Petco 29 Gallon Aquarium Deluxe Kit $69.99 $120OFF

2. You do not need aquarium salt in a freshwater fish tank. There are fish that prefer salt (mollies, SOME puffers, etc.) but these are mild or moderate brackish fish. Putting salt into a guppy tank is NOT needed, and potentially harmful.

3. You should never replace filter pads unless they fall completely apart. The biological filter is what keeps your fish safe and that doesn't "run out" after a month or two. The filter companies only get paid if you continue to buy their inserts. Ignore that and RINSE the filters in USED TANK WATER to remove the gunk that inhibits the water flow, and then reinstall. Viola, a new filter. I've replaced a filter pad ONCE in 7 years, because it literally melted in my hand after cleaning it so many times.

4. Water changes are mandatory (this is just to reiterate, not in argument to the quoted comments). 10-50% once a week, depending on how stocked/fed/etc. I do 50% changes once a week. Doesn't take much longer than a 25% water change and is a nice way to be sure the water parameters are not getting too out of whack. Topping up (only water evaporates, all the crud and toxins are still in the water) IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!

Assuming you were planning on creating a fresh water tank, you won't need to spend a great deal more. You would need to purchase gravel which shouldn't cost more than $15 - $20 and the gravel vacuum or siphon can be purchased for less than $10. You will also want to purchase a couple of buckets from Home Depot to use for water changes. Be sure to purchase new buckets and keep them dedicated for use with your fish tank. Don't use them for other purposes other than adding fresh water and a separate bucket for removing the dirty water from your fish tank. Beyond that, you just need to purchase the fish. And most of the freshwater fish that would go in this tank should be relatively inexpensive.

Uh oh, here comes the bad/dangerous information.

1. You do need to use a dechlorinator (I recommend Prime because it's cheap and lasts forever). Many municipalities now use chloramine because it is more stable in the water (ie it doesn't evaporate). You can let this sit out all you want and it will still do harm to your fish. To make matters worse when it reacts with something the -amine is essentially ammonia which will further hurt your fish.

2. You do not need aquarium salt in a freshwater fish tank. There are fish that prefer salt (mollies, SOME puffers, etc.) but these are mild or moderate brackish fish. Putting salt into a guppy tank is NOT needed, and potentially harmful.

3. You should never replace filter pads unless they fall completely apart. The biological filter is what keeps your fish safe and that doesn't "run out" after a month or two. The filter companies only get paid if you continue to buy their inserts. Ignore that and RINSE the filters in USED TANK WATER to remove the gunk that inhibits the water flow, and then reinstall. Viola, a new filter. I've replaced a filter pad ONCE in 7 years, because it literally melted in my hand after cleaning it so many times.

4. Water changes are mandatory (this is just to reiterate, not in argument to the quoted comments). 10-50% once a week, depending on how stocked/fed/etc. When you do a water change you need to use the SAME TEMPERATURE water as in your tank. You also ideally need to add in dechlorinator PRIOR to adding the water to the tank (this is only applicable for smaller tanks where you fill with buckets). If you cannot do this or you have a huge tank that fills from a water line you need to dose the tank with enough dechlorinator for the TOTAL VOLUME OF THE TANK (very important). I do 50% changes once a week. Doesn't take much longer than a 25% water change and is a nice way to be sure the water parameters are not getting too out of whack. Topping up (only water evaporates, all the crud and toxins are still in the water) IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!

HTH

Uh oh, here comes the bad/dangerous information.

1. You do need to use a dechlorinator (I recommend Prime because it's cheap and lasts forever). Many municipalities now use chloramine because it is more stable in the water (ie it doesn't evaporate). You can let this sit out all you want and it will still do harm to your fish. To make matters worse when it reacts with something the -amine is essentially ammonia which will further hurt your fish.

Is it hard to maintain a saltwater fish tank? Saw the earlier post that this also may not be the best saltwater tank but would live some other SD opinions, TIA

The same reason folks in Alaska still want ice makers in their fridge

Actually, live plants will take up ammonium and nitrites just as readily as nitrates.

The kicker here is that the plants need to be actively growing (photosynthesizing) and not be in some degree of decay. With the lights that come with the tank, this will a bit questionable. You should be able to grow some undemanding ones, like Java Ferns, Mosses, Cryptocorynes... but the fast growers like Hygrophila, Rotalas etc will not grow optimally.

Check out plantedtankdotnet for more information.

