mustcooktea Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 Well, I picked up my daughter’s new (second-hand) tank from the lfs yesterday. Yay! When I saw it again (I had it on layby), I thought, “Did I really buy something that big!†It is 76cm long x 30cm wide x 50 cm high. I know, it’s not really big but we are only planning on getting two fancy goldfish. I am hoping they will be able to grow huge and healthy in this tank. It has an undergravel filter with it, although I haven’t decided whether or not to use it. I am aware that goldfish may get too messy for an undergravel filter. Any opinions? I am also concerned that the air pump could be noisy in her bedroom. Can I check how it sounds by putting the tubes in some water and turning it on? (It is an Infinity AP-750). I thought that I would get the hang-on type filters (from the AquaClear range) and I am trying to decide whether to get one large one or two smaller ones. I thought that with two smaller ones I would have one in case of breakdown or the need to quarantine. I am in no rush to set the tank up as my daughter won’t be getting her fish until after her last little mouse goes to the big cheese in the sky. Hopefully, I will have time to get things organised before that happens. Thanks in advance for everyone’s help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
critter_guy Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 hi i have my tanks in my bed room with 3 air pumps going and it doesnt bother me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 For only 2 goldfish the tank is a reasonable size. The problem with ugf's is that goldfish like to nosey through the gravel and sometimes dig through it, disturbing the substrate the plates are under. I find them not enough on their own to handle the mess goldfish make. An air pump would probably make less noise than the AquaClears, unless you can fill the tank high enough to reach the overflow lip on the filter, or you will have the constant sound of falling water. AquaClears are good though and easy to clean and maintain. You might have to rinse the sponges every 3 or 4 days but this is easy to do. Internal canisters tend to block up too quickly as the fish grow so you might consider an external canister filter. These are very quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted February 27, 2005 Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 I would also suggest going for the external cannister. It wont really cost you much more, its seems like it cause you pay for it all in one go but when you add up the cost of your UGF plates, air pump, air lines, valves. Then find this isn't enough and add the aquaclears........ External cannisters are great, should cost around $150-$200, once they are set up you never have to worry again, they are silent and will need far less cleaning than most other filters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted February 27, 2005 Report Share Posted February 27, 2005 i wouldnt worry about the noise as they are usually quite, i would look at a cannister filter as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustcooktea Posted March 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 Thanks for everyones advice . I have decided not to use the undergravel filter as I know they are not the best for goldfish and besides only one line of the second hand air pump worked! I'm sure I will use the pump somewhere along the line though. Filter wise, I have picked up a near new AquaClear 200 which will get me started while I save my $$ for a canister filter. It didn't come with any media so I have purchased a sponge and some ceramic noodles for it. The lfs guy recommended puting the noodles at the bottom and the sponge on top. I thought that would make it easy to rinse the sponge but wondered if anyone had an opinion on the order they should be? I have had the noodles sitting in my son's little tank since saturday while I waited for the filter to arrive. Will that have had a chance to seed it at all or will it really make no difference? I thought that I would steal some gravel from his tank too. I am planning to pick up two small goldfish at the weekend which is very exciting for my daughter and I am hoping that if I keep a good eye on the water parameters they can get off to a good start. Wish me luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 Sounds like your doing okay so far. Normally you would put the sponge first in the flow of water then the noodles. The reason for this is that the sponge acts as a mechanical filter (collecting all the bigger solids) the noodles are the biological. Notice I also didn't say put the noodles on top or bottom, you need to look at the water flow path, some put the water in the top and drain out the bottom some the other way round. The bacteria in the biological part live in the small pores of the noodles so you want to avoid too many large particals clogging them up. Of course as with everything the rules aren't hard and fast, some filters are designed to use noodles as the first mechanical filter to catch the really big lumps, then a sponge to get the smaller, and then noodles again. Your best bet is to follow the manual that comes with filter or if it doesn't have one go into their web site and check. (NB: as you wil see if you have look through posts here SOME LFS workers lack the knowledge that they really require so always take their advise with a grain of salt, and get a second option if your not sure). Putting the noodles in your sons tank is a really good idea, if you can get some water flow over them it would be even better, some gravel is a good idea to. Goldfish are a great fish for kids to start off with, they are really hardy so you cant go to far wrong, plus are very interesting to watch. The most likely problem you will have is over feeding, kids like to show their love by feeding lots! There are a few nice plants that will be okay in cold water that the fish wont harm to much, Java fern, and indian fern are both easy to grow and IMO nicer to look at than the usual oxygen weed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 I have noodles and sponge in my AquaClear. I put the noodles on the bottom with the sponge on top to keep them in place. When the filter gets blocked enough that the water tends to flow out the side bit (where it shouldn't) and/or the sponge lifts the lid off the top, I clean it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herefishiefishie Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 oops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herefishiefishie Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 I do the same, in my case I think it works better that way. Aqua Clear do reccomend the other way round. With the fish I have & the food they get, there aren't any big particles to get caught up in the noodles & this way the sponges catches everything rather than having small bits recycle back into the tank. I find these to be quiet if as stated earlier, full tank up to the lip of the outflow. It will give enough airation too. Fancy goldfish do well, "pick out active ones & make sure they are breathing normally." Goldfish are prone to paracites. Frenchy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 I also have them around this way as I clean the sponge more often than the noodles so having it on top means I just pull it out, clean it, and put it back without having to romove the noodles first. I rinse the noodles every 2nd clean-out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustcooktea Posted March 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 It looks like this could be a case of good advice from the lfs. I'm still not sure that I've gotten over him selling me two commets for a 13 litre unfiltered tank! :evil: (I'm surprised they lived as long as they did and probably would have lasted longer if my children hadn't decided to decorate their tank with bottle tops on one of the rare days that I didn't check it at bed time). In saying that, he is a nice guy and beside, it's the only pet store in town! It's good to know that I have the advice of all you knowledgeable people to help me out this time around. None of my friends here in Gisborne keep fish so I will be relying on your advice and opinions to get things right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustcooktea Posted March 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 Well, we went and picked up my daughters goldfish today. She was excited enough about it to come and wake me up this morning to remind me that we were getting them today. She has chosen a black moor (Rudolf) and a gold fantail (Santa). She said she gave them those names to remind her of Christmas. As a result they will be boys until they prove otherwise. They have settled in very well and explored their tank once they could drag themselves away from their reflections in the side of the tank. Currently they are checking the gravel very throughly to make sure that there is no food there. Goldfish are such foodaholics! :roll: My next trick will be to try to get some photos and work out how to post them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustcooktea Posted March 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 Okay, here is my attempt at adding a photo. Santa is the red fantail. Rudolf is the black moor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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