It's Time to Start Thinking About It: Acrylic vs. Glass This Time Around...

[ArtesiaWells]

In the wake of the absolute horrific disaster which plagued our home a few weeks ago -- our then-recently re-setup 60 gallon tank that was in the midst of a cycle developed a crack in the rear glass which flooded our entire house after a bacterial infection crashed it previously...so luck was NOT on our side -- and very, very difficult personal hardships I have had to endure personally and emotionally since then and during this time, we are beginning to pick up the pieces and begin discussing a place to move our four fancy goldies to once the house is completely finished in terms of reconstruction; for those of you that remember, we saved the Black Moor and his small tankmate who were in the midst of a fish-in cycle in the 60 gallon when the crack occured and spilled water down into the living room below and our master bedroom next door, by putting them into the 10 gallon I had set up for the Red Cap Oranda and his small orange tankmate after he attacked the two fancies in the 60 that ultimately lead to the bacterial infection that killed those two and wiped out the tank. So now, I have four goldfish in a 10 gallon, running with an Aqueon QuietFlow 20 and a 18" bubble bar for supplemental aeration, and I'm doing daily and sometimes bi-daily water changes to keep them alive.

The reconstruction process in our home is nearing the finish line, after floors, ceilings, drywall, carpet and wiring had been yanked out and gutted leaving our house looking like a tornado ripped through it, and the topic of what to do with these surviving fish -- all of which appear to actually be growing and doing very well, the Red Cap and Moor in particular getting really huge -- came up between me and the wife. According to her, we won't have the funds to do a tank right away because this disaster pretty much wiped us out financially even WITH home owner's insurance, and we both agreed we DO NOT EVER WANT TO go through this again. The catch? I don't want a new tank anywhere but where this old one was that cracked -- and even though our handyman reinforced that area to be able to withstand the weight of a new big tank when our ceilings were open, the chances are good that another tank will crack or split because of the poor construction of this home and the way this upstairs loft seems to "creak" and buckle when you walk on its floors. There's no way this isn't going to cause ripples up the seams of a new tank, ultimately breaking yet another one...in fact, we even believe the 10 gallon has sprung a small crack in the back from the construction work done on the house from all the banging and pounding in and around that room. Just now, today, we have someone laying down tile in that room between the hallway and the entrance to the loft, because the idiot carpet people didn't match our carpet colors right when they ripped out the previous soaked and damaged carpet from the flood, and now we need to create a kind of "transitional boundary" between the rooms, and he is pounding all morning trying to get the tile down. I am sure this is just making what we perceive as a crack in the 10 gallon (which also may be just a scratch in the glass) which sits on a "pony wall" of our staircase adjacent to the loft room even worse.

So, here's the deal: I am beginning to think, when we're ready, that we are going to have to go with an ACRYLIC tank to better ensure a crack-free home for the goldfish; I have been told that acrylic is better than glass in terms of shattering and cracking, and that is something which is utterly necessary in our situation because of the vibrations that rock this room the tank will be in. First of all, are the rumors true about acrylic and that it won't shatter or crack? Is it really a better choice, for us, to go with acrylic rather than glass for the new tank?

Here are some other things I am questioning, and require some feedback on: I realize with acrylic, there is an issue of scratches and how they're so much worse than on glass -- but while I can live with that, should an acrylic tank be better with helping withstand vibrations and possible cracks to the structure of the tank? Further, what would be the ideal size aquarium I should be looking for given I will be putting the four fancy goldfish back in it?

That leads me to another series of questions, actually -- when it's time to transfer the fish from the 10 to the larger tank we (eventually/hopefully) get, what should the procedure be? Should all four go in the bigger tank right away for a fish-in cycle...or should they be introduced gradually and individually?

Now, getting back to the original topic -- I am not certain if we want to go as big as a 60 gallon again if we set up another tank, but what would the ideal size be for the four goldies at this point? The Oranda and Moor are getting large -- but the other two are still almost feeder-size at this point. Would a 40 suffice? How about a 46 bowfront style? Or would I need to go up to more like a 50/55/60?

