A Bunch Of Questions...

[Winterlily]

Hiya! Forgive the long message - I'll try not to be as wordy as I usually am. Some years ago, I had both small tanks and large tanks of fancy goldfish. I made all the newbie mistakes like cycling with them, overstocking, killing my bacteria with meds needed to treat the resulting illnesses, etc etc, cycling again with them... oh it was awful. I didn't have a clue. They didn't make it, and when my favorite, a super tame lionhead - died, I got a lot discouraged, and sold the tank. Now here I am, some 10+ years later, back to it. But this time determined to do it right. (Have a few small tanks with one male betta in each - cycled properly and completely, and thus far, thriving fish. Thanks, in a big way, to advice from this forum.)

Anyhow! I adored my goldfish. I now have a brand new (empty) 55 gallon tank awaiting my cycling it and making my stocking decisions. I was a bit leery about fancies again, because of how "dirty" they are and I just don't want problems with water quality again - I don't want to do it to another round of goldies. But, maybe with the filter (and knowledge) I've now got, I'd be okay? As I said, it's a 55 gallon, and I've got a Rena Filstar XP3 (went over-powerful on purpose). I could add, later, either another canister or a strong HOB (like an AquaClear 110) if necessary? Can't do it now - money is an issue - this 55 and all things related have absolutely tapped us out. Do you think, with just a few fancies (babies), I'd be okay with this filter for a while? Or for a long time?

Now, sand. I want to use sand at the bottom. I did read the threads on this and I still don't know that there's a definitive answer to it? I actually have 3M's ColorQuartz sand, which is really fine and perfectly spherical - super soft, basically. It seems like some people are saying it's fine to use sand, and some aren't. Any consensus on this?

Temp: I always thought no heater was needed or wanted. But in some of the threads I read, it sounded like fancies don't want the water very cold, so a heater should be used and set to 22C/72F? This right?

Related to that: I was surprised to read that I might be able to keep fancy guppies with the goldies?? Yes?

Lastly, in this 55g, I should have no more than 4-5 fancies, right? Does that number change if I have a small school of guppies?

Sooo sorry for all the questions - if this is doable, I really want to do it right this time. Thank you!

 

[afishdude]

Hiya! Forgive the long message - I'll try not to be as wordy as I usually am. Some years ago, I had both small tanks and large tanks of fancy goldfish. I made all the newbie mistakes like cycling with them, overstocking, killing my bacteria with meds needed to treat the resulting illnesses, etc etc, cycling again with them... oh it was awful. I didn't have a clue. They didn't make it, and when my favorite, a super tame lionhead - died, I got a lot discouraged, and sold the tank. Now here I am, some 10+ years later, back to it. But this time determined to do it right. (Have a few small tanks with one male betta in each - cycled properly and completely, and thus far, thriving fish. Thanks, in a big way, to advice from this forum.)

Anyhow! I adored my goldfish. I now have a brand new (empty) 55 gallon tank awaiting my cycling it and making my stocking decisions. I was a bit leery about fancies again, because of how "dirty" they are and I just don't want problems with water quality again - I don't want to do it to another round of goldies. But, maybe with the filter (and knowledge) I've now got, I'd be okay? As I said, it's a 55 gallon, and I've got a Rena Filstar XP3 (went over-powerful on purpose). I could add, later, either another canister or a strong HOB (like an AquaClear 110) if necessary? Can't do it now - money is an issue - this 55 and all things related have absolutely tapped us out. Do you think, with just a few fancies (babies), I'd be okay with this filter for a while? Or for a long time?

Now, sand. I want to use sand at the bottom. I did read the threads on this and I still don't know that there's a definitive answer to it? I actually have 3M's ColorQuartz sand, which is really fine and perfectly spherical - super soft, basically. It seems like some people are saying it's fine to use sand, and some aren't. Any consensus on this?

Temp: I always thought no heater was needed or wanted. But in some of the threads I read, it sounded like fancies don't want the water very cold, so a heater should be used and set to 22C/72F? This right?

Related to that: I was surprised to read that I might be able to keep fancy guppies with the goldies?? Yes?

Lastly, in this 55g, I should have no more than 4-5 fancies, right? Does that number change if I have a small school of guppies?

Sooo sorry for all the questions - if this is doable, I really want to do it right this time. Thank you!

The rena should be plenty of filtration. The fancy's don't like a lot of current.

You could get 4-5 fancies and a few minnows or fancy guppies. Just watch for fin nipping from both parties.

I have always kept goldies with no heater, my house stays at about 70deg F so there really is no need for one.

 

[Davo86]

Hiya! Forgive the long message - I'll try not to be as wordy as I usually am. Some years ago, I had both small tanks and large tanks of fancy goldfish. I made all the newbie mistakes like cycling with them, overstocking, killing my bacteria with meds needed to treat the resulting illnesses, etc etc, cycling again with them... oh it was awful. I didn't have a clue. They didn't make it, and when my favorite, a super tame lionhead - died, I got a lot discouraged, and sold the tank. Now here I am, some 10+ years later, back to it. But this time determined to do it right. (Have a few small tanks with one male betta in each - cycled properly and completely, and thus far, thriving fish. Thanks, in a big way, to advice from this forum.)

