how to set up a fish tank (for goldfish)

HOW TO SET UP A FISH TANK (FOR GOLDFISH)

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Properly welcoming a goldfish into your home and providing it with

an appropriate watery shelter is no small feat.

Your goldfish will soon be a part of your family, and will begin

spending time around your most intimate friends.

Make sure your goldfish is happy, comfortable, and, most

importantly, has only the best things to say about the fish tank you

maintain.

SET UP A FISH TANK





• Goldfish require particularly roomy living arrangements

in order to stay healthy.

• You can do better than a bowl because most fishbowls

simply don’t provide enough room for their occupants.

• A single fancy goldfish can be kept in a 10 gallon (37.9

L) tank, but bigger goldfish like comets need a tank of

around 50 gallons (189.3 L).

• If you are able to keep one goldfish from overthrowing

your empire, and wish to allow them a friend with

which to endure their captivity, you’re going to need to

increase the capacity of your fish tank (by roughly 10

gallon (37.9 L)) for each additional fish.

• A 20 gallon (75.7 L) is ideal for your first goldfish, and

can ultimately hold 2-3 fancy goldfish.

Choosing and Equipping a Goldfish TankPART NO 1

STEP No 1.1: Consider the size of your fish tank





• Most goldfish favor a palace or castle ambiance.

Shoot for somewhere in between. Gravel is a must,

and plants are recommended.

• Choose a goldfish appropriate gravel that is made

up of pieces that are too large for the fish to

swallow.

• Definitely hook your goldfish up with ample rocks,

caves, or plants. Goldfish like to adventure, and can

easily be fooled into thinking they’re not in a fish

tank.

• Don’t use wood. It looks spectacular, but will color

your water and, depending on the type of wood, will

dissolve.


STEP No 1.2: Decorate your fish tank





• Be aware that some rocks and sea shells will affect

the pH of the water. If you’re adding stuff you find

on the beach willy-nilly, you’re going to need to be

checking your pH frequently.

• Only put certain plants in your goldfish tank.

Goldfish, interestingly, are pretty aggressive with

plants. Some plants are better able to defend

themselves:

• Try Vallisneria types, different Hygrophilas, Red

Bacopa or even Ludwigia Arcuata.


STEP No 1.2: Decorate your fish tank





• A filter is an absolutely necessary component of

your fish tank. Filters operate according to flow

rate, with certain filters designed for certain sized

tanks, so make sure you get the right filter for a

tank your size. There are two types to choose from.

• External filters rest on the exterior of your tank,

while internal filters are submerged within the tank.

Either type of filter can work for a goldfish tank.

• External filters are generally considered to be

superior, as they have a greater capacity to store

filtration materials and can accordingly clean water

more thoroughly. .

• If you have a 20 gallon (75.7 L) tank, shoot for a

filter rated for 40 gallons (151.4 L).


STEP No 1.3: Use a filtration system.





• You can use tap water to fill your tank, but you need

to add conditioner to make it safe for your goldfish.

At minimum, you need a conditioner that neutralizes

chlorine and chloramine.[3]

• Aside from removing any harmful chemicals in tap

water with conditioner, you’ll also need to make

sure the water has the right pH level for gold fish,

which is a slightly alkaline 7-7.5 pH. Use a pH test

kit to periodically test your water.

• Take tank placement seriously. Do not place the

tank near a window or any heating or cooling

source. Do not allow sunlight to hit the tank directly.

• You likely don’t need a heater. The fish tank’s water

temperature should be between 60 °F (16 °C) and

72 °F (22 °C), so the ambient temperature of your

living space should work.[5]


STEP No 1.4: Add conditioned water.





• When you first set up your fish tank, you’re

going to need to let the water sit for at least a

few weeks before showing the place to any

prospective goldfish occupants.

• This time is necessary to help build up

beneficial bacteria, a process outlined in this

section. Be patient during this process!

Cycling Your Fish Tank’s WaterPART NO 2

STEP No 2.1: Allow the water to acquire healthy bacteria before adding fish.





• Goldfish poop a lot. And they hate swimming

around in their own poop. You would too. Their

poop will build up dramatically in your fish tank’s

water (even with plenty of water changes), which

will both enrage and sicken your goldfish.

• If you’re not using Aquaponics,To curb this buildup,

change 25-50% of the tank’s water once a week

• When changing some of the tank’s water, rinse the

filter and any tank décor with water your remove

from the tank. Never use tap water. Healthy

bacteria that you want to preserve live on and in

these items.

