Trying to setup a new water tank for my goldfish.

[Goldfisher]

Hi everyone,

I am picking up rearing of goldfish as my new hobby. I needed some help from the experts here.

I read through some of the past threads regarding rearing of goldfish and understand goldfishes poops a lot. Thus, a good filtration system is required to keep the water clean for the goldfishes to live happily. Frequent water change is also required: 1/3 every week. Goldfishes like to live in aerated water tank and a water pump in addition to the filtration is recommended.

Please correct the above if I say anything that are wrong.

The problem now is I am considering getting a all-in-one fish tank that includes the hood, filtration system and lighting. Is the pre-build filtration system good enough? How do we judge that? Brand or the power of the filter? Please enlighten me.

My plan is as follow to perform the full setup:
1) Get a 2 feet fish tank that holds more than 10 gallons of water, come with filter and hood & lighting. Buy a pump if not provided.
2) Decorate my water tank with plants, wallpaper and gravel
3) Rear 4 types of goldfish together: ryukim, veil tail, fantail, pearl scale <-- any problems in putting them together?
4) Fish that eat shits to clear the goldfishes poops.
5) accessories such as tank brusher, anti-chlorine water, tank stand

Is there anything I am missing?

[benlauhh]

Hello. IMHO:
1. Check the turnover of the filter. Typically people would propose 4-6x turnover rate. For goldfish,i would propose 6-8x.
2. Most people would advice against adding plants. But I like plants and i can advise you that if you insist on putting plants in your tank, go for: Java moss, or amazon anubias swords. Otherwise, it'll be a green buffet for your nice goldies.
3. I would advise against this. Better to keep one type for many reasons that maybe others can educate you better.
4. I would strong advise against this because they will turn on your fancy goldfish.
5. Good water conditioner that includes anti chloromine and not just anti chlorine, good pellet food and if possible to vary type of food (live and pellets), water testing kit - very important especially if you intend to keep goldies as the NH (Ammonia) levels will peak pretty fast.

[Goldfisher]

Hi. Thanks for your reply and information.

I have further doubts and questions hope anyone can help

1. Is this turnover rate of the filter labelled on the box or manual of the filter? I normally see something like a unit in Litre/Hour.
2. Goldfishes feed on plants? They are so greedy.. anything also eat. haha. So the two plants you mentioned they will not eat?
3. Sad to hear that, I will replan my single type fish community then
4. I read the pellets or live food should float on the water to allow easy cleaning and clearing if the goldies did not finish it. The chloromaine is a better alternative than chlorine and will use that One thing I was wondering is if adding chloromaine to the water it will increase the Ammonia (NH) Level and making the water more alkaline (PH). So what is the optimal NH and PH for the goldfishes to live and swim happily?

Hello. IMHO:
1. Check the turnover of the filter. Typically people would propose 4-6x turnover rate. For goldfish,i would propose 6-8x.
2. Most people would advice against adding plants. But I like plants and i can advise you that if you insist on putting plants in your tank, go for: Java moss, or amazon anubias swords. Otherwise, it'll be a green buffet for your nice goldies.
3. I would advise against this. Better to keep one type for many reasons that maybe others can educate you better.
4. I would strong advise against this because they will turn on your fancy goldfish.
5. Good water conditioner that includes anti chloromine and not just anti chlorine, good pellet food and if possible to vary type of food (live and pellets), water testing kit - very important especially if you intend to keep goldies as the NH (Ammonia) levels will peak pretty fast.

[benlauhh]

Hello. I'm actually surprised that there are no other answers than mine. So i'll try my best to assist you in your endeavour:

1. Turover rate is expressed usually in L/Hr or GPH (Gallons per Hr). Either is fine as long as you determine the volume of your tank and use whichever turnover ratings to find out. You will usually find this information on your box and manual. Otherwise, you'll have to search online.
2. Yes, the 2 plants that i've mentioned was tried and tested by me, and verified by many.
3. Yes, sorry about your plan but it would be better that way.
4. Not entirely true that it allows for easier cleaning. Brine shrimps being live food swims around for the Goldie to hunt so any suitable food regardless will be ok. However there are instances whereby floating pellets may cause a goldfish to be more prone to Swim Bladder Disease (SBD). If you care about your Goldfish, try to get something good and vary their diet with suitable greens like peas and even cucumber.
5. Understand that a good water conditioner is inclusive of anti-chloromine and anti-chlorine. I'll recommend you get the brand Genesis for this.
6. Ammonia is a byproduct from your fish, their waste and any uneaten food. They breathe, pee, poop and all that produce NH. Imagine if you're swimming around a pool where everyone pees and pooped in it... obviously it would be ideal that NH levels should be 0ppm for this reason. For PH levels it is generally safe to say that a range of 6.8 - 7.5 is ideal. They key here is not to vary the level too drastically or too much at any one time! There are PH buffers that you can buy for this or you could use some media to assist on this function.

I'll like to recommend you to this site so you can do more of your own reading before you dive into this hobby. GAB. There are tonnes of very insightful information in there for beginners.
Also, before you begin, I would also suggest that you cycle your tank first before you put your goldies in. Again if you're unsure what cycling of tank means, i'm sure you'll be able to find out from that line i suggested, or simply googling it.

Hope i've managed to answer your queries.

[wonderpets]

hies bro just to share my past goldfish hobby with you

i was keeping butterfly moors in the past

i too was keeping them in 2feet tank and put a normal overhead filter"in the overhead filter were wool,coral chips and biohome" with a slightly stronger pump then usual.As i was been thought by a old uncle to trick to keep your goldfish is their best condition is to have a low ammonia level and keep the water slow moving as he feels over long a period the fins of the fish become a little thinner due to periods of water dragging

as for water goldfish live better in higher ph waters so add more coral chips to buff the ph higher.as for feeding i feed frozen bloodworms and some pellets in the night

as for water change wise i do a 80% wc on every sunday because my filter was good so i no need so much water change but i did change alot wool due to the shyt i think thats pretty much it hahas i hope i did answer your questions

[Goldfisher]

Hi Benlauhh & wonderpets,

Thanks for your informative sharing. Great to be in this forum to learn from you guys.

Just to share my joy and execution of the plan with you guys. I bought a Hailea F60 fish tank (http://www.hailea.com/e-hailea/product1/F60.htm), which is a approx 2 feet tank. It is a 60 Litres tank that came with a HL-BT400 filter. The water flow rate is 380 hours/litre, which is approx 6.3 turnover rate; power 7W (power efficiency?); max jet 0.9m (What this anyway? haha).

I already got my tank setup with a layer of gravel that form the substrate of the tank. I also inserted a drift wood to make the aquascape look nicer. Will proceed to get more gravel as I wanted to make a slope alike to facilitate easy cleaning as well as improve the aesthetic look of the tank. I am still missing the water test kit (to test the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph level), underwater digital thermometer, lovely plants like the java moss and java fern. Intending to get it today.

I planned to get my tank cycled for 21 days to make the ammonia and nitrate to 0ppm first with my plants and mechanical filter. Thereafter, I will insert 2 lovely goldfishes - most probably will be Ryukim species.

Do anyone of the bro here foreseen any problems or have a better suggestion to my execution of my plan?

Wonderpets, you mentioned that you change 80% of your water in your tank weekly. Isn't that too much? I read at books and the Internet, the recommended water change is around 30% weekly. Do correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks everyone.