Anyhow! I adored my goldfish. I now have a brand new (empty) 55 gallon tank awaiting my cycling it and making my stocking decisions. I was a bit leery about fancies again, because of how "dirty" they are and I just don't want problems with water quality again - I don't want to do it to another round of goldies. But, maybe with the filter (and knowledge) I've now got, I'd be okay? As I said, it's a 55 gallon, and I've got a Rena Filstar XP3 (went over-powerful on purpose). I could add, later, either another canister or a strong HOB (like an AquaClear 110) if necessary? Can't do it now - money is an issue - this 55 and all things related have absolutely tapped us out. Do you think, with just a few fancies (babies), I'd be okay with this filter for a while? Or for a long time?

Hi, IME in a 55G with an XP3 you would be fine with 3-4 Fancy Goldfish for life,

Now, sand. I want to use sand at the bottom. I did read the threads on this and I still don't know that there's a definitive answer to it? I actually have 3M's ColorQuartz sand, which is really fine and perfectly spherical - super soft, basically. It seems like some people are saying it's fine to use sand, and some aren't. Any consensus on this?

With goldfish I generally stick to larger 10mm gravel, With sand and very messy fish you will find that the sand will never look as good as you want it to

Temp: I always thought no heater was needed or wanted. But in some of the threads I read, it sounded like fancies don't want the water very cold, so a heater should be used and set to 22C/72F? This right?

Whats the average summer/winter temp where you are? In most cases a heater isn't required as the general indoor temp will be no lower than 16C, that said though in some warmer climates and on warmer days cooling techniques may be required to keep the temp down.

Related to that: I was surprised to read that I might be able to keep fancy guppies with the goldies?? Yes?

Personally I never recommend it, standard comets and suchlike so often seem to bully the much slower moving fancy types, and sooner or later one type would need rehoming

Lastly, in this 55g, I should have no more than 4-5 fancies, right? Does that number change if I have a small school of guppies?

tbh I would stick to ambient temperatures for all goldfish and therefore (depending on local temps) this may be unsuitable for tropical species like guppys.
white cloud minnows or weather loach however will work well at these cooler temperatures

Sooo sorry for all the questions - if this is doable, I really want to do it right this time. Thank you!

 

[afishdude]

Related to that: I was surprised to read that I might be able to keep fancy guppies with the goldies?? Yes?

Personally I never recommend it, standard comets and suchlike so often seem to bully the much slower moving fancy types, and sooner or later one type would need rehoming

I don't see anything talking about adding comet goldfish.. she said guppy.

 

[Davo86]

I don't see anything talking about adding comet goldfish.. he said guppy.

Opps my bad, must had thought it said "fancy goldies with the goldies"
would suggest it due to big difference in temp requirements

 

[afishdude]

If you like the look of guppies, you should look at mosquito fish. They can tolerate cold temps.

 

[Winterlily]

Thanks so much for all the replies so far - you guys are great.

Okay, never mind the guppies in this tank - if I feel some big need to have them, they can have their own smaller tank. I'll leave the 55 as a fancy goldfish tank. Except for a bottom-dweller who also helps with algae - what's appropriate there? I read a post somewhere hear that corys aren't good because eventually the goldies will try to eat them? And plecos will suck on the goldies, right? So what's a good choice - and do I even need bottom dwellers?

So glad to hear that the Rena should be all I'll need with these guys. Good news - thanks for that.

With sand and very messy fish you will find that the sand will never look as good as you want it to

It should help tons that the sand is black. Has the added advantage (to me anyhow) of...stuff...not being able to hide in the crevices of gravel. Just siphon it right off the top. (Assuming they haven't messed with the sand so much that they wind up burying it - do they do that?)

Whats the average summer/winter temp where you are? In most cases a heater isn't required as the general indoor temp will be no lower than 16C, that said though in some warmer climates and on warmer days cooling techniques may be required to keep the temp down.

Outside, summer averages around 85F and winter around 30F I think, but we're air-conditioned and heated. Day time inside it's nearly always about 71-72F, and overnight it falls to somewhere around 67F. That conducive to no heater or best to keep one in there set to something like 70 just in case?

How do you cool the water if you need to - and at what temp do you do it? (Like say, a power outage in the summer )

I don't see anything talking about adding comet goldfish.. he said guppy.

She, actually.

 

[Davo86]

67F to 72F would be fine, definitely no need for heaters

At my workplace the goldfish systems range from 60F to 75F throughout the year

 

[afishdude]

My goldfish range from 33-75 deg so I'm sure yours will be fine.

 

[Winterlily]

Thanks guys. 2 more quick questions:

Fancies have a reputation of being extremely messy and until the biological filter is really going, a huge strain, causing high ammonia and nitrites. Is this accurate? Will I always be struggling to keep ammonia/nitrites under control or will the tank run itself nicely (with weekly water changes and maintenance of course!) as my other non-goldfish tanks have already started to do? Anything that needs to be done differently in preparation for keeping goldfish and keeping water pristine?

And, in a 55g with 4 fancy goldfish, what are the best bottom-dwellers to consider for algae control and basic clean up, or are they unnecessary?

Thanks again!