It can be a bit difficult to know what to buy when one first starts in the hobby, so I thought that it would be a great idea to put together a list. First up are the essentials:

• Aquarium
• Filter
• Test kits for ammonia, nitrite, GH and KH (water hardness), nitrate and pH
• Dechlorinator
• Household ammonia
• Tubing for water changes
• Bucket

In addition to those, I would have the following as well because these will speed up the cycle:

• Thermometer
• Heater

And the tank would look nicer during the fishless cycle if one also had:

• Substrate
• Plain background

Next time, I will be explaining why each of the above is important!