New Starter - Goldfish

[Mic_G]

Hey I'm new to this forum and new to fish keeping!

I bought a fish tank 5 days ago, added gravel, air pump and artificial plant.
Everything seemed fine ... Added some treatment stuff - goldfish protect and aquarium protect. Seemed fine.


Added real plants on Tuesday, Wednesday morning the water was merky, and last night the water was even worse ... Any ideas what it could be or is it completely normal? The fish haven't been added yet obviously.


Thanks ... MicG

 

[Laser]

I'm assuming the goldfish is already in the tank. What size tank is it and what kind of goldfish out of curiousity. This cloudiness is normal, just make sure you are testing for ammonia and nitrites. If either of those levels go up to 0.25 or higher you should do a 50% water change.

 

[Razorbackfan]

Actually, I think you said you have not added the fish yet, right? I'm still too new to answer your question about what is going on with the murky water, but you might find your answer--and other helpful information--in the article on "fishless cycling" The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless CyclingAquarium Advice and this article on getting started Guide to Starting a Freshwater AquariumAquarium Advice
(I hope I did these links correctly!) Both of these articles helped me out A LOT when I was first getting started.

 

[Coursair]

How big is your tank ??
Goldfish need at least a 29g for 2 fish.

Cloudy water, could just be a bacterial bloom.
Live plants ? What kind ?
What lighting do you have ?

Also goldfish protect and aquarium protect may be the exact same product ?? When you run out look for Prime water conditioner. 2 drops per gallon is economical.

 

[jlk]

Please read the links on starting a fw aquarium & fishless cycling (if you have not purchased a fish yet). Tank size would really help! If you plan on doing a fishless cycle, you will need to add a source of ammonia. Do you have an API test kit? This will be a must have in addition to a good water conditioner such as Prime. Please ask if you have any questions!

 

[Mic_G]

I think I have underestimated this big time! I bought a small tank from a local store, it's probably around about 25l ... There was no measurement on the tank cos it's just a cheap one. I've got no lighting at the moment ... I was under the impression the water would go murky and clear up after a couple of days?

I haven't got a testing kit ... Is that essential for just keeping goldfish?

Sorry but I am 100% new to it lol!

 

[jlk]

A test kit that measures ammonia, nitrite, nitrate & ph is a must for keeping any fish- ten times as important with a new tank! Unfortunately, 25l is only about 6 gallons. This is too small for any goldfish. A single betta or perhaps some nano fish would work or you could do a shrimp/snail tank. Fancy goldfish need atleast 20gal for a single fish. Commons, comets, shubunkins, etc are realistically pond fish and need atleast 50gal per fish because they can grow to be up to 18inches. Do your research & ask lots of questions- this will ensure you have a healthy, happy tank!

 

[Coursair]

I think I have underestimated this big time! I bought a small tank from a local store, it's probably around about 25l ... There was no measurement on the tank cos it's just a cheap one. I've got no lighting at the moment ... I was under the impression the water would go murky and clear up after a couple of days?

I haven't got a testing kit ... Is that essential for just keeping goldfish?

Sorry but I am 100% new to it lol!

6.6g is the size of your tank in US gallons. Too small for ANY Goldfish. There are small fish or Shrimp you can keep instead.

JUST GOLDFISH !!
They can live 15-20 YEARS with proper care !
The record is 39 or 49 years I forget which ( that we know of ).

Please read about Goldfish.

 

[LyndaB]

Sorry but I am 100% new to it lol!

We were all new at one time......

Unfortunately, the store employees never give us enough, or proper, information on starting out. Definitely take heed of the advice given in the thread and also do even more research. Once you get a handle on the nitrogen cycle, then do research on the specific species you wish to keep, in this case, goldfish. You can't have too much information before you actually get the fish.

 

[Mic_G]

6.6g is the size of your tank in US gallons. Too small for ANY Goldfish. There are small fish or Shrimp you can keep instead.

JUST GOLDFISH !!
They can live 15-20 YEARS with proper care !
The record is 39 or 49 years I forget which ( that we know of ).

Please read about Goldfish.

I wasnt saying 'just goldfish' ... I meant goldfish and goldfish alone.

 

[Coursair]

I wasnt saying 'just goldfish' ... I meant goldfish and goldfish alone.

Yes, but they are living creatures and if you just want to keep it for 2 weeks, just have one.
We have stickies under Freshwater Getting Started about Cycling with or without Fish.

I'd stick with a fish that can live in your tank.
I like to cycle with lots of plants, can't do that with a GF. They eat most plants.

 

[jlbfish]

You should check out Bettas. They are such pretty fish with such great personalities and easy to love (while mine is a bit piggish). Perfect for a 6 gallon and perfect alone! Good luck. The learning curve can sometimes be a bit overwhelming but this site has been great for information.

 

[Mic_G]

I went out at the weekend and bought a 95L set up ... Came complete with heater, filtration system etc etc ... I ended up getting platies for the smaller tank ... I am going to transfer them into the bigger tank next Sunday after its been running for a week!

Put the platies in the smaller tank and realised just how small it was so decided on a bigger one!

What other fish will go with them in a 24 degree tank?