29 gallon Goldfish Tank...New start, Old Hobbyist
- Thread starter Hyper27
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
For a goldfish, a 15 or 20g rubbermaid type box (under $10 from any big chain store) and cheap filter or airpump/sponge works well. Nothing fancy needed. Set it up as needed. Thats the inexpensive option. Another option would be to keep a qt running and cycled at all times. Not practical for everyone though. 
For a goldfish, a 15 or 20g rubbermaid type box (under $10 from any big chain store) and cheap filter or airpump/sponge works well. Nothing fancy needed. Set it up as needed. Thats the inexpensive option. Another option would be to keep a qt running and cycled at all times. Not practical for everyone though.
If I went with an ever running quarantine tank, would I have to change its water weekly even though there wouldn't be any fishes present?
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
I do a 20g running and cycled all the time but I use it mostly for growing plants. I rarely ever have to use for a sick fish and really only use to qt new fish. I will sooner stick a sick fish in Rubbermaid tub and move a filter from the 20g (which has a bunch). It gets a dose of ammonia once or twice a week and i change 100% of water maybe 2-3x a month. I have let it go for a month without a wc before but inevitably the ph crashed. There's a few pond snails in it that let me know if the tank is going south. Not sure if this helps or not!
When I introduce the new fish, should I just put both of them into the 29 gallon (after the fishless cycle)? If I do this, will there be a possibility that the fish could get sick? Additionally, can fish get sick even if you keep everything top class in their aquarium?I do a 20g running and cycled all the time but I use it mostly for growing plants. I rarely ever have to use for a sick fish and really only use to qt new fish. I will sooner stick a sick fish in Rubbermaid tub and move a filter from the 20g (which has a bunch). It gets a dose of ammonia once or twice a week and i change 100% of water maybe 2-3x a month. I have let it go for a month without a wc before but inevitably the ph crashed. There's a few pond snails in it that let me know if the tank is going south. Not sure if this helps or not!
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
As they will both be new fish, your 29g will be essentially the quarantine tank. The basics to keeping any fish healthy and happy are pretty simple- lots and lots of healthy water and a good diet. The fish will take care of themselves otherwise! The only thing I recommend with goldfish is to run a cycle of praziquantel to eliminate any risk of flukes. Flukes are the most common thing afflicting goldfish (particularly from commerical sources vs a private breeder) and are very easily treated with no risk to the fish or your biological filter (good bacteria). Please ask if you have questions!
Fishanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
The 110 is very costy and more expensive. I say the 70 is fine. If not, you can get a canister, but that's usually for bigger aquariums.
If you don't mind about price, 110 is a better choice, depending on the fish as some are sensitive to the current.
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Alright, I guess I'll go with the 70. Now for the aeration system, in the Tetra Whisper line, should I go for the 40 or 60? The 60 apparently has two lines and the 40 has one.
Fishanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
No need to spend too much money on air pumps
The tetra whisper 20 is enough IMO. You shouldn't be having oxygen problems in you're tank.
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Imo, I would opt for the bigger filter if it's in your budget. You have future plans to upgrade anyway. I run over 1200gph between big hobs and powerheads on my 55s with my piggies.
Sharpchick
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Most people only put foam (or nylon hosiery, or similar) on the filter intake to avoid having shrimp or very small fish sucked up into the filter.
Most goldfish of selling size in pet stores are larger than that. Are you thinking of some other kind of mishap?
Good surface agitation created by a filter is a good thing for goldfish - it results in more oxygen being available for them. Sometimes to accomplish that, goldfish keepers lower the water level in the tank about an inch so there is lots of splashing by the water entering the tank from the filter. So unless the fish are getting blown around the tank by the water flowing into it, I don't think that would be an issue.
You'll have to set up the tank and add fish to know if that would be a concern.
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
I do cover my filter intakes with filter foam. Same stuff you would use in the filter. I have had 'misshaps' where fins, bodies or faces got caught in the uptake tubes when they were not covered, so its an easy step to prevent any problems. Keeping the tank full will limit the force of filter outflow. No one has any issues swimming and the current just produces a gentle swaying in the plants.
I recently read somewhere that goldfish are much harder to keep and maintain than tropical fish because they get sick easier and require more maintenance. Is this true? Additionally, how would you handle a situation when you will be away from your home for more than 1 week or so?
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Not going to lie, goldies are a lot of work! Their quirky, puppy dog personalities make up for the effort though! I would not say they get sick more often than other fish but they are prone to problems that you likely will not see in other species such as rampant buoyancy issues. This in part has to do with their breeding and physical design. Streamline species of goldfish do not have has many issues as fancies but good fish keeping practices help to limit problems (healthy water and a proper diet). Hope this helps!
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Forgot the being away part! The longest I have ever been away is a week. We have other pets so our neighbor stops by daily to keep an eye on everyone. Big wcs before leaving and upon returning. Minimal food- a single meal every other day and veggies. I leave everything premeasured in pill trays and veggies in baggies so there's no guesswork or risk of over feeding. And hide any fish food so there's no temptation to feed the 'starving' fish, lol!
Sharpchick
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Some of the difficulty arises when people take "cold water fish" literally and begin their tank without a heater. Unheated tanks can take much longer to cycle than heated ones. Folks get tired of waiting, start adding fish and move on to self-created problem #2.
Which is - filling up that tank with goldfish. Every square inch of space filled with glimmering gold. Which, of course, they know from their reading is courting disaster. However, just take a gander at the posts on this forum alone - someone stops by, talks about their 20 gallon tank with 6 goldfish in it, gets replies from members explaining once again that stocking a goldfish tank is much different than stocking a tropical one. But, the OP argues, MY tank has clear clean water in it...and away we go. Some of those same folks ask why their goldfish have bouyancy issues, and tell us about the cheap flakes they are feeding. We reply with the alternatives, which include fresh veggies and fruits, and again, on very frequent occasions, the OP argues - too much time, too expensive.
That gets to jlk's points. Healthy water and a proper diet. Neither in the control of the fish.
I think the notion that goldfish are harder to keep comes from fishkeepers who fail to make the commitment to the way the fish needs to be cared for.
Which is - filling up that tank with goldfish. Every square inch of space filled with glimmering gold. Which, of course, they know from their reading is courting disaster. However, just take a gander at the posts on this forum alone - someone stops by, talks about their 20 gallon tank with 6 goldfish in it, gets replies from members explaining once again that stocking a goldfish tank is much different than stocking a tropical one. But, the OP argues, MY tank has clear clean water in it...and away we go. Some of those same folks ask why their goldfish have bouyancy issues, and tell us about the cheap flakes they are feeding. We reply with the alternatives, which include fresh veggies and fruits, and again, on very frequent occasions, the OP argues - too much time, too expensive.
That gets to jlk's points. Healthy water and a proper diet. Neither in the control of the fish.
I think the notion that goldfish are harder to keep comes from fishkeepers who fail to make the commitment to the way the fish needs to be cared for.
Thanks guys! I am going to clean the ol' 29 gallon tomorrow! I will also be ordering filters etc. soon. Any advice on cleaning the tank itself though? I have has it in my garage with an aqua clear 50 hanging on it along with some gravel in it for 3 years. Note: we did not clean after the fish died of ich. Could the pathogen still remain?
jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Plain white vinegar works wonders for cleaning a tank and equipment, just rinse very well! The ich is long gone but I would personally toss the old gravel just as a precaution. It's pain in the behind to clean dirty old gravel but if your up to the task, go right ahead!
