Before you set up your aquarium, you may want to learn more about some of the following aquarium supplies and products you will need:

Filtration equipment

How your aquarium filter works
The aquarium filter is a necessary part of owning an aquarium as it helps you reduce the amount of time needed to clean your fish tank. The main purpose of having filtration is:

• To maintain a flow of water through the aquarium.
• To develop bacteria that will convert harmful waste elements to less harmful items, which are later removed through partial water changes.
• Helps to remove smell and discoloration.
• Removes dirt particles floating in the water.

Your aquarium filter has three stages to it. These are:

1. Mechanical filtration
In your aquarium filter, you may find wool, which acts as a mechanical filter to remove dirt. This helps to keep the water clear. Cleaning and changing this medium is generally more regular, so check monthly, rinse (in aquarium water) and change as needed.

2. Chemical filtration
In your aquarium filter you will find activated charcoal, which acts as a chemical filter. It removes most chemicals and helps clear cloudy or smelly water.
Important note: Always remove this item when you are treating your fish with any medication as it removes the medicine.

3. Biological filtration
This maintains water quality and is where bacteria develop over time, slowly as waste builds up, creating an ecosystem within your aquarium.

Understanding the nitrogen cycle will help explain further. The bio-balls and bio-noodles are where the bacteria will settle.
Rules for cleaning the filter are:

• Never use tap water.
• Use aquarium water to maintain bacteria in the filter.
• A filter should always be a little dirty – remove excess dirt that may clog the medium.

Aquarium lighting

Aquarium plants and marine corals need light. Proper aquarium lighting is essential for fish tanks containing live aquarium plants or marine corals that are dependent on light to live.

Lights can make fish look fantastic. Good lighting will also make the aquarium and the pet fish within look more attractive. Since pet fish are no longer exposed to natural sunlight, providing the proper spectrum and intensity is vital for their overall good health.

The amount of time you leave the aquarium light on will also lead to possible growth of algae or slime on the aquarium glass and rocks. Recommended time of six to eight hours is dependent on whether the tank receives sunlight. The more sunlight the less you may need.

Aquarium heaters and thermometers

Aquarium water temperature of between 23C and 27C should be maintained for most fish.

No matter what kind of aquarium fish you choose, they will have fairly specific temperature requirements. Fish can become stressed when temperatures fluctuate too much, which can lead to illness.

If you have only one species in your aquarium, you can set the temperature specifically to reflect their needs. If, however, you have multiple types, 25C is a safe temperature.

Marine aquariums may require more attention to keep a consistent temperature, as they tend to need more light, which can warm the water, plus certain corals may be harmed if the temperature increases.

Aquarium test kits and the addition of miscellaneous chemicals

Good water quality means healthy aquarium fish.

The welfare of your new aquarium is dependent on its water quality. You will find that you need to purchase various chemicals and additives to help the aquarium achieve and maintain the proper balance for good water quality.

Depending on the aquarium fish that you choose, you may need special pH adjusters and buffers, or salt and trace element additives. Water conditioners, or agers, are a must for removing chlorine and harmful chemicals from tap water, and test kits are necessary to ensure that your water quality begins and remains at suitable levels.

Fish food and supplements

Healthy fish need a healthy diet.

Diet is an important element to ensure healthy fish. There are different options when it comes to your fish's diet but the key thing to remember is: 'You can always add more but it is very hard to remove if too much is added’.

Overfeeding is a big issue when it comes to water quality, tank maintenance and cloudy water. Remember that food is added daily and this means you can alter the water chemistry quickly if feeding incorrectly:

• Feed a small portion first.
• Allow 30 seconds, see what is left.
• Feed a little bit more, if needed.
• Repeat the process, three to four times in total.
• One minute after the last feed no food should be seen.
• The whole feeding process takes only a few minutes.

This feeding process helps to eliminate overfeeding and ultimately ensures better water quality and better fish health, and at the same time reduces the need to do partial water changes. If your tank is less than one month old, fish should only be fed every second day. This helps keep the nitrogen cycle in check.

What to feed
There are many types of foods available, from live, frozen and various dry types. Blue Planet recommends sourcing foods that promote quality of water and fish health. You can look on our website for more details on the variety of foods available – or you can read more information on feeding fish properly here ...