Aquarium Kits & Ensembles

To set up a new fish tank, you’ll want to get a complete aquarium starter kit.

Your fish tank starter kit will typically include:

• A tank
• LED lighting
• A filtration device and cartridges
• A heating device
• A stand or cabinet
• Water conditioners
• A fish net
• A thermometer
• Fish food samples

Discover everything you need to keep your new freshwater fish happy.

After you add water, gravel, plants and finish setting up the fish aquarium kit, allow your tank’s water temperature and pH to stabilize over at least 48 hours before adding your new fish pets. We recommend only adding a few fish at a time as new fish pets are sensitive to the levels of ammonia present in your tank. Here are some tips for what to know about your new freshwater fish.

With a 5-gallon aquarium kit, you can keep about 4 to 6 small fish. Make sure each fish is no larger than two inches, and as a general rule of thumb, allow one inch of fish per gallon of aquarium. Tetras are great fish for small tanks.

Whether you’ve got a 10-gallon fish aquarium kit or a 20-gallon fish aquarium kit, the process is relatively similar. If this is your first time being a fish parent, starting with a 10- or 20-gallon aquarium kit and filling it with smaller, hardier species is a good idea. Place your aquarium in an area that won’t be impacted by external light and heat sources, away from windows and heater vents.

Rinse your aquarium and any items going in it with water before setting up. Add the gravel and any plants and decorations, and then the water. Install your heater, hook up your filter and place the hood and tank light on the aquarium. For more details on putting together your aquarium kit, check out our helpful guide, Aquarium Setup: How to Setup a New Freshwater Aquarium.