Just Saying Hello!

[BizzyMomma]

Hi!

Just wanted to say Hello to you all, have just joined these forums as we have just started keeping coldwater fancy goldfish, still a very new tank so far and we have just the one fish at the moment, a red metallic Oranda who was chosen by my eldest daughter and promptly named "Comet"!
Obviously our little tank is just starting to get established and we are in the very early days, so doubtless I will have lots of questions in the days and weeks to come! We are hoping to add 2 more fish in a couple of weeks time.

I am a stay at home Mum of 4, I also occassionally breed and show dogs.

OK off to have a read up now, but any helpful tips and info you think I should know about Oranda's feel free to post, I have much to learn and any helpful info and/or tips would be very much appreciated indeed!!

 

[pat3612]

Hi to the forums Iam sure you will get lots of help here, how big is your little tank.

 

[Colin_T]

lol
an oranda named comet. It's normally a comet named comet

Hi and welcome.
Hope you enjoy your time amongst us crazy fishy keepers. If you have any questions then feel free to ask.

Tip # 1. Don't wash the filter material out under tap water. Always clean filter material in a bucket of tank water.

Tip # 2. Don't feed the fish more than once a day and remove any uneaten food straight away.

Tip # 3. Do regular partial (30-50%) water changes using dechlorinated water.

 

[BizzyMomma]

Hi to the forums Iam sure you will get lots of help here, how big is your little tank.

Hi!

Thanks for the Welcome!! It's a little starter tank by Aqua One, dimensions are 30 x 33 x38 holds 28 litres, so not massive by any means, we intend to upgrade fairly quickly to a 100 Litre Plus tank (in about 6 weeks) then use this little one as a quarantine/hospital tank as I am keen to give the fish as much room as possible!!

 

[littlest]

Hi BizzyMomma, welcome

Glad to hear you are upgrading soon, as the Aqua One tank is too small for an oranda.

I definately advise that you wait until you have the new tank set up and cycled before buying any more fish.

 

[BizzyMomma]

lol
an oranda named comet. It's normally a comet named comet

Hi and welcome.
Hope you enjoy your time amongst us crazy fishy keepers. If you have any questions then feel free to ask.

Tip # 1. Don't wash the filter material out under tap water. Always clean filter material in a bucket of tank water.

Tip # 2. Don't feed the fish more than once a day and remove any uneaten food straight away.

Tip # 3. Do regular partial (30-50%) water changes using dechlorinated water.

Hi!

Thanks for the Welcome!
I should point out that my 9yr old named the fish (It's her pet!) Bless her, my youngest daughter wants a Calico so she can call it "Spotty"! Hmmm!!

Many Thanks for the tips, it's an undergravel filter any pointers on cleaning that??

If you think fish keepers are crazy you should meet some of the dog breeders I am "acquanted" (for wont of a better term! ) with!!! Looking forwards to spending some time on here, so much good advice, not sure if we will go for an aquarium yet, will see how we get on with the goldfish first and take it from there!!

 

[BizzyMomma]

Hi BizzyMomma, welcome

Glad to hear you are upgrading soon, as the Aqua One tank is too small for an oranda.

I definately advise that you wait until you have the new tank set up and cycled before buying any more fish.

Hi!

Many Thanks for the advice! Little fish we have now is quite small, about 1 &1/2 inches max so loads of room for him right now, roll on payday and being able to get a larger tank!!

MANY, years back when I was a kid I had a common goldfish in a tank half the size of this one, reading up whilst this tank was settling before we got this little Oranda I was horrified at how I kept this fish back then, they say ignorance is bliss don't they? Mind he did live to be 17 years old so must have gotten something right along the way!

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Welcome fellow midlander! enjoy the forum, ask questions and chill

 

[stang1]

 

[Colin_T]

the best way to clean an undergravel filter is with a gravel cleaner. They are available from any petshop and consist of a tube about 12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, attached to a length of clear hose.
You put the gravel cleaner in the tank water and fill it up. Then lift the gravel cleaner up out of the tank making sure you keep the open end up above the rest of the gravel cleaner. The water should start to drain out the siphon hose. When it does put the gravel cleaner tube back into the tank. Making sure you keep the open end up when doing this to allow the airbubbles to come out. When the air bubles are out you push the gravel cleaner into the gravel and lift it up. The gunk in the gravel gets drawn up and out with some of the water.
Work around the tank pushing the gravel cleaner into the gravel and lifting it up. Clean as much gravel as you can until you have drained out 1/3 to 1/2 of the tank water. Stop gravel cleaning and refill the tank with dechlorinated water. Tip the dirty water onto the garden. Next time you clean the tank do the parts that weren't done the first time.

 

[BizzyMomma]

the best way to clean an undergravel filter is with a gravel cleaner. They are available from any petshop and consist of a tube about 12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, attached to a length of clear hose.
You put the gravel cleaner in the tank water and fill it up. Then lift the gravel cleaner up out of the tank making sure you keep the open end up above the rest of the gravel cleaner. The water should start to drain out the siphon hose. When it does put the gravel cleaner tube back into the tank. Making sure you keep the open end up when doing this to allow the airbubbles to come out. When the air bubles are out you push the gravel cleaner into the gravel and lift it up. The gunk in the gravel gets drawn up and out with some of the water.
Work around the tank pushing the gravel cleaner into the gravel and lifting it up. Clean as much gravel as you can until you have drained out 1/3 to 1/2 of the tank water. Stop gravel cleaning and refill the tank with dechlorinated water. Tip the dirty water onto the garden. Next time you clean the tank do the parts that weren't done the first time.

Many thanks for the advice Colin! Will stop off at the aquriam shop and get one when I've dropped the kids into school!

Welcome fellow midlander! enjoy the forum, ask questions and chill

Hi! Thanks for the Welcome!! Good old Leicestershire eh?

HI! Thanks for the Welcome!!

 

[Ace Of Spades]

:Welcome: Welcome to the forum mate, Hope too see you around!!