New tanks

Second hand tanks

You can get second hand tanks from

thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, etc.. Just make sure there are no cracks, that it’s not been used with anything toxic, and confirm it can hold water. You can do this by filling the empty tank and waiting.

If there are rips in the lining, you can re caulk it with 100% silicone.

I’ve linked two aquarium safe silicones:

Algae scraper

Razor blade

Why buy a razor blade on a stick if you already have one laying around?

DO NOT TOUCH THE TANK LINING

You will cut it and cause a leak.

Glass sponge

Tooth brush

The sponge “cleaners” in my experience don’t work the best and they create a lot of water movement, shoving fish around and kicking up debris. Instead, try a toothbrush, it’s much smaller and works efficiently. On top of that, you can spin the toothbrush to get rid of hair algae.

Purchased driftwood

Found

driftwood

You can find wood in many places!

Most likely, if it’s not rotting it’s safe.

To sanitize, boil or bake. Boiling will most likely release tannins (not a bad thing)

Purchased rocks

Found

rocks

You can find rocks in many places!

Boil or bake to sanitize. To test that they won’t release anything into your water, perform the vinegar test.