Fairly New To Keeping Goldfish

[stu-ton]

I recently moved up to a 4 foot tank and currently have 7 in the tank, i have a fluval 1 and a fluval 2 filters in my tank, i do a 25-30% water change every month and add tap safe to take out chemicals etc in the water, i wash the filters in the water i take out, all seems ok to me! Is what im doin good enough?

 

[Colin_T]

Goldfish are quite messy so you should do water changes more frequently. Try to do them once a week or once a fortnight. Get a nitrate test kit and monitor the nitrate levels in the tank. If they go up rapidly between water changes then you need to do more water changes or decrease the amount of food going into the tank.

If the filters get clogged up and need cleaning more than once a month, then you will need more filtration on the tank. Try to clean the filters at different times. ie: clean one this week and the other in a couple of weeks time. Then a few weeks after that do the first one again.

Goldfish need plant matter in their diet. You can use live aquarium plants or fresh fruit and veges. Pumpkin, zucchini, peas, etc can all be used.

 

[stu-ton]

so you suggest live plants then? i use flake food, is that ok??

 

[Colin_T]

real plants are better than a vege flake or pellet. However, if you can't get live plants or fresh/frozen fruit & veges then flake or pellet is the next option.

 

[stu-ton]

do you mean bits off cut up apple etc? i take it u mean frozen peas cooked??

 

[Davo86]

I recently moved up to a 4 foot tank and currently have 7 in the tank, i have a fluval 1 and a fluval 2 filters in my tank, i do a 25-30% water change every month and add tap safe to take out chemicals etc in the water, i wash the filters in the water i take out, all seems ok to me! Is what im doin good enough?

I would also really consider a filter upgrade, a fluval 1 and 2 will surely be struggling to cope with the levels of waste being produced by 7 goldfish.

 

[stu-ton]

I recently moved up to a 4 foot tank and currently have 7 in the tank, i have a fluval 1 and a fluval 2 filters in my tank, i do a 25-30% water change every month and add tap safe to take out chemicals etc in the water, i wash the filters in the water i take out, all seems ok to me! Is what im doin good enough?

I would also really consider a filter upgrade, a fluval 1 and 2 will surely be struggling to cope with the levels of waste being produced by 7 goldfish.

what do u suggest? i reckon i have 100-110 litres in the tank, the fluval1 does 45litres and fluval 2 does 90 litres!

 

[stu-ton]

i have just ordered a new fluval 4 filter, i plan to use that and my fluval 2.

I should add that i have had my tank set up for 3 months almost, meant to say that in my 1st post!

 

[Colin_T]

do you mean bits off cut up apple etc? i take it u mean frozen peas cooked??

you can use most fruits & veges including apple, carrot, peas, beans, corn, pumpkin, etc. The main things not to feed them are onions and potatoes.
All you do is mush them up into bite size pieces and feed them to the fish. You can try feeding them cooked or raw foods and see which the fish prefer.

 

[stu-ton]

How often should i replace my filter elements?

 

[Colin_T]

Filter media doesn't need to be replaced until it starts to break down (usually many many years later). The exception to this is carbon (black granulated stuff) that should be replaced once a month for normal carbon and once every 2 months if it is activated carbon. If you use medications or plant fertilisers then don't use carbon.
Ammogon (white granulated substance) is the other thing that should be replaced but it is best not to use it in a normal set up.