• Only add clean water that you’ve treated with

conditioner.


STEP No 2.2: Change the tank’s water once a week



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• You also need to regularly cycle the fish tank, which

means changing 100% of the tank’s water. The

goal in cycling your fish tank is to allow it to rebuild

colonies of helpful bacteria, which collect mostly on

the filter and in the gravel. These bacteria help your

water cycle nitrogen, which is necessary to keep

your fish alive.

• Once your tank is setup and ready to go, with the

filter running, add ammonia. Continue adding

ammonia until enough bacteria have developed to

eat both the ammonia and nitrites in your tank.


STEP No 2.3: Cycle the fish tank’s water once a month





• There are various forms of ammonia, which is

most readily available in bottled form. Follow the

directions on the bottle.

• Determine your levels of ammonia, nitrites, and

nitrates by using test kits designed for this

purpose.

• Maintain the process until you get readings that

indicate zero ammonia and zero nitrite. Once

you also find a bit of nitrate in the water (which

is produced by the bacteria), your tank has

been successfully cycled.


STEP No 2.3: Cycle the fish tank’s water once a month





• Look for a healthy, handsome fish. Don’t choose

a fish from an aquarium in which there are also

sickly or dead fish. You want a fish that looks like

they’re aware of their surroundings, actively

moves around, amd nibbles on stuff

• Gaze into the fish’s eyes. Seriously. Goldfish

eyes should be clear, not foggy.

• Check out the fish’s fins and body. You want

erect, non-ragged fins on your fish. Saggy or

messed up fins often indicate ill health. Similarly,

don’t choose a fish with white spots, fuzzy

patches, or red streaks.

• Once the match has been made, get your fish

into a plastic bag filled with water from the tank

from which it came. Place the plastic bag inside

a paper bag so the journey to its new home will

not traumatize it.

Introducing Goldfish to Their New HomePART NO 3

STEP No 3.1: Select your fish tank’s occupant.





• But don’t hurry the process. Float the bag for fifteen

minutes or so in your tank to let the fish slowly

acclimate to any temperature difference. At about

the five minute mark, allow some of the tanks water

into the bag, but don’t let any of the bagged water

into the tank.

• Do not pour the fish and the bagged water into your

tank. Instead, gently scoop the fish out of the bag

with a net and submerge the net in the tank slowly,

letting the fish swim out of the net on its own.

• Turn off the lights and leave the room. Give your

new goldfish some peace and quiet to encounter

their new living space.

• Add a fish tank additive called stress coat to the

water to minimize the chances of your fish

becoming ill from the change in environment.


STEP No 3.2: Show the fish its new home





• There are a lot of different options. Get whichever

you want; Preparation is more important. If the food

is dry (most goldfish food is), soak it in water from

the tank for a minute before feeding your fish. Un-

soaked food can injure or sicken the fish when it

expands in the stomach.

• Fish food should sink, or be suspended in the

water. Food that floats risks giving the fish swim

bladder issues.

• Feed your fish once a day, six days a week. On the

seventh day, your gold fish needs to rest.


STEP No 3.3: Feed your goldfish like it’s your only friend





FAQ

When I have high nitrates what should I do? And high pH?

You can purchase duckweed, which uses the nitrates like fertilizer, and do a water

change. To decrease the pH, you can add some peat moss to the filter.

How can I get away with not doing water changes?

You can't. If you don't change the water regularly, your fish will get sick and die.

Can I use distilled water I bought from the grocery store?

Yes.






Tips

There a few ways to speed up the cycling process:

• During the cycling process, keep the water slightly warmer to increase the speed of bacteria

growth.

• You can get a bottle of ready-to-go bacteria. If you go this route, still expect to add some

ammonia and test until the tank is balanced.

• You can borrow bacteria from a friend who already has a well-established, recently cycled fish

tank. Seed your own tank by taking some of their gravel or cutting off a piece of their filter’s

sponge and adding it to your tank.






Warnings

• Not all types of goldfish are compatible. Check on compatibility before mixing different types of goldfish in

your tank.

• Don’t place anything sharp in your fish tank. Many types of goldfish have special eyes, which – oddly –

actually makes it difficult for them to see. If they become frightened and move rapidly, they may injure

themselves.

• Though you will likely need to set your fish tank near an outlet, don’t ever dangle electrical cords over your

fish tank. Also be sure that no cord is pulling against the side of the tank or whatever your tank is resting

upon.






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how to set up a fish tank (for goldfish)

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