Ok guys and gals, I was wondering if I can get some sort of list of Must Have's used to run a clean and hearty freshwater community. Looking to start with a couple guppies or tetras. No live plants just yet.

Thanks,
Molecularmann

Tank with stand (obviously)
Water source with minimal nitrates
Dechlorinator/water conditioner
Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate testing kit (generally these come together, the API has a good one that also tests for pH which is helpful)
Heater
Filter (good to buy extra media along with the filter too so you are prepared)
Substrate of some sort
Hood with light
2-3 different types of food (generally 1-2 kinds of flakes along with something frozen/freeze dried to supplement the diet)
Net
Decorations (ones that are similar in color to backdrop and gravel while providing hiding spots and aesthetic value to the tank are ideal)
Patience

Also a good idea to have:
Air pump/airstone (plus tubing)
Sponge/etc to clean aquarium (avoid using anything that has been used around the house to clean since even traces of chemicals can cause issues, best to buy something new)
Aquarium Salt (guppies do best with a bit of salt)
A quarantine/extra tank in case things go awry and you need to move or treat fish with medicine (this tank obviously needs a heater, filter, gravel, etc)
A backdrop
A gravel vacuum (a plastic tube with a hose)
A bucket or two for acclimation, water changes, etc..solely used for the aquarium
Bacteria from an established tank to help cycle your new aquarium quicker (never introduce water from another aquarium into yours, but putting in filter media, gravel, live rock, decorations, or plants from another aquarium is a good idea at the start)

If you have plants you'll probably need:
1-3 types of liquid plant food
Higher wattage light in the hood
Root tabs/CO2 is a good idea to promote growth

Also suggestions:
Research anything you put into the tank (chemicals, medicines, live creatures, salt, etc) to make sure everything is compatible. Even things like your choice of gravel and pH of your tap water needs to be factored in.
Maybe forgot a few things?

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30G planted aquarium with Aquaclear 50 and two Aquaclear 20s. 7 Cherry Barbs, 12 Cardinal Tetras, 1 Albino Bristlenose Pleco, 1 Golden Honey Gourami, and a handful of Ghost Shrimp.

Any suggestions on a filter to purchase?

Depends on the tank and your budget. If you have extra caah, canister filters are the best. If not, hang-on-back filters are just fine. Aquaclear, Emperor, and Penguin makes a good filter from what I hear. I like my Aquaclear becauae it has room for 3 media (not sure if the other two do), doesn't make a peep, and is cheaper than Emperors/Penguins but just as good from what I can tell.

Also it's a good idea to get a filter that is designed to handle an aquarium about double the size you actually have. Extra filtration never hurts as long as the fish aren't too small that they will be sucked and the current isn't too strong to tire them out (which some fish like/need).

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30G planted aquarium with Aquaclear 50 and two Aquaclear 20s. 7 Cherry Barbs, 12 Cardinal Tetras, 1 Albino Bristlenose Pleco, 1 Golden Honey Gourami, and a handful of Ghost Shrimp.

It's a 20gallon long that I would like to have neon tetras and maybe some other type of fish.

With a 20G long you could probably do 6-7 Neons and 6-7 Zebra Danios, Guppies, or White Clouds for sure (Guppies prefer higher tanks I believe while Danios are fast and like the longer ones) along with some Ghost Shrimp, snails, 2 Dwarf frogs, etc. If you wanted the livebearer route then 8 guppies and a female betta or two perhaps? (I think these would work, if not then 10-12 guppies would work). There is a good stocking tool I can link you to tomorrow (on my phone atm) if no one else does that can calculate if your tank is too overstocked and also warns you of compatibility issues.

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30G planted aquarium with Aquaclear 50 and two Aquaclear 20s. 7 Cherry Barbs, 12 Cardinal Tetras, 1 Albino Bristlenose Pleco, 1 Golden Honey Gourami, and a handful of Ghost Shrimp.

20 longs I suggest a canister,with the intake at one end and the outflow at the other.This will help with flow as well.

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http://bountifulbettas.blogspot.com/

"Come to the dark side....we have cookies...and filters/heaters/and water changes!"

filter,heater,fresh water, tank, thats it.

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30G planted aquarium with Aquaclear 50 and two Aquaclear 20s. 7 Cherry Barbs, 12 Cardinal Tetras, 1 Albino Bristlenose Pleco, 1 Golden Honey Gourami, and a handful of Ghost Shrimp.

1) tank

2) stand (old dresser?)

3) substrate

4) live plants

5) water

6) fish

7) light


Woopsies!!!!!!

Then you gonna need a whole lot more stuff and work

as usual my .02

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

well if you do end up with an emporor or penguin i have a penguin 150 and 200 plus an emporor 400, so for the 20 long i would go with the penguin 200 which is up to 50 gallons

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Current Tanks:
90G,30G,10G,10G,5G,38G,20G