When do i clean/change water and tank?

[MrOats]

Hi,

I have a Second Nature Whisper 1000 motor thingy, attached to a filter (looks like a sponge stuck on a snorkle) also attached to an air stone (i think its called) i have used Tap Safe and Fish Safe, but how often shoul i be changing the water.

Whole tank once a month? Half Tank once a week? i dont have a clue, also my tank is cloudy, i have JUSt installed the filter and had the tank 2 days before.

Also my fish are 1 normal goldfish(long, sleak completely orange) and 1 fancy goldfish (smaller,fatter,orange and white,fancy tail).They are quite lonly as the tank is: long-30inch, wide-12inch,deep-12inch

If n e 1 can help me on the cleaning schedule, r cloudy water it would be apprieciated.

Thanks

 

[impur]

You should first start off reading about cycling your tank. It is stuck at the top of the beginners forum.

You should do water changes as often as needed to keep the tank clean. With goldfish you should be doing around 25% once a week. Goldfish are messy fish. If you get more, i would do more frequent WCs. Also, you should only keep other goldfish in that tank. You should not mix tropical fish with goldfish.

The cloudy water is probably due to a bacteria bloom, a result of your tank not being cycled. If you do not read up on cycling the tank and proper care your fish are doomed to die.

Good luck, ask more questions if you have them!!!

 

[MrOats]

i have not mixed cold water fish with tropical as it is just a fancy goldfish (still coldwater) and now i have fitted an air stone and filter the cloudiness is goin away. I expected to not have to clean it out that often since i have a filter and normal goldfish bowls don't, even tho mine is a tank.
Thanks for the help.

 

[impur]

The filter will definately help, but i still suggest you clean the tank once a week. Your goldfish will thank you by being much healthier and live longer lives. Be sure to dechlorinate the water first.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

to the forum. Introduce yourself in the newbie section.

I, too, suggest weekly water changes. I used to have goldfish and they really are messy fish. Even in a 18.7 gallon tank (tank height x length x width [all in inches] divided by 231) you're soon going to have problems.

If you really want to stick with coldwater fish, you will soon have to buy another, bigger tank because goldfish get very big. I would suggest getting a tropical tank due to the number of fish you can have and the ease of care. However, the choice is totally up to you.

 

[impur]

If you really want to stick with coldwater fish, you will soon have to buy another, bigger tank because goldfish get very big. I would suggest getting a tropical tank due to the number of fish you can have and the ease of care. However, the choice is totally up to you.

Good point. So true!!! I had a goldfish that managed to escape 3 oscars I had. The goldfish grew so fast it got to big for the oscars to eat, so he became a permanent resident. It grew to about 5 or 6" before i took it out and back to the LFS.

 

[MrOats]

i would have got a tropical tank (by that u mean fish dont u? not just tank?) but i really cant sleep with n e light or noise, and i know you dont have to have a light but the heater on the tropical tank makes a noise, (my fish r in my room and cant go n e where else as it is my parents house, (i'm 14))

What % do you think i should do a week? like 50%, 25%? i have mean told different amounts

Thanks

 

[Tempestuousfury]

I do 15-20% weekly.

As for the heater, I have never seen an aquarium heater that makes noise... It's submersible, right?

 

[MrOats]

oh rite then i should have got tropical they would have been cool, i like my coldys though. I dunno where i got the idea they made noise.
Thanks

 

[kent]

Also, you should only keep other goldfish in that tank. You should not mix tropical fish with goldfish.

I know that it is recommended that goldfish shouldnt be mixed with tropical fish. However, in my case, I have 6 goldfish with other tropical fish. I keep the temp at around 79-80. I havent had any problems with them and actually, they are growing really fast.

about cleaning and changing water, I do once or twice a week since goldfish are really messy, they waste a lot. I do 10-25% water change. I also keep track of my water quality to avoid unexpected deaths.