Hi Katherine,
It's good to be able to help someone who asks questions first because so
many times [both on forums & in my job of pond maintenance] we have to try
to fix problems after the event-so...whatever fish you finally get they
will certainly have a good Mom!
You are correct that 20 gallons is not large enough for Goldfish-you could
get away with raising a couple of babies in there for a few months but then
you would have to upgrade to a much larger tank with a bigger filtration
system & that would defeat the whole point of setting up a tank that is
both a pleasure for you to watch & also a happy home for the fish. That 10
gallon per Goldfish rule doesn't take into account the fact that they grow
& consequently need more dilution. Can you tell us what make & model your
filter is please-if it has a label on it. You will do right to get rid of
the old gravel-some natural, rounded grade would be far better-the
artificially coloured gravels often have pigment that can leech into the
water
With regard to what type[s] of fish are going to be suitable I will leave
that to the other folks on here as I only know about Goldfish. I would
guess a small tropical community & that would need a heater but is very low
maintenance compared to Goldfish. The old water is definitely good for your
houseplants-mine are thriving on a diet of fish waste! Plants-I always go
for live plants even though they may be harder to set up because I think
it's nicer for the fish but again that is a personal choice although with a
community tank you will have a lot of choice. I have had to restrict my
types of plants to just a few because my Goldfish tear most things up & eat
them.
I would recommend you sterilize the tank & equipment again yourself just to
be safe. You also want to test fill it for a few hours-preferably outside
just to make sure that everything is watertight. You can also set up the
filter while you are testing the tank so that you know it is running
smoothly & there is no undue vibration or noise. If you can get hold of
potassium permanganate [PP] crystals from a local chemist then add just the
tiniest amount to the tank once it is full & running. That will turn the
water pink as they dissolve & kill off anything nasty that could be lurking
but be careful-that stuff not only stains clothing permanently but is also
very toxic so take suitable precautions when handling. If you cannot get
any PP then use white vinegar-a quarter cup full should do the job.
Once you have sterilized & cleaned the tank, empty it & refill, this time
add a couple of dessert spoons of rock/sea/aquarium/pickling/kosher [not
table] salt. Finally empty & swill out with clean running water.
Just a note about moving tanks-never carry any glass tank with water in-it
will strain the seals & possibly break so always drain before moving & then
refill once it is in place.
John*<o)))<
*
On 27 May 2012 06:09, Katherine Whitney <kl_whitney@yahoo.com> wrote:
> **
>
>
> After many years of wanting one, I just got a 20 gallon aquarium. Won't be
> setting it up for another few months because I plan to move soon, but
> thought I'd get as much info as possible now. It's my best thrift store
> find ever! Whoever donated it included what I think is a breeder tank as
> well as a filter, siphon, and some gravel that they sterilized in a
> pressure cooker. Not fond of the neon blue gravel, so I might get a more
> natural color for substrate and add some glass baubles for interest.
> My favorite fish are fantail goldfish, but I'm not sure there's enough
> room in the tank for such messy fish. I know I'll have to do a partial
> water change every week no matter what I put in there. My houseplants will
> love the dirty fish water, I'm sure. I have read on caresheets that you
> should allow 10 gallons of tank space per goldfish, so if they're right I
> can keep up to two. I have a friend who used to breed them, and she agrees
> with the caresheets. I know that the "one gallon per inch of fish" rule
> definitely doesn't apply to goldfish. But I'm not sure whether ten gallons
> per fish is the right amount.
> If the caresheets are wrong, what other fish should I get? I'm obviously a
> beginner if I'm asking this sort of question, so they need to be easy to
> care for. The only fish I've ever had was a betta, and I had to keep him in
> a bowl because I was in college at the time and wasn't allowed to have
> anything electric in the tank, not even a bubble filter, in the dorms. I
> don't have a heater for the aquarium, but I'm sure I could buy one. In
> additon to goldfish, I also like colorful schooling fish.
> Also, how should I plant the tank? Fake plants or live plants? How much of
> the tank should be planted?
> I would appreciate all the advice for my first aquarium that people can
> give!
> -Katherine
>
>
>
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