I really want to know more about the whole acrylic vs. glass thing before we buy a new tank; who would be the best bet in terms of a manufacturer for the acrylic tanks? Petsmart's website has a bunch of acrylic tanks but they're SO expensive, and I never saw one in their stores...I also reached back out to Glasscages.com after I sent them an email about a week ago asking about having a (glass) tank shipped with a stand and hood, and them refusing to ship me one because they told me the shipping costs for a glass tank to where we live would be ridiculously expensive, to ask them about sending me an acrylic tank instead. I am waiting to hear back from them. Who else makes a good acrylic tank? Any online leads?

Ultimately, would an acrylic aquarium solve our "problem" of worrying about another tank cracking or breaking? Would this be the logical alternative over a standard glass tank? What shape should I be looking for -- standard rectangle, bowfront, etc? Is one stronger than the other in acrylic tanks?

As always, I look forward to getting any feedback from anyone that could provide some insight here. Thank you.

 

[Alyxx]

Acrylic is much more resistant to breaking and cracking, so I think it is a good idea if it looks like glass would crack again. I'm so sorry to hear that this happened to you after all that has gone on with the tank. I thought my 56 gallon was going to do the same thing a few weeks ago, I woke up to roughly 5 gallons on the floor, but thankfully the area of the painted background that had washed off pointed me to the source of the leak, which was not the tank itself but an overflowing filter. I just had to empty the tank and move it so I could get everything dry again.

With acrylic you will have to be careful when cleaning it to avoid scratches, but you can buff most scratches out of acrylic pretty easily. I would go with a 50 gallon at the very least, but another 60 would be better. Remember, with fancy goldfish it is 20 gallons for the first and 10 for every one after that as the bare minimum. So with the four you have, 50 would be the minimum but it is always better to go a little bigger. It gives more room for error and gives them more room to grow. Also, acrylic is lighter than glass, so the total weight of the tank will be slightly lighter than the glass one was, so for the same gallons you will have slightly less strain on the floor.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Acrylic is much more resistant to breaking and cracking, so I think it is a good idea if it looks like glass would crack again. I'm so sorry to hear that this happened to you after all that has gone on with the tank. I thought my 56 gallon was going to do the same thing a few weeks ago, I woke up to roughly 5 gallons on the floor, but thankfully the area of the painted background that had washed off pointed me to the source of the leak, which was not the tank itself but an overflowing filter. I just had to empty the tank and move it so I could get everything dry again.

With acrylic you will have to be careful when cleaning it to avoid scratches, but you can buff most scratches out of acrylic pretty easily. I would go with a 50 gallon at the very least, but another 60 would be better. Remember, with fancy goldfish it is 20 gallons for the first and 10 for every one after that as the bare minimum. So with the four you have, 50 would be the minimum but it is always better to go a little bigger. It gives more room for error and gives them more room to grow. Also, acrylic is lighter than glass, so the total weight of the tank will be slightly lighter than the glass one was, so for the same gallons you will have slightly less strain on the floor.

Thanks alot Alyxx, and indeed thank you for your understanding; we have been going through absolute hell with all this bad luck surrounding us -- in the middle of it all, through all this hardship of the disaster that ruined our home from a cracked fish tank, we are STILL dealing with a sick dog who has seizures and suffers from panchriatitis and diabetes and if all this wasn't bad enough, our bed snapped in half the other night and the frame broke, forcing us to buy another bedroom set (in all fairness, we needed a new one, but this came at a terrible time for us financially)...

Anyway, I appreciate your analysis of the acrylic tanks -- so it seems we should be looking at one, yes? Would I be able to hang my HOB's on the back of one just as I did a glass tank? I know many of these acrylic tanks are rimless, so that's why I asked. And you suggest sticking with the 60 gallon, huh? 50 at the very minimum?

And what would you recommend to clean the inside of the acrylic surfaces with?

