absolutely biggest mistake every newbie makes (including myself) is overstocking.  Harder to do with a big tank!

And maintenance is not harder on  larger tank, but easier.  Often, water changes are less frequent and smaller volume in larger tanks.  Just the nature of the beast.

Just food for thought...not everybody is going to agree 100%, but that's what this is all about.

[Mere Air]

I like having a 10-gallon tank for two reasons.  First is the cost.  It was easier for me to venture into this hobby on a trial basis because I didn't need to lay out a lot to start.  Second, a smaller tank seems so much more manageable.  A 10% water change for a 10-gallon tank is only one gallon.  

But, as Frisckey mentioned, overstocking the tank would not have been so much of an issue if I had bought the 29-gallon tank that seems to be most often recommended for beginners.

Not much fits well in only 10-gallons.  Most small fish grow up to 2".  And you need at least six schooling fish, but in uneven numbers -- so you need at least seven.  Then if one should die, you need to add them at least two at a time to diffuse any aggression toward the newcomers.

But you also need to quarantine them before adding them to a new tank and with just two in a tank there are usually problems, so you need a minimum of three in quarantine -- for a grand total of nine fish!  And there you are, way overstocked!

My 10-gallon is currently home to one betta and one ADF, way understocked.  The ADF was too aggressive with her Mystery Snail.  So it had to be removed.  Then I tried ghost shrimp, twice.  They were subjected to a lot of harassment and didn't last longer than a month.

I may try a few cories next, even though I know they would prefer to be kept in a larger group in a bigger aquarium.  Should have bought the 29-gallon tank to begin with.  

[jenazen69]

however if you do research on the fish you want make sure you get the right size tank for the fish you want.

[DavesGirl]

however if you do research on the fish you want make sure you get the right size tank for the fish you want.

Exactly right.  

But in the initial setup I did not say choose your fish first, then the tank.  Because if you go to the store and choose a fish and pick a tank based on that fish, inevitibly you'll find a fish you like more, or you'll learn it needs to be in goups...because as mentioned most small fish are schoolers/schoalers.

And, again, I said the biggest tank you can afford.  If a 10 gallon is your limit, then it just is.  If you only have 50.00 for everything, then a 5 gallon betta setup would be ideal, not even a 10 gallon could be achieved with everything I quoted that you ought to aim for buying!

As time goes on, you'll be able to afford a better setup, and almost everybody does it.  Some folks PREFER small tanks, even tanks under 5 gallons...that's fine too.  My guidelines are for the general know-nothing beginner.  Cheaper/smaller tanks are easier to aquire later, than larger ones.  And, tanks are almost cheaper per gallon, the bigger you go...I think a 55 gallon setup is like the best buy for the money...but who can afford THAT setup when just deciding if they even WANT to keep fish, or are any good at it?

[dolfinlvr71]

Great list Friskey!  Hopefully it'll help some of the newbies to the "addictive" hobby.  I sure wish I knew of this site when I first got into keeping fish.  I do agree with larger tanks being easier to maintain.  I have a 90 gallon now and the water parameters stay on a more stable level then I have found with smaller tanks.  I also have a 29 and 5.5 and I have to do more maintenance on them then I do the larger 90 gallon.  Go figure!  

[Mere Air]

I bought the 10-gallon only to keep our betta warm during the cooler months.  And for that it worked just great.  It wasn't until I had more tank that I considered adding more fish.  10-gallons seemed like it should provide a nice home for a few more of something.  But, with a betta, not just anything will work in only 10-gallons.

[pilot288th]

Id love to add a betta to the setup im getting but apparently all the fish im looking at the bettas wouldnt like.

[DavesGirl]

Don't be too sure...start a new thread with your current inhabitants and tank specs - and you may be surpised