Before you get your fish, you need to purchase and set up essential fish supplies. These supplies include a tank, a filtration system, gravel and decorations.

Getting the basics

Obviously if you’re going to get a fish, you’re going to need a fish tank! That’s the most obvious supply of all the essential fish supplies. The question is, what kind of a tank should you get? Well, that really depends on what kind of fish you want. You can’t put a piranha in a tank that’s meant for a beta fish. The size of your fish as well as its heating and water needs will really dictate what kind of tank you’ll need. Most people have a 10 or 20 gallon tank. This is a good sized tank for smaller fish.

Other basic essential fish supplies include decorations, gravel, a net and food. The decorations give your fish a place to hide. The gravel helps collect waste and keep the tank clean. You’ll need a net for removing debris from the cage and removing your fish when it’s time to clean the tank. Food is another obvious supply. There are all different kinds of fish food. Ask your pet store clerk which kind of food is most fitting for your fish.

Less obvious, but important essential fish supplies include water filtration systems, lights, heaters, water treatment and water pumps.

Filtration systems and water treatment

These two essential fish supplies should be placed in every fish tank regardless of tank size and fish type. Fish need clean water, but it’s difficult to keep their water clean without filtration systems. Dirty water is full of harmful bacteria and can make your fish very sick.

There are three types of water filtration systems. Mechanical filtration systems, biological filtration systems and chemical filtration systems. If you have a smaller tank, you can use biological or chemical filtration systems. These systems are smaller, cheaper and easy to use. Mechanical filtration systems are essential fish supplies for larger tanks.

Essential fish supplies also include water treatment supplies. Water treatment is fairly easy and usually only requires putting a few eye drops into your water. These treatment systems balance out the pH levels of the water and neutralize other chemicals that can be harmful to your fish.

Preparing your supplies

Before you put any of these essential fish supplies to work, it’s imperative that you clean them thoroughly. The supplies should be washed in cold running tap water and then placed in the tank. This will ensure that your essential fish supplies are free of bacteria and artificial substances.