Proper Equipment for Your Freshwater Aquarium Setup

A freshwater aquarium setup will need all of the necessary apparatus, such as lights, filter system, heater, and more. All of these are important to have a freshwater aquarium with healthy vibrant fish. When purchasing a tank, it is most probable that the lights would be included. However, all other equipment will usually need to be purchased separately, unless you buy an aquarium kit. 

Buying a heater for your aquarium is probably the easiest and least confusing piece of equipment. One must make sure that they buy a heater that is adequate determined by the size of your fish tank. In other words, the heater must be rated to heat the volume of water (gallons or liters) in your aquarium. In addition to that, there are different types of heaters for you to choose from.

In-line heaters are for the advanced aquarium fish hobbyists, so a beginner is not likely to start with these. Hang on Back and submersible heaters are the choices for a person getting started with their freshwater aquarium setup.

The cheaper among the two is the Hang on Back heater. Hang on Back (HOB) heaters are also easier to use because the knobs are at the back of the aquarium. On the other hand, submersible heaters are better than HOB heaters, because they have greater flexibility in positioning, and can be easily hidden with decorations or other aquarium landscaping such as aquarium plants. Although both types of heaters offer similar quality, it is still up to you as to how much are you willing to spend on this device. Both types come in glass, plastic, or graphite variants, the glass variety usually is the least expensive.

For measuring the temperature of your fish tank: glass, liquid crystal, and digital thermometers are the types available. The glass thermometer is simple yet reliable, while the liquid crystal thermometer changes color representing changes in temperature. A digital thermometer may vary in accuracy, depending on the cost, wherein the ones with higher accuracy and precision are usually more expensive. If you plan on raising fish that are hardy, then an inexpensive thermometer will do, such as the liquid crystal type. If you plan to raise fish with a narrow temperature range tolerance, then an accurate thermometer will be needed.

Another important component for your fish tank is the substrate that you will need to add to your aquarium. Substrate is the rock or sand that sits at the bottom of the tank, and it is placed first in the tank before anything else. There is a specific substrate for every aquarium, so be sure that your choice would be appropriate for your tank. Plants and decorations add life to the aquarium and comfort for the fish. Aquarium plants can be artificial or live, and should be placed in the aquarium after water is already in the tank. 

Your freshwater aquarium setup is almost complete.  It is time to add water. The water inside the tank should be free from chlorine, so use some water conditioner to treat it. You can also let your aquarium set for 24 hours that will allow the chorine to dissipate. I like to setup my aquarium and leave it for a few days with the filtration system running.  This allows your aquarium to become more balanced and allows helpful bacteria to grow that aid with biological filtration. 

Lastly, when setting up your aquarium, obtain as much knowledge as possible.  Also, be aware that many sales people in large pet stores may not have all of the correct information. Many times it is best to talk to stores that focus on aquarium fish.  Lastly, have fun.