What do I need for a freshwater aquarium?

Glass sized for adults. A filter that matches the waste. Heater and probe thermometer if the fish are tropical. Dechlorinator. Liquid tests. A cycle before livestock. Decor and plants after the kit works. Fish last.

Should I buy fish the same day as the tank?

No. An empty filter cannot handle ammonia. Set the tank up, cycle it, prove ammonia and nitrite stay at zero, then bring fish home in stages.

How do I size a filter and heater?

Use the filter and heater guides for litre/gallon bands, then nudge for messy fish, slow-water species, cold rooms, or open tops. Heat: trust a probe. Flow: watch whether fish can hold position.

Does Fishori recommend specific brands?

No. Volume, bioload, and whether the gear matches the species matter more than the logo on the box.

Equipment & planning

Aquarium setup guide

Glass, filter, heat, tests, cycle — then the fish shop. Reverse that order and clear water still hides an ammonia spike.

Size the tank for adult fish first. Match the filter and heater to that plan. Cycle until ammonia and nitrite stay at zero. Add livestock in stages.

Three guides, one order

The tank setup checklist is the sequence. The filter guide and heater guide have litre/gallon tables. Run the real list through the tank builder before you trust a shop “60L community” sticker.

Equipment checklist

Size it before you buy it

Flow and heat bands first. Then the tank builder for the stock list that actually drives the waste.

Stock photo (Unsplash), not a product shot. Licence.

Filter flow midpoints

Light vs heavy midpoints from the filter guide, across common tank sizes.

Filter flow midpoints — see the filter guide for full ranges.

Choose by tank volume

30L40L60L100L200L

Build your plan first

Pick gear from the guides, then check the real stock list before you buy fish.

Open pair checker Tank builder

Tank hubs: 40L · 60L · 100L

Sources and limits

Stocking, room temperature, tank shape, and how often you clean all move the answer. The tables here are shortlist bands — check them with a probe thermometer, your eyes on flow, and liquid tests.

Aquarium Co-Op — The Nitrogen Cycle — Clear ammonia → nitrite → nitrate walkthrough for cycling before livestock.
Seriously Fish — species care profiles — Temperature and flow notes when you leave the generic table for a real stock list.

Aquarium setup — quick answers

What do I need for a freshwater aquarium?: Glass sized for adults. A filter that matches the waste. Heater and probe thermometer if the fish are tropical. Dechlorinator. Liquid tests. A cycle before livestock. Decor and plants after the kit works. Fish last.
Should I buy fish the same day as the tank?: No. An empty filter cannot handle ammonia. Set the tank up, cycle it, prove ammonia and nitrite stay at zero, then bring fish home in stages.
How do I size a filter and heater?: Use the filter and heater guides for litre/gallon bands, then nudge for messy fish, slow-water species, cold rooms, or open tops. Heat: trust a probe. Flow: watch whether fish can hold position.
Does Fishori recommend specific brands?: No. Volume, bioload, and whether the gear matches the species matter more than the logo on the box.