Two answers · equipment

Do you buy a filter and a heater?

First Tank verdict. Every aquarist says yes, you need a filter and a heater. Living Oceans says those decisions are already inside the aquarium — plus the feeder and the auto top-off.

Living Oceans source: About + SEA product copy — automated lighting, heating, feeding, filtration, water top-up, in-tank algae refuge. Aquarist source: filter is the cycle; tropical fish need ~24–26°C; Australia still needs a heater in winter.

Normal aquarist answerLiving Oceans answer
FilterBuy one rated above the tank. Never rinse media in tap.In the system. Media bags replaced about every three months in their schedule.
HeaterSeparate bar. Wrong wattage is common.In the system, set at setup.
Light / feeder / top-offOptional extras until month two.Included. That is the “smart” in Smart Ecosystem.
Complete system · not a glass box Their answer is a system, not two SKUs

Automation “that works with nature, not against it” — heat, light, feed, filter, top-off.

What’s inside a Living Oceans aquarium

First Tank may earn a commission. Living Oceans answers are taken from Living Oceans’ own guides, product pages and care checklists. Normal aquarist answers are standard hobby practice — not one shop.

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