How to set up a fish tank (for goldfish)
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Transcript of 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
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• 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
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• 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.
Choosing and Equipping a Goldfish TankPART NO 1
STEP No 1.2: Decorate your fish tank
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• 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.
Choosing and Equipping a Goldfish TankPART NO 1
STEP No 1.2: Decorate your fish tank
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• 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).
Choosing and Equipping a Goldfish TankPART NO 1
STEP No 1.3: Use a filtration system.
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• 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]
Choosing and Equipping a Goldfish TankPART NO 1
STEP No 1.4: Add conditioned water.
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• 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.
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• 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.
Cycling Your Fish Tank’s WaterPART NO 2
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.
Cycling Your Fish Tank’s WaterPART NO 2
STEP No 2.3: Cycle the fish tank’s water once a month
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• 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.
Cycling Your Fish Tank’s WaterPART NO 2
STEP No 2.3: Cycle the fish tank’s water once a month
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• 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.
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• 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.
Introducing Goldfish to Their New HomePART NO 3
STEP No 3.2: Show the fish its new home
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• 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.
Introducing Goldfish to Their New HomePART NO 3
STEP No 3.3: Feed your goldfish like it’s your only friend
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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.
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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.
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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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