 

[Alyxx]

Thanks alot Alyxx, and indeed thank you for your understanding; we have been going through absolute hell with all this bad luck surrounding us -- in the middle of it all, through all this hardship of the disaster that ruined our home from a cracked fish tank, we are STILL dealing with a sick dog who has seizures and suffers from panchriatitis and diabetes and if all this wasn't bad enough, our bed snapped in half the other night and the frame broke, forcing us to buy another bedroom set (in all fairness, we needed a new one, but this came at a terrible time for us financially)...

Anyway, I appreciate your analysis of the acrylic tanks -- so it seems we should be looking at one, yes? Would I be able to hang my HOB's on the back of one just as I did a glass tank? I know many of these acrylic tanks are rimless, so that's why I asked. And you suggest sticking with the 60 gallon, huh? 50 at the very minimum?

And what would you recommend to clean the inside of the acrylic surfaces with?

I've never owned a larger acrylic tank, only a couple nano tanks, but I think you could find one that a hob could be used with. If it comes down to it you could epoxy an acrylic rim to a rimless tank, or get one made that way. As for cleaning it, they sell algae scrubbers made with soft pads for acrylic tanks. Man, between the tank, the dog, and the bed I'm sure things are rough right now. But bad things come in threes, eh? Seems to me like you must have hit the limit on bad luck for now, at least hopefully. I know how rough it is when you have a sick pet, it's been about a year since my mom had to put my dog down after she lost control of her back legs suddenly. It's so hard to watch them suffer, but at least it sounds like your dog's condition is manageable. Give him or her a scratch on the head for me, I hope he/she gets better soon. I had to giggle a little at the bed snapping, though. I've had a badly welded futon do that to me when I was on it. A few of the bars just broke off as I sat down. It's comical until you realize you have to buy a new bed. Good luck!

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Thank you.

Would you be able to possibly lead me in the right direction in terms of a good online vendor for an acrylic tank? And do you have any insight in terms of the questions I had regarding moving the four fish into an eventual larger tank?

 

[Alyxx]

I would move all of them at once. That way none of them can start thinking of the tank as their territory. Goldfish aren't particularly territorial but I think it would be safer to introduce them all at once so they don't start thinking of one of their buddies as outsiders. Also, if you moved them all at once and did a fish in cycle with all of them, the tank would be cycled to their bioload once the cycle finishes, but if they were added one by one you might be looking at mini cycles after each one was moved. However, if you can use the same filter through all of this you shouldn't have to deal with much of a cycle moving all of them at once anyway. One more reason for moving them all at once is the simple fact that you won't have to be doing daily changes on the overstocked 10 gallon anymore, and they will be in a healthier environment. No need to keep any of them in that tank any longer than is absolutely necessary.

As far as acrylic tank manufacturers, I can't point you to any one in particular, but I would just look for one with good reviews and preferably some sort of endorsement with the BBB or something similar. Send emails to the sites you find before you place an order and try to feel out how good their customer service is and if they are willing to work with you to make the tank you want. Check the general retailers section here for comments on various companies. Also, I would post in the saltwater getting started or equipment section to get some opinions from forum members, acrylic tanks are a little more common with saltwater tanks because of the larger sizes available. You could also check your local Craigslist for used acrylic tanks to save a little money. You never know what you can find there or what kind of deals you may find. I got a complete 56 gallon glass tank for around $80 a couple months ago.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

I would move all of them at once. That way none of them can start thinking of the tank as their territory. Goldfish aren't particularly territorial but I think it would be safer to introduce them all at once so they don't start thinking of one of their buddies as outsiders. Also, if you moved them all at once and did a fish in cycle with all of them, the tank would be cycled to their bioload once the cycle finishes, but if they were added one by one you might be looking at mini cycles after each one was moved. However, if you can use the same filter through all of this you shouldn't have to deal with much of a cycle moving all of them at once anyway. One more reason for moving them all at once is the simple fact that you won't have to be doing daily changes on the overstocked 10 gallon anymore, and they will be in a healthier environment. No need to keep any of them in that tank any longer than is absolutely necessary.

