Ornamental goldfish aquariums can add to the beauty of the house. If you want to have one, you should consider the number of goldfish carefully because this type of fish requires a large space. If you choose a more luxurious single-tailed goldfish or double-tailed goldfish, you will need a larger tank. Try to develop the right bacterial population in the aquarium and install the correct filtration and lighting systems so that your goldfish can stay healthy and strong.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Putting the Aquarium in Its Place
Step 1. Buy an aquarium with a size that is adjusted to the number of fish
Goldfish need more space because they produce a lot of waste after the digestive process. Provide about 4 liters of water for every 2.5 cm of fish. The more space you provide for your fish, the healthier they will be.
Step 2. Place the aquarium in a comfortable place with little natural light
You should choose a place that is close to an electrical outlet and a water source. The aquarium should receive natural light, but do not place it directly in front of a window in direct sunlight as this can heat up the tank.
- If you don't intend to breed goldfish, you'll want to keep the tank temperature within 23 °C.
- Common goldfish live in tropical environments that are well lit. Fish need sunlight during the day and darkness at night.
- If the tank has a light, you should turn it off at night so the fish can rest.
- If the goldfish doesn't get enough light, the color will fade.
Step 3. Place the aquarium in a solid place
A full goldfish tank can be so heavy that you will need a very strong cabinet or piece of furniture to support it. If the tank is very large, you will need to position it in such a way that the weight of the tank is evenly distributed throughout the floor structure.
- An aquarium with a capacity of 40 liters will weigh about 45 kg.
- An aquarium with a capacity of 400 liters can weigh about half a ton.
Part 2 of 3: Setting Up the Aquarium
Step 1. Install a filtration system with a strong flow rate
Goldfish produce more feces than other fish. So you need a really powerful filtration system. You also need a high flow rate. Flow rate is the amount of water filtered each hour. Choose a filtration system that filters a minimum of 5 times and a maximum of 10 times the aquarium volume per hour. You can use both an internal and external filtration system to achieve such a flow rate, but an external filtration system has more possibilities.
- For an 80 liter tank, you will need a flow rate of around 380-760 liters per hour.
- For a 150 liter tank, you will need a flow rate of about 760-1500 liters per hour.
- A gravel filter is only recommended if your budget is very tight or if you have sharpness-sensitive goldfish like Bubble Eye.
- Canister filters are the best choice for large aquariums.
Step 2. Add an 8-10 cm layer of gravel at the bottom of the tank
Fill the bucket with fish-safe gravel about halfway. Flush the gravel with water and mix it with your hands. You can see dirt and sediment coming off the floating gravel. Remove sediment and rinse again. Once the gravel looks clean, you can add it to the bottom of the tank to a thickness of 8-10 cm.
- If using an undergravel filter, you must install it before adding gravel.
- The recommended gravel size is 3 mm.
- Goldfish tend to put pebbles in their mouths. So you should avoid pebbles that are too small.
Step 3. Decorate the aquarium with stones and decorative objects
Buy colored stones at the pet store, such as stone slabs and red stone shards. Place the decorative stone on top of the pebbles. If you have other decorative elements, it's time to arrange them in the aquarium.
Step 4. Fill the aquarium with cold water to half
Collect clean, cold, chlorine-treated water in a bucket. Pour water into the aquarium. At this point, you can rearrange the decorations if necessary. Try to provide hiding places for fish and outdoor space to swim. If you are adding plants that need to be secured in the gravel, do so now.
Step 5. Fill the aquarium with clean water until it is full
Continue filling the bucket with clean cold water. Pour into the aquarium until the water almost reaches the height of the aquarium.
At this stage you can make the necessary adjustments to the filtration system. For example, if you are using an undergravel filter, make sure you lift the hose so that it is half in the water and half out of the water
Step 6. Turn on the water pump
Before adding fish to the aquarium, turn on the water pump on the filtration system and let it run for a few minutes. This step allows the water to spin and circulate. You can also add a few drops of water conditioner to neutralize any chemicals that may be in the water.
Step 7. Try to keep the water in the aquarium at a stable temperature of 23 °C
While goldfish can survive lower temperatures, you should keep the tank warm to promote fish growth and health. However, if you intend to breed fish, you will need to vary the temperature according to the season.
- Use an internal or external thermometer to measure the temperature of the water.
- If you are breeding fish, try to keep the water at 10 °C during cold weather. If the weather is warm, increase the temperature between 20-23 °C to encourage breeding.
- Do not allow the temperature to exceed 30 °C. Goldfish will experience stress if the water temperature rises that high.
- Avoid extreme water temperature fluctuations.
Part 3 of 3: Encouraging the Development of Good Bacteria
Step 1. Purchase a fresh water master test kit and an ammonia test kit
Many species of fish, including goldfish, are sensitive to chemicals in the water. If ammonia, nitrate, or nitrite levels are out of