Week 1: Tank Selection
Bigger is easier, not harder. A 20 gallon tank is more forgiving than a 5 gallon because water parameters swing slower.
Budget the full kit: tank, heater, filter, lights, thermometer, water conditioner, test kit, food. Total roughly $150 to $250 for a 20 gallon starter.
Week 2: Cycling
Add dechlorinated water and run filter continuously.
Dose ammonia source (pure ammonia or fish food pinch daily) to feed the bacteria.
Monitor ammonia, nitrite, nitrate with a liquid test kit until ammonia drops to zero and nitrate appears — typically 3 to 6 weeks.
Week 4-6: First Fish
Choose 3 to 5 hardy fish (guppies, platies, danios). Avoid goldfish in small tanks.
Acclimate 30 minutes in bag, drip method for sensitive species.
Feed once daily small amount. Overfeeding crashes new tanks.
Month 2-3: Stability
Weekly 25% water changes. Never skip.
Add fish slowly — 1 to 3 per week at most.
By day 90 the biological filter handles routine loads and the tank is truly stable.