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Set up your first aquarium: from shopping list to first fish

2 min read · Last updated October 16, 2026

Which size, which filter, which fish? Set up your first aquarium step by step while avoiding the mistakes beginners make most often.

1. Choose the right size

It may seem like a paradox, but a small aquarium is harder. Little water means no buffer against mistakes: one day of overfeeding or a faulty heater quickly throws the parameters off. 54–100 liters is a good start for a first aquarium. Fishbowls and containers under 10 liters are not suitable for keeping fish.

2. Shopping list

  • Aquarium and a sturdy stand: A 60-liter aquarium filled with water weighs more than 70 kg.
  • Filter: A hang-on-back, internal or canister filter that turns over 4–6 times the tank volume per hour. A sponge filter if you are considering shrimp.
  • Heater and thermometer: For tropical fish. About 1 W per liter.
  • Lighting and a timer: 6–8 hours a day; more than that means algae.
  • Substrate: Fine sand (for bottom dwellers) or plant soil + sand.
  • Dechlorinator (water conditioner) and a test kit.
  • Easy plants: Anubias, Java fern, Cryptocoryne, Java moss.

3. Placement

Choose a sturdy, level surface out of direct sunlight (algae and overheating) and away from radiators and doors. It should be close to an outlet, and let the cables hang down so that they form a "drip loop."

4. Setup and cycling

Spread the substrate, place the decor and plants, fill with water and add dechlorinator, then run the filter and heater. Next, cycle the tank without fish for 4–6 weeks (see the nitrogen cycle guide). This is the step most often skipped in a first aquarium and the one that costs the most fish.

5. First fish

Start with hardy, peaceful species in small groups, a few weeks apart:

  • Example for 60 liters: first 6 platies or guppies; two weeks later 6 bronze corydoras; then 10 harlequin rasboras.
  • Try it in the planner before deciding: you will instantly see whether they are compatible in terms of water parameters, temperament and stocking.

6. Routine maintenance

  • Once a week: Change 20–30% of the water (add dechlorinator to the new water and match its temperature), wipe the glass and vacuum the substrate.
  • Once a month: Rinse the filter sponge in aquarium water; do not clean it completely.
  • Every day: Count the fish and watch their behavior. A problem noticed early is easily solved.

If you register your aquarium on the site, you can see how many days have passed since your last water change and follow a chart of your measurements.