aquanerd

Tank Builder

Get a complete shopping list for your aquarium in 30 seconds. No guesswork — every pick comes with a reason.

Configure your tank

Tank size (gallons)
Budget
Livestock
Experience

Your tank kit

Estimated total$167
Tank$35

Aqueon 10 Gallon Glass Aquarium

The 10-gallon is the most forgiving starter size — cheap, stable, and easy to find.

Buy on Amazon
Filter$12

Hygger Aquarium Double Sponge Filter (Small)

Shrimp-safe filtration with no intake tube to suck in babies; gentle flow bettas love.

Buy on Amazon
Heater$24

Eheim Jager 50W Heater

Accurate German-made heater with a reliable thermostat for small tanks.

Buy on Amazon
Light$18

NICREW Clip-On Nano Aquarium Light

Clean, bright light for nano tanks that keeps low-light plants and moss happy.

Buy on Amazon
Substrate$22

CaribSea Super Naturals Aquarium Sand

Inert, pH-neutral substrate — safe for any livestock and easy to clean.

Buy on Amazon
Water conditioner$12

Seachem Prime Water Conditioner

The gold standard dechlorinator — also detoxifies ammonia and nitrite during cycling.

Buy on Amazon
Test kit$25

API Freshwater Master Test Kit

Liquid tests for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate — essential for cycling and ongoing care.

Buy on Amazon
Plants / moss$10

Java Moss (Portion)

Shrimp graze the biofilm it grows and babies hide in it — a shrimp-tank staple.

Buy on Amazon
Food$9

Hikari Tropical Shrimp Cuisine

Balanced sinking food formulated for dwarf shrimp; won't foul the water.

Buy on Amazon

Pro tips

  • Always use a sponge filter (or a pre-filter sponge) — bare intake tubes suck in baby shrimp.
  • Add Indian almond leaves: they release beneficial tannins and grow the biofilm shrimp graze on.
  • Never use copper-based medications or fertilizers — copper is lethal to shrimp.

Prices are estimates and update live as you change options. The final price is always shown on Amazon.

How it works

  1. 1

    Tell us about your tank

    Pick a size, a rough budget, what you want to keep, and your experience level.

  2. 2

    We match the gear

    A rules engine cross-references your inputs against every product — no AI guesswork.

  3. 3

    Shop with confidence

    Every pick comes with a reason and a direct Amazon link. Buy all of it or just the bits you need.

Why these picks?

Recommendations follow real fishkeeping rules — heaters sized at roughly 3–5 watts per gallon, shrimp-safe sponge filtration, and gear scaled to your tank. We earn an Amazon commission if you buy, but the picks are chosen for your tank, not our payout.