As far as acrylic tank manufacturers, I can't point you to any one in particular, but I would just look for one with good reviews and preferably some sort of endorsement with the BBB or something similar. Send emails to the sites you find before you place an order and try to feel out how good their customer service is and if they are willing to work with you to make the tank you want. Check the general retailers section here for comments on various companies. Also, I would post in the saltwater getting started or equipment section to get some opinions from forum members, acrylic tanks are a little more common with saltwater tanks because of the larger sizes available. You could also check your local Craigslist for used acrylic tanks to save a little money. You never know what you can find there or what kind of deals you may find. I got a complete 56 gallon glass tank for around $80 a couple months ago.

Thank you very much.

 

[librarygirl]

I agree, acrylic is probably a better option. There are some ready made acrylic tanks (I'd go with a 60 gal for all of those goldfish) such as this one and this one but I've never bought from these specific manufacturers so it might be a good idea to do some research too.

With a tank of that size I'd opt for a canister filter (Eheim and Fluvals make pretty good ones). For goldfish you need a lot of filtration and HOB filters probably wouldn't be powerful enough on a tank of that size with four goldfish. You could add any media you have now on their current tank for the bacteria and then just fill the rest with the new media the filter comes with.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

I agree, acrylic is probably a better option. There are some ready made acrylic tanks (I'd go with a 60 gal for all of those goldfish) such as this one and this one but I've never bought from these specific manufacturers so it might be a good idea to do some research too.

With a tank of that size I'd opt for a canister filter (Eheim and Fluvals make pretty good ones). For goldfish you need a lot of filtration and HOB filters probably wouldn't be powerful enough on a tank of that size with four goldfish. You could add any media you have now on their current tank for the bacteria and then just fill the rest with the new media the filter comes with.

Hello, Library Girl...

Thank you for the reply; I will check out the sites you provided above. I just today received an answer to an email I sent Glasscages.com regarding having an acrylic tank shipped with stand and hood contraption, but the prices were absolutely ridiculous.

As for the filtration, I'm aware of the needs of goldfish, as we have been keeping them for about two and a half years now since starting up our original 60 gallon which first crashed, biologically, due to a bacterial infection breakout which ate away at the back ends of our beloved fancytails and then developed a crack which flooded our house after we got that same tank cleaned out and began cycling it. I have two pretty big HOB's which I plan on running on the next setup, and which have already been disinfected and sterilized from the last time we used them -- an Aqueon QuietFlow 55 good for 300-plus gallons per hour and an AquaClear 110, good for an additional 500, making for a total of over 800 gallons per hour...

 

[FishFanatic88]

Hello, Library Girl...

Thank you for the reply; I will check out the sites you provided above. I just today received an answer to an email I sent Glasscages.com regarding having an acrylic tank shipped with stand and hood contraption, but the prices were absolutely ridiculous.

As for the filtration, I'm aware of the needs of goldfish, as we have been keeping them for about two and a half years now since starting up our original 60 gallon which first crashed, biologically, due to a bacterial infection breakout which ate away at the back ends of our beloved fancytails and then developed a crack which flooded our house after we got that same tank cleaned out and began cycling it. I have two pretty big HOB's which I plan on running on the next setup, and which have already been disinfected and sterilized from the last time we used them -- an Aqueon QuietFlow 55 good for 300-plus gallons per hour and an AquaClear 110, good for an additional 500, making for a total of over 800 gallons per hour...

I want to start off by saying how great it is to see you on here again! I know you were/are going through some tough times and i am very glad to see you back posting again.

Acrylic tanks are much more durable and dont shatter/break the same way glass does, meaning it would take alot more force of accidently hitting an ornament against the pane of acrylic as oppossed to glass.

I definately agree with adding all four at the same time because goldies can sometimes be bullies. in respect to filtration, you could put a bubble bar a couple inches infront of each intake, so that it blows debris up into the grasp of the filter but so that bubbles dont get into the filter because it makes an annoying sound when they do. I use this method with my oscar tank who also has massive and frequent poop. I also took the end cap (strainer thingies) of the intake tube off so that bigger waste particles get sucked up, but my 8" oscar isnt in any danger of being sucked into the filter but idk about your goldies so it may or may not work for you depending on the intake tube size and the girth of your fish.

