View product photos on Amazon →
Filtration
Fluval U2 internal filter
An internal filter with a choice of outlets. Check its physical fit and access to the media before choosing by litre rating.
Compare internal filters → View on Amazon ↗Freshwater fishkeeping · UK homes
A freshwater aquarium, set up properly.
Choose equipment that fits, understand your water and build a care routine you can keep. Practical help for your first tank and the aquarium you already have.
✓ Freshwater only✓ Equipment explained✓ Care starts with the fish
Before the first fish
A mature filter comes first.Zero readings alone do not prove a new tank is ready. Follow the fishless-cycling steps.
Understand cycling →Where are you with your aquarium?
Take the next useful step, whether you are planning, cycling or keeping an established tank steady.
01 · Planning
Plan a setup that fits
Work through tank dimensions, a sensible budget and the equipment you need before buying.
Plan your setup → 02 · Before fishGive the filter time to mature
Understand fishless cycling, follow ammonia and nitrite, and learn what shows the filter is ready.
Follow the cycling guide → 03 · Everyday careBuild a repeatable routine
Know what to check each day and week, with links to water changes, testing and filter care.
See daily and weekly checks →Find the relevant checks
Something not looking right?
Go straight to the guidance for your water or equipment. Start with the checks before considering a product.
Explore by topic
Find your way around the whole setup.
Each topic brings together equipment comparisons, practical guides and checks for common problems.
Start here
Plan the space, choose the essentials and give your filter time to mature.
Filters & flow
Match filtration, media and circulation to the aquarium you actually have.
Water & testing
Know what a kit measures and what your results can tell you.
Heating
Choose for your room as well as your tank, then check the temperature.
Lighting
Find the right coverage and a manageable routine for a planted tank.
Maintenance
Make water changes, glass cleaning and filter care easier to keep up.
Air & circulation
Plan aeration, safe airline installation and a tested power-cut backup.
Aquascaping
Choose a suitable bed, calculate the quantity and feed plants thoughtfully.
Useful calculators
Measure first. Buy with a clearer plan.
Work out quantities, understand your test units and estimate running costs. Each tool includes its assumptions and a worked explanation.
Water volume
Estimate usable water from internal dimensions and displacement.
Calculate water volume →Substrate quantity
Plan a flat or sloping bed, then work out how many litre bags to buy.
Calculate substrate →Electricity costs
Use your own tariff and equipment running times to estimate costs.
Estimate running costs →Nitrate units
Convert a nitrate-nitrogen result to nitrate, with the reporting basis explained.
Convert nitrate units →Water testing
Know what you are measuring before choosing a kit.
API Freshwater Master covers ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. NT Labs Multi-Test adds GH and KH. Compare coverage, instructions and reporting units to choose for your water checks.
Compare freshwater test kits →Not sure what to test? Start here →View product photos on Amazon →
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
A focused liquid kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. Choose it if those are the measurements you need most often.
View on Amazon ↗View product photos on Amazon →
NT Labs Aquarium Lab Multi-Test Kit
A liquid kit that adds GH and KH to the core waste and pH checks. Choose it when understanding your source-water hardness is part of the job.
View on Amazon ↗Equipment, with the fit explained
Compare the options for each job.
These are starting points to investigate. Read the full comparison for alternatives, dimensions and operating limits before choosing for your tank.
View product photos on Amazon →
Heating
Fluval E100 electronic heater, 100 W
A 100 W heater with a display and guard. Match heater output to your tank and room, and check it with a separate thermometer.
Compare adjustable heaters → View on Amazon ↗View product photos on Amazon →
Planted-tank lighting
NICREW ClassicLED G2 light, 45–60 cm
This adjustable 45–60 cm bar suits a shorter tank. Check the mounting span and water depth as well as the light controls.
Compare planted-tank lights → View on Amazon ↗View product photos on Amazon →
Water changes
Marina Easy Clean Small gravel cleaner, 25 cm
A small manual siphon with a 25 cm tube. Check the reach for your tank; the Amazon offer may show Fluval EasyVAC packaging.
Compare gravel cleaners → View on Amazon ↗Our approach
Aquarium advice with the details left in.
A litre rating tells you only part of the story. We look at dimensions, flow, temperature and the work involved in keeping a setup running.
How we choose and explain equipment →- A useful answer first
Practical checks and a clear explanation of what the result changes.
- Fit and limits explained
Who equipment suits, what it needs and when a different option makes sense.
- Sources you can follow
Documented specifications and freshwater care guidance, with references in our articles.
