Ginafish
Aquarium Advice Regular
Okay, so it was a corny title... but I've been tossing this around for a while now and since finding this site today, I'm as unsure as ever. Here's my tank history/experience and my current dilema:
I have 20 yrs of tank experience. I have a pretty good knowledge base (although some of the posts I've read so far make me feel like a newbie LOL). Anyway, my tanks have always been successful until the last time, 2 yrs ago.
I have a 45 gallon FW. For years I had goldfish because I like them, and also I didn't have to deal with heating, etc. Three years ago my last goldfish died so I started over and switched to FW tropicals. I've had tropicals before so I know how to run the tank. Well, this time, I had bad luck. They were dying a lot. I did all the standard tests and troubleshooting. It was frustrating as you can imagine. Around that time I had to move, so I broke down the tank and haven't set it up in 2 yrs. My insticts tell me that my filtration was the issue last time. When I had the goldfish, I had an Aquaclear 500....ALOT more filtration than needed, but with goldfish, it worked perfectly. When I switched to tropicals, I got an Aquaclear 200. Barely adequate IMO. I think this was the problem.
So anyway, I just finished setting up a fishless tank. And I have two Aquaclear 200's running. I always believe in extra filtration.
Okay....so the dilema....I was going to go with goldfish for the same reasons above. But now that I've found this site....I'm SOOO tempted to try the tropicals again. Of course, I have to get a heater (preferrably a submersible and I posted in another thread about that). Oh yes, and this whole matter of cycling fishless. I've never done that but it seems to be the preference of people here.
ARGH! :x What to do!?? LOL!!
So I guess the question is: what do I put in my tank? Tropicals or goldfish
Anyway, that's me.
I have 20 yrs of tank experience. I have a pretty good knowledge base (although some of the posts I've read so far make me feel like a newbie LOL). Anyway, my tanks have always been successful until the last time, 2 yrs ago.
I have a 45 gallon FW. For years I had goldfish because I like them, and also I didn't have to deal with heating, etc. Three years ago my last goldfish died so I started over and switched to FW tropicals. I've had tropicals before so I know how to run the tank. Well, this time, I had bad luck. They were dying a lot. I did all the standard tests and troubleshooting. It was frustrating as you can imagine. Around that time I had to move, so I broke down the tank and haven't set it up in 2 yrs. My insticts tell me that my filtration was the issue last time. When I had the goldfish, I had an Aquaclear 500....ALOT more filtration than needed, but with goldfish, it worked perfectly. When I switched to tropicals, I got an Aquaclear 200. Barely adequate IMO. I think this was the problem.
So anyway, I just finished setting up a fishless tank. And I have two Aquaclear 200's running. I always believe in extra filtration.
Okay....so the dilema....I was going to go with goldfish for the same reasons above. But now that I've found this site....I'm SOOO tempted to try the tropicals again. Of course, I have to get a heater (preferrably a submersible and I posted in another thread about that). Oh yes, and this whole matter of cycling fishless. I've never done that but it seems to be the preference of people here.
ARGH! :x What to do!?? LOL!!
So I guess the question is: what do I put in my tank? Tropicals or goldfish
Anyway, that's me.