Try the tool above
Use the free tool at the top of this page first, then read the guide below to understand the result and use it well. Starting a new tank means buying a dozen small things, and forgetting one of them delays the whole setup by days. This list builder adjusts the shopping list to your setup type, freshwater, planted, or marine, and gives you a tick-off list you can print as a PDF and take to the shop.
How to use it
Start by entering the numbers the tool asks for, using real measurements where you can, then press the calculate button and read the result box carefully. Check the result against common sense for your own setup, adjust one input at a time if the answer surprises you, and use the result as a daily plan rather than a one-off number.
Worked example
For example, a marine setup adds salt mix, a protein skimmer, a refractometer, and live rock to the basic kit, while a planted setup adds plant substrate, plants, and fertiliser. A plain freshwater list stays shorter, with just the shared basics like filter, heater, and conditioner.
How the calculation works
The tool uses a simple, transparent rule based on the numbers you enter, so you can check the answer by hand if you ever doubt it. It does not guess, hide its working, or pretend to know more than the inputs allow, and that honesty is deliberate, because a pet care plan you can follow matters more than a complicated formula you cannot trust. If you change one input, such as weight, fish count, or tank size, the result moves in the direction you would expect, which is a good quick check that you typed the numbers correctly.
Why this matters
A complete list saves money too, because last-minute panic buys are usually the wrong filter, the wrong heater, or a test kit you already own. Checking items off as you buy them keeps the setup calm and avoids a second trip across town.
Keep the routine going
The best plan is the one you actually repeat, so tie the result to something you already do every day, such as the morning feed, the evening tidy, or the weekly shop. Keep the tool result visible for the first two weeks, note any day you miss, and do not restart from scratch after a missed day, because one missed day matters far less than giving up the routine entirely and starting again next month.
Three tips that help
Buy the filter and heater before the fish, because the tank needs to run and cycle before any fish arrive. Choose a test kit on the first shopping trip, not later, since you cannot cycle a tank safely without knowing ammonia and nitrite levels. Keep receipts for pumps and heaters, because these are the items most likely to fail early and need a warranty swap.
Common mistake to avoid
Do not buy fish on the same trip as the tank, because a new tank needs days or weeks to cycle before it can safely hold fish.
Frequently asked question
What do I need for a new aquarium? At minimum a tank and stand, filter, heater, thermometer, conditioner, test kit, substrate, net, and a bucket, plus setup extras for planted or marine tanks, all listed by this tool.
Put the result into practice
Save or print your result, put it where the person who feeds or cares for your animals will see it, and review it whenever weight, fish count, or tank setup changes. Small steady routines beat perfect plans that nobody follows, so keep the plan simple, repeat it daily, and adjust slowly when the numbers tell you something has changed.