Check your local fish stores for an acrylic tank first because even if they dont have any instock most of the time they can order one for you, and if something goes wrong with the shipping you wont have to deal with it, they will. (i hate shipping stuff lol).

Just a side note because you mentioned the vibrations and creaking the tank may have to withstand, if you have the tank custom made or special ordered see if they can do a double silicone seal on the interior. It will help to ensure that nothing compromises the seal.

I wish you the best of luck!

 

[ArtesiaWells]

I want to start off by saying how great it is to see you on here again! I know you were/are going through some tough times and i am very glad to see you back posting again.

Hello Fanatic, my Good Friend!

Thank you so very much for the kind words and welcome wishes; indeed, I came very very close to a disastrous situation in terms of my personal existence because of everything that was happening around us. I pulled through, though, and even though our home will never be the same and our finances are pretty much emptied because of this flood, we are picking up the pieces and attempting to move on -- the construction work to the house is done, the new carpets are down (an absolute nightmare which I will tell you about), the painting is complete, the furniture has been moved back in and yesterday we got a company to do a complete top to bottom deep cleaning of the home. We're at the stage where we have to find some scrap money to scrape together to find the four goldies a bigger home -- preferably in the same spot the cracked 60 gallon sat, unfortunately.

The biggest nightmare has been the carpeting -- because of the way the water flooded certain rooms in the house, downstairs and up, our homeowner's insurance (through Traveler's) provided certain coverage for certain areas that were affected, leading to weird custom carpet jobs the flooring people (complete idiots and mean-hearted business owners who didn't care about helping us or providing good service) had to do. This lead to mismatched colors throughout the rooms, where the colors completely didn't match our old unaffected carpets; the whole thing was a mess. We had to have special work done to them to make the carpets seem like they were the same color, and this took a ridiculous amount of time. Every single day, over this entire time period I first reported this incident, we had gaggles of workers in and out of our home, which looked like a disaster zone with ripped up floors, ceilings, etc. and plastic over everything. It was getting absolutely exhausting.

Anyway, I was able to pull through my personal breakdown of sorts, but to be honest, I won't ever stop feeling the way I do about what happened to us -- between this latest disaster, the hideous car accident which plagued us a few Super Bowl sundays ago when some drunk idiot kid hit us head-on in his Dodge Ram and put me in the hospital where I was in ICU for two weeks on a respirator and shattered my right leg to the point it needed screws and a rod, plus dealing with our dog who is diabetic and has seizures and who takes 17 pills a day, constant deaths in our families and other routine hardships that don't want to leave us alone, I am really hitting rock bottom here. The house just isn't the same anymore; certain things don't match exactly (you know, like ceiling paint or drywall spots, or the aforementioned carpeting) much like how paint doesn't match after a car accident and you get your vehicle back from the body shop...I don't know how to go on now thinking things aren't "sitting" the same on shelves because they had to me moved after the flood, or that furniture had to be replaced/removed...in the midst of this whole fiasco, our bed broke in half and we had to replace it, opting to just buy a new bedroom set because it was time anyway. It couldn't have come at a worse time, financially, though...

Acrylic tanks are much more durable and dont shatter/break the same way glass does, meaning it would take alot more force of accidently hitting an ornament against the pane of acrylic as oppossed to glass.

So you think we should go with an acrylic tank the next time around, when we can afford it (IF we can ever afford it)? The thing is, these are so much more expensive than glass -- here's the thing, though: I want to almost be CERTAIN that this next tank will not crack or break or cause another flood like this last one did, because if that happens, I am seriously over. There will be no money to fix the house yet again and I will have nowhere to go but down.

