7 Accessories You Need to Start an Aquarium

Other than a tank and the fish, here are the seven accessories you need to start an aquarium.

Aquarium Filter

Filters are one of the most essential equipment of an aquarium. They maintain the quality of water by effectively eliminating harmful matter from the aquarium. A filter needs to be working 24/7 to sustain fish. In the absence of a good filter, toxic ammonia that is released from remains of fish food and fish waste can pollute the water and eventually kill the fish.

Your filter should provide 3-stage mechanical, chemical and biological filtration. In mechanical filtration, filter pad trap debris when water passes through it. In chemical filtration, toxins are removed when water passes through activated carbon. And in biological filtration, ammonia breaks down when water comes in contact with a medium colonized by beneficial bacteria; making the aquarium water healthy and safe for your pet fish.

They are rated for a specific aquarium size, light to average fish load and a gallon per hour rating.

Aquarium Water Conditioner

Aquarium water conditioner is required if you use tap water for filling the tank which is the most common scenario. It is the simplest source of water used in your home aquariums, but it contains chlorine and chloramine. These chemicals are harmless to us but dangerous for your pet fish. Aquarium water conditioner can neutralize both of these chemical compounds and turn the tap water safe for the fish.

Most of the water conditioners for aquarium are in liquid form that is available in the market and just a few drops of it will instantly do the trick.

Fish Tank Heater

Stable water temperature is one of the essentials for your pet fish health. Tropical fish are the most popular in the aquarium trade. An aquarium heater is required for your tank unless you are living in a tropical region yourself.

The heater maintains the temperature at a constant level and automatically turns off once it reaches the target temperature. The manufacturers of aquarium heaters suggest an aquarium size for each heater. Generally, a heater that offers almost 3-5 watts for each aquarium gallon is recommended.

Aquarium Lighting

The lighting in the aquarium brightens the aquarium for aesthetic pleasure and gives functional light to maintain photosynthetic life in the tank. Generally, an aquarium with a fish-only community needs 1-2 watts of light per gallon. For example, a 30-watt fluorescent light fixture is suitable for 15-30 gallon aquariums. In case you want plants in the aquarium as well, you will require a light fixture that offers 2-5 watts of lighting for every gallon.

Aquarium Air Pump

An aquarium pump promotes gas exchange between the atmosphere and the water. Water flow is vital, as it facilitates this gas exchange and keeps the water oxygenated, allowing your aquatic pets to breathe easily. It also serves the role of heating the water evenly instead of pockets of motionless warm water about the heating element.

There are exceptions in which you don’t need an air pump, such as when using a hang-on-back power filter that creates a waterfall.

Live Bacteria Seeding Product

Live bacteria seeding products establish a nitrogen cycle in a new aquarium. Ammonia builds up continuously once there are fish in the aquarium. "Good" bacteria feed on toxic ammonia, keeping the fish healthy. However, good bacteria can take weeks or months to build up naturally. Fish may be long dead by then. That's where these seeding products come in. They speed up the development of good bacteria.

Aquarium Substrate

Substrate makes your aquarium aesthetically pleasing and offers more surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow. If you want to grow plants in the aquarium with hidden roots, substrate is also required. A great variety of colors, sizes, and shapes of substrates are available.