1.) Aquarium that will hold water. (A hood or glass canopy lid is also recommended to keep fish in the tank. (some jump very well) and gives you a place for a light.
2.) Filter:You will need one that will process the volume of your tank 4-6 times per hour. There is no such thing as too much filtration. Granted you do not want cyclone's going on but it is always a good idea to over filter.
3.) Heater: Rule of thumb is 5 watts per gallon. I would suggest these on even your cold water tanks with goldfish. The reason for this is to always have a stable temperature. A quick change in temperature is harmful to your fish.
4.) Light: 2-5 watts per gallon
5.) Substrate: What you want on the bottom of the tank. Make sure the one you choose is clean. Rinse in tapwater until water runs clear. (gravel, sand, marbles, ect.) You will need to be careful with this as some substrates will alter your pH. Your basic pea size gravel is good to start out with.
6.) Water Conditioner: Make sure you have one that will remove Chlorine and Chloramines. Some water supplies are not treated with Chloramine. You may contact your local water authority to find out this information.
7.) Ammonia: To fishless cycle your tank. (Instructions for that are in the links section to the left.)
8.) Test Kit: You will need to regularly check your water parameters for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. My choice is the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Freshwater Master Test kit. The levels of each of these in a cycled aquarium should be:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: Under 40ppm
To keep the Nitrates under 40ppm you will need to do weekly partial water changes of 10-30%. A gravel vacuum will come in handy to get the yuckies buried in the gravel. Always add the water conditioner to the tank before adding your water.
9.) PATIENCE - I put this last on the list but it really should be first. It is the most important thing of all in this hobby.