Assuming I don't smash the tank with an oversized sledgehammer or push it off its stand with my own hands, will an acrylic tank pretty much guarantee a crack/shatter-free experience? The reason this is so critical in our situation is because of the structure of this house and the specific room the tank will be in -- if the ill-fitting floor and structure of this loft caused the last 60 gallon to crack like it did, we can assume the same thing is going to happen again, so I HAVE to be nearly certain that a new tank won't be under the same stress. Will an acrylic tank be the better choice here for this?

I have a ton of questions regarding acrylic which were never answered, as well; can I hang my two typical HOB filters on the back of an acrylic tank like I would a glass version? Where can I find a stand for one of these -- do they sit on stands just like a glass tank does? And what about hoods/lighting -- are there plastic hood solutions for the tops of them?

I definately agree with adding all four at the same time because goldies can sometimes be bullies.

While I am learning that they can be bullies from sheer experience, this is actually very surprising when you consider that most people say goldfish are simply not territorial or aggressive by nature -- it has been my experience even in the past when I attempted to keep fancy varieties that they are simply docile, slow-swimming graceful fish that keep to themselves or school peacefully. I am seeing, lately, strains of these creatures even at my local Petsmart that exhibit chasing/aggressive/bullying characteristics and it is alarming.

So, if/when we get the new tank, what would be the best procedure for the move -- scoop out each fish in, say, a measuring cup or something like that and put them directly into the new tank? How long does the new tank need to be up and running with filters going and Prime etc. added before the fish can be put in? All four should go in at the same time? What about adding a product like Seachem's Stability when the new tank is first started up to kick start the cycle process?

in respect to filtration, you could put a bubble bar a couple inches infront of each intake, so that it blows debris up into the grasp of the filter but so that bubbles dont get into the filter because it makes an annoying sound when they do. I use this method with my oscar tank who also has massive and frequent poop.

Interesting idea, and something I considered in my last setup before the 60 gallon cracked -- I was keeping the two bubble bars I have directly under the intakes of both filters, pretty much against the back glass of the tank, but this was spewing a lot of bubbles into the filters and the AquaClear 110, in particular, made a nasty sound when this happened; I think in the next setup, if we ever do another one, I will do what you suggest and place the bars a bit in front of each intake so the debris gets thrown into the intake but the bubbles don't...

Check your local fish stores for an acrylic tank first because even if they dont have any instock most of the time they can order one for you, and if something goes wrong with the shipping you wont have to deal with it, they will. (i hate shipping stuff lol).

Well, my local Petsmart doesn't have the acrylic tanks in stock in the store; as far as I know, they're just online...but they're awfully expensive.

Just a side note because you mentioned the vibrations and creaking the tank may have to withstand, if you have the tank custom made or special ordered see if they can do a double silicone seal on the interior. It will help to ensure that nothing compromises the seal.

Thanks for the tip...although I simply don't think we can afford to do anything custom at this point or anytime soon -- right now, I just need some options.

I wish you the best of luck!

Thanks so much, Fanatic -- I look forward to hearing back from you with some additional insight.

 

[Alyxx]

As for putting them in the tank, acclimate them just as you would if you were bringing them home for the first time. Put them in a bucket of water from the 10 gallon and drip acclimate them or scoop them into bags (your fish store can give you some or sell you some) and float them, adding tank water to the bag every 15 minutes or so, then scoop them out of the bag into the tank.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

As for putting them in the tank, acclimate them just as you would if you were bringing them home for the first time. Put them in a bucket of water from the 10 gallon and drip acclimate them or scoop them into bags (your fish store can give you some or sell you some) and float them, adding tank water to the bag every 15 minutes or so, then scoop them out of the bag into the tank.

Should all four go into one bag -- or separate them? I've never actually done the "drip acclimate" method when bringing them home from the store -- I normally just float them in their bags atop the tank water for 15 minutes then release...even though I have read this can introduce parasites and other stuff, possibly, from the store's tank water...

At any rate, I can bag them from the 10 gallon, then float them in the new tank...and then can I just release into the new water once the temperature is acclimated? I have such an issue with netting fish -- it's SO stressful on them, and I feel so bad for them...it's so inhumane IMO because they're gasping for breath. Can I just scoop them with a cup or measuring cup of some kind from the 10 gallon, pour them into ziplock bags, then float them in the new tank and release when it's time?

