  
FRESHWATER AQUARIUM SET-UP SUGGESTIONSPlease use this a guide for different tank sizes, fish, etc. Filter & Pumps suggestions Links to Heater, Lighting information Please see Freshwater Basics for more expanded Freshwater basics information, as well as links to even more expanded articles explaining in more depth subjects such as GH/pH, Calcium in water. 
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Updated 11/26/09 Please note that these suggestions (which are somewhat subjective) are not intended to be an exhaustive listing of filter, pump, etc combinations with consideration to the type of fish to be kept. Many good filters may be left off, but this does not mean they are of poor quality; as well some poor filters are either intentionally left off or will may be noted. I recommend reading these articles for more about aquarium filtration (more in depth information, facts, reviews): *Aquarium Filtration; Filters *Sponge filtration GENERAL AQUARIUM SET UPS BY SIZE: 5-60 Gallon; Filter/pumps suggestions:  *Via Aqua M100 or M200 Power (HOB) Filters (the M100 for tanks under 15 gallons and the M200 for tanks 15-50 gallons). Others power filters to consider include the Aqua Clear 30, Aqueon 20 (or 10 for 10 gallon aquariums), Whisper EX 30 (which is of the same design as the Aqueon).In place of a HOB filter an internal wet/dry filter might also be considered such as the ReSun BF100 Internal filter. Although these filters take up valuable internal aquarium space, they are superior to many HOB filters in versatility and bio capacity.  *To compliment (or even as the primary filter), a Sponge filter such as the Hydro sponge #1 or #2 for a 10 gallon or a Hydro sponge #2 or #3 for a 20 gallon. For aquariums under 20 gallon I prefer the more gentle vertical circulation via an air pump or they can be purchased via Filter kits with air pumps already included.For general Aquariums, I really like the combination of a good HOB such as the Via Aqua or Whisper that have low flow by and fine mechanical filtration (the Via Aqua holds the edge over the others here) with a Sponge Filter which is superior in bio filtration to most HOBs (even many Aqua Clear Filters).  *Other filters include Internal filters such as the Via Aqua 302 or similar, Pre-Filters to attach to a Power (HOB) aquarium filter to expand bio filtration and prevent intake of fish fry 25-100 Gallon; Filter/pumps suggestions:  *A Canister Filter can be substituted for an aquarium power filter such as the Rena Filstar XP1, although either a larger HOB Filter (such as the Aqua Clear 50 or 70) or two HOB Filters (such as the both superior and economical Via Aqua M200) for better redundancy/circulation can be used (HOB filters also have the advantage of simplicity as well).  *An Internal Wet Dry can compliment a canister filter or even a HOB filter in a medium size aquarium such as a 40 gallon.As with smaller set ups previously noted Sponge Filters make an excellent and unsurpassed compliment to a canister filter or HOB Filter. The Hydro sponge #3 or #5 are the Sponge Filters to consider for this application. In aquariums of this size either an air pump or a power head can be considered. The power head is a slightly more complicated way to connect a Sponge Filter, but they can provide better horizontal circulation over an air pump (which is still an excellent way to run a sponge filter in mid size aquariums). *An Internal Filter such as the Via Aqua 305 PF becomes a more viable option for additional circulation/filtration. These can also be used to power a UV Sterilizer. 50-150 Gallon; Filter/pumps suggestions:  *A Canister Filter such as the Via Aqua 750 or Rena Filstar XP2 can make excellent filters for larger aquarium. Beware though over paying for some Canister filters such as the Eheim, which is a good filter, however good marketing has convinced many that these filters are unsurpassed which is bluntly not true. As well beware of Fluvals as I personally have not found these to be the most reliable canister filters you can buy (poor head pressure as well).Although Canister filters are popular with larger aquariums, it is certainly not a necessity for good filtration. There are good larger HOB filters such as the Aqua Clear 110 or multiples of power filters (which is good for redundancy). Using different brands/types of HOB filters can compliment each other. For instance the AC110 has good bio capacity, but more flow by and poor mechanical filtration. An Aqueon or Via Aqua M200 can be a compliment in this case.  *As with smaller aquarium set ups, Sponge Filters (such as the Hydro Sponge #5 Pro) should not be ignored as potential filters or complimentary filtration. Many fail to realize that Sponge filters can and do work in large aquariums and even ponds. In fact the Hydro Pond 2 can be easily used in a large aquarium and will out perform a Aqua Clear 110 in bio capacity *Power Head Aquarium Water Pumps such as the Via Aqua 1300 can be used for increased water circulation and even aeration (most add air by both increased surface agitation and air diffusers)Internal Filters such as the VA 306PF can also make a good compliment for larger aquariums, but are generally not adequate for primary filtration. 150 Gallon Plus; Filter/pumps suggestions:  *Multiple canister filters such as the Rena Filstar XP3 or 4 or the VA750 work well. I have often connected these in a pre drilled method for a more aesthetically pleasing & functional aquarium filter installation. A Micron Style canister filter such as the Ocean Clear can work well in such an installation (although these are poor bio filters and I do NOT recommend their use unless other filters with higher bio capacities are used in conjunction).This diagram (click to enlarge) shows how to simply add a canister filter via the bottom of an aquarium. This can work for most any canister filter (not just the Via Aqua pictured):  Drilled Canister Filter Application*Sump system Wet/dry filters also work well for extra large aquariums, and not to sound like a broken record but the previously mentioned Sponge filters (including Hydro Pond Filters), along with power heads, HOB, Internal Wet/Dry, can be excellent compliments or mixed filter systems. *For fish such as Discus which I have found seem to prefer more gentle water flows, the use of multiple Sponge Filters is highly recommended (generally run by a combination of power heads and air pumps). ADDITIONAL RECOMMEDED FILTRATION; GERMACIDAL *Without going in depth (this is not the intention of this article), I recommend that even a small aquarium should have a UV Sterilizer for disease prevention and Redox Balance. I personally have a 5 Watt Terminator UV Sterilizer on a 14 gallon tank, which was quite easy to install and when considers the cost of fish, treatments, and simple frustration; I think this is a worth investment. Please visit this article for MUCH more information about the use of UV sterilizers (including size, installation, etc.) Aquarium Filtration; Filters FURTHER RESOURSES: Heaters: For heater, rather than try and match a heater to an aquarium size, I would recommend reading this article to help understand the effect of ambient temperature and more to purchasing the correct heater: Aquarium Answers; Heaters For Aquarium Heaters: Aquarium Heaters Lighting: As with heaters I recommend looking over the many options in this fast evolving aspect of aquarium keeping by reading this article. Admittedly this article can be complex, but these aspects are important to understand what is truly important in aquatic lighting. Please look as the Tank Set up Lighting Suggestions (near the bottom of the article) Aquarium Lighting A couple of basic lighting suggestions that are also more current in technology: *Compact Fluorescent Lights, Eco Light *T2 Aquarium Lights These are actually one of the best lights as per output and energy used, yet are still reasonably priced. Two of the 13 watt T2 light fixtures can light a 30 gallon planted FW aquarium or even up to a 100 gallon fish only freshwater aquarium for huge savings in energy without a sacrifice in light output. Chemistry, Cycling more *A simple Aquarium Test Kit suggestion is the API 5 in 1 Test Strips Please read these articles for further aquarium set up information: *Aquarium Chemistry; GH, KH, pH This article includes information for different aquarium set ups, such as Amazon River Aquariums (Discus, Ram Cichlids, Angels, etc.) *Freshwater Aquarium Salt Use This article gives different salt use suggestions depending upon the type of fish kept *Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle This article helps the aquarist understand the importance of the aquarium nitrogen cycle, with suggestions for cycling a new aquarium.  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