For you newbies, it may seem confusing and daunting to start this hobby with so many advice coming from so many people. I know I was when I first started and wished I had some very simple explanations to help me understand what I'm doing. Here are a few to help you get started:

1. Can I use tap water in my fish tank?
   
   Most city use chlorine/chloramine as disinfectant to keep water coming out of our tap safe for human consumption. Chlorine can burn fish gills and kill them. So, short answer is no. One quick way to get rid of chlorine/chloramine from your tap water is to use a water conditioner sold in most fish pet stores.
   
   
2. What is this talk of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in the fish tank?
   
   Fish pee and poop like we do. Those turn into ammonia in the fish tank water. Ammonia is poisonous to fish and will kill them in sufficient quantity. There is a natural occuring bacteria in the fish tank that can consume ammonia and turn it into nitrite. However, nitrite is still poisonous to fish. There is yet another bateria in the fish tank that can consume nitrite and turn it into nitrate. Most fish can tolerate some amounts of nitrate in the fish tank. As long as there is sufficient amount of these natural occuring bacteria in your fish tank, ammonia and nitrite can be kept in check.
   
   
3. How do I get these natural occuring bacteria into my fish tank?
   
   You need to introduce a source of ammonia into your fish tank water for these bacteria to start growing, seemingly out of thin air. These bacteria will need a constant supply of ammonia to continue to exist and multiply. More ammonia will grow more bacteria. They will convert ammonia into nitrite, and then from nitrite into nitrate.
   
   
4. How do I know if these bacteria are growing in my fish tank?
   
   By using water testing kits sold in fish pet stores. You can measure ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels with these kits. Initially, you will measure high level of ammonia and almost no nitrite or nitrate. Then, you will notice the the nitrite level go up and ammonia level go down. Eventually, you will measure nearly no ammonia and nitrite, but nitrate level will gradually go up. Most people say this process takes a few weeks to occur in a brand new fish tank. People refer to this process as tank cycling.
   
   
5. How do I get this cycling process started?
   
   Some people use fish to introduce the needed ammonia. IMHO, this is cruel to the fish as they will be exposed to prolonged levels of ammonia and nitrite which either kill them or cause long term health issues. Others borrow some gravel from a mature fish tank which already have these bacteria attached and ready to consume ammonia. Some use fish food (with no fish in the tank) which decompose into ammonia. And then I've read some people just use pure ammonia.
   
   
6. How do I know how many fish the bacteria can support in my fish tank?
   
   Introduce fish into your fish tank a few at a time. Then, continue to use your water testing kit to make sure ammonia and nitrite levels are kept in check. As you slowly introduce more fish, more bacteria will grow to support the increased ammonia supply (bioload). Test your fish tank water regularly to make sure something hasn't gone out of whack. For example, a dead fish left in the tank can suddenly spike up the ammonia level. Over-feeding can also cause un-eaten food to decompose into ammonia. You might notice some strange behaviors from your fish suddenly (skittish, not eating...etc) and not know why. Test your tank water!
   
   
7. Why do I need to change fish tank water and how often?
   
   You change fish tank water to lower the nitrate level. Unfortunately, there is no natural occuring bacteria in your fish tank to process nitrate. The longer you don't change tank water, the more nitrate will build up in your tank. Diffierent fish have different tolerance for nitrate levels. How much and how often you change your tank water depends on your fish and your feeding habbits. The key is nitrate level in the tank water. Try to keep nitrate level low and consistent. Consistent water condition is probably more important than trying to target a specific nitrate level. Changing water conditions too quickly and suddenly can shock/stress the fish. A stressed fish can lead to weaker immune system and the fish could get sick or die.
   
   
8. Why do I need to vacuum the gravel in my fish tank?
   
   Fish poop and un-eaten food settle to the bottom of the fish tank in the gravel. They decompose slowly and turn into an unnecessary source of ammonia for a long time. People usually vacuum the gravel at the same time they change tank water. That is because vacuuming the gravel also takes out some tank water at the same time.
   
   
9. Why do I need a heater in the tank?
   
   Different fish have different water temperature requirements. But again, keeping consistent water condition (in this case water temperature) is more important than trying to target a specific temperature. Sudden changes in water temperature can shock/stress the fish. This also leads to an often incorrect assumption made by newbies that beginners should start with a small fish tank. Although a bigger tank may require more vacuuming and water changes, the bigger water volume is also more forgiving for beginners. Mistakes can take longer time to affect a larger volume of water, thus reducing the risks of sudden changes to water conditions and stressing the fish.

I will update and correct any mistakes made above as people point them out to me.

my only question is why would anyone who lives in Honolulu, Hawaii want a fish tank?

i know why you asked that but think about it for second because it really is a dumb question.