 

[Alyxx]

Should all four go into one bag -- or separate them? I've never actually done the "drip acclimate" method when bringing them home from the store -- I normally just float them in their bags atop the tank water for 15 minutes then release...even though I have read this can introduce parasites and other stuff, possibly, from the store's tank water...

At any rate, I can bag them from the 10 gallon, then float them in the new tank...and then can I just release into the new water once the temperature is acclimated? I have such an issue with netting fish -- it's SO stressful on them, and I feel so bad for them...it's so inhumane IMO because they're gasping for breath. Can I just scoop them with a cup or measuring cup of some kind from the 10 gallon, pour them into ziplock bags, then float them in the new tank and release when it's time?

I try to scoop my fish when I can. And I would definitely recommend scooping for fancy goldfish to avoid hurting their fins. Ziplock bags would work fine. I'd test the water in both tanks before releasing them to be sure the ph is the same if it isn't you should add tank water to the bag every 15 minutes or so to make sure they are acclimated to that. There shouldn't be a difference, but because of the cycling condition of the 10 gallon (it will likely never cycle with four goldfish in it, but I know you are committed to changing the water often enough to keep them from suffering ill effects) there is a possibility that the ph in that tank could be significantly lower than the big tank. If it is close, you can just temp acclimate them. I would still try to add as little bag water into the new tank, though, as it will bring ammonia into the new tank.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

I try to scoop my fish when I can. And I would definitely recommend scooping for fancy goldfish to avoid hurting their fins. Ziplock bags would work fine. I'd test the water in both tanks before releasing them to be sure the ph is the same if it isn't you should add tank water to the bag every 15 minutes or so to make sure they are acclimated to that. There shouldn't be a difference, but because of the cycling condition of the 10 gallon (it will likely never cycle with four goldfish in it, but I know you are committed to changing the water often enough to keep them from suffering ill effects) there is a possibility that the ph in that tank could be significantly lower than the big tank. If it is close, you can just temp acclimate them. I would still try to add as little bag water into the new tank, though, as it will bring ammonia into the new tank.

Yes, I'm actually doing DAILY and sometimes BI-DAILY water changes on the 10, and have since putting the four goldies in there. I'm going through a ton of Prime because of this, but what can I do?

As for the "scooping," do you mean like with a cup rather then netting?

 

[Alyxx]

Yes, I'm actually doing DAILY and sometimes BI-DAILY water changes on the 10, and have since putting the four goldies in there. I'm going through a ton of Prime because of this, but what can I do?

As for the "scooping," do you mean like with a cup rather then netting?

Yeah, I usually use plastic solo cups. I've gotten into the habit of doing it that way because pufferfish should never be netted out of the water as they can inflate with air when they freak out, and that can cause major health problems, so now I do it with most of my fish when I can.

Hey, look on the bright side, you're going through far less water conditioner than you would be if you were using any other brand! If I were you I would look online and find the biggest, cheapest bottle you can find, and maybe either a small bottle with a dropper top or an eye dropper so you can control the dosage a little easier. Remember, two drops per gallon of water, 4 drops per gallon if you want to neutralize ammonia up to 1 ppm. The good thing is, water changes on a 10 gallon are so easy! A couple buckets and you are done.

 

[ArtesiaWells]

Yeah, I usually use plastic solo cups. I've gotten into the habit of doing it that way because pufferfish should never be netted out of the water as they can inflate with air when they freak out, and that can cause major health problems, so now I do it with most of my fish when I can.

Yeah, I'm not going to net them anymore unless they, G-d forbid, pass away...

Hey, look on the bright side, you're going through far less water conditioner than you would be if you were using any other brand! If I were you I would look online and find the biggest, cheapest bottle you can find, and maybe either a small bottle with a dropper top or an eye dropper so you can control the dosage a little easier. Remember, two drops per gallon of water, 4 drops per gallon if you want to neutralize ammonia up to 1 ppm. The good thing is, water changes on a 10 gallon are so easy! A couple buckets and you are done.

Actually, I take out just one bucket of water per change, which takes out almost half of the tank, and then there is the return trip of course with the fresh water...so that may be what you meant by "a couple of buckets"...

As for the Prime dosing, as we have been discussing in the other thread, if I continue to use just the cap, is half a cap okay for the 10 gallon?

 

[FishFanatic88]

As for putting them in the tank, acclimate them just as you would if you were bringing them home for the first time. Put them in a bucket of water from the 10 gallon and drip acclimate them or scoop them into bags (your fish store can give you some or sell you some) and float them, adding tank water to the bag every 15 minutes or so, then scoop them out of the bag into the tank.

I mean no disrespect but drip acclimateing is pointless. I read it takes something like 12 hours for fish to get used to the water anyways. i have 6 tanks in my house and some of the fish have been in three different tanks. as long as the two tanks have similar temps you should be fine adding them directly.

I would think that you could buy an acrylic tank with a rim or maybe if you still have that cursed tank, you can take the rim off of that one and silicone it on the new one. I will explain how to remove it if you happen to still have it.

I cant think of your other questions right now but i will look and try to answer them.

 

[Alyxx]

Yeah, I'm not going to net them anymore unless they, G-d forbid, pass away...

Actually, I take out just one bucket of water per change, which takes out almost half of the tank, and then there is the return trip of course with the fresh water...so that may be what you meant by "a couple of buckets"...

As for the Prime dosing, as we have been discussing in the other thread, if I continue to use just the cap, is half a cap okay for the 10 gallon?

Half a cap is fine. You'll go through it a little faster that way, but the extra will go to making sure ammonia gets neutralized which is a very good thing. They shouldn't suffer any ill effects if they're getting daily water changes with enough prime to neutralize a good chunk of the ammonia every day. I'm sure they are appreciating everything you are doing for them even though they are in a smaller home than they are used to.

Haha, I guess you have a bigger bucket than I do. I use two gallon buckets, so it would be a couple buckets for me to do a change. I'd spill water everywhere if I were lifting 5 gallon buckets around the house. I've got a bad back and I'm a klutz. Wouldn't care too much for lifting it up over my 2 ft tall tank, either. But doing 50% once or twice a day sounds just fine for them. Are you testing the water between changes? Knowing exactly what kind of levels you are dealing with can help you make sure your changes are as effective as you want them to be.

And FishFanatic, no disrespect taken, I was just offering it as an option. I've only done a drip acclimation once, and only then because the fish were shipped to me and the ph of the tank they came from was pretty far off from mine. Some people swear by it, but I would only really do it for extra sensitive fish or if I knew they were coming from drastically different water.

 

[FishFanatic88]

Half a cap is fine. You'll go through it a little faster that way, but the extra will go to making sure ammonia gets neutralized which is a very good thing. They shouldn't suffer any ill effects if they're getting daily water changes with enough prime to neutralize a good chunk of the ammonia every day. I'm sure they are appreciating everything you are doing for them even though they are in a smaller home than they are used to.

Haha, I guess you have a bigger bucket than I do. I use two gallon buckets, so it would be a couple buckets for me to do a change. I'd spill water everywhere if I were lifting 5 gallon buckets around the house. I've got a bad back and I'm a klutz. Wouldn't care too much for lifting it up over my 2 ft tall tank, either. But doing 50% once or twice a day sounds just fine for them. Are you testing the water between changes? Knowing exactly what kind of levels you are dealing with can help you make sure your changes are as effective as you want them to be.

And FishFanatic, no disrespect taken, I was just offering it as an option. I've only done a drip acclimation once, and only then because the fish were shipped to me and the ph of the tank they came from was pretty far off from mine. Some people swear by it, but I would only really do it for extra sensitive fish or if I knew they were coming from drastically different water.

Well shipping is a completly different story. That is the only situation i think it could be useful in. I wasnt thinking about it in that context but i would probably drip acclimate if i got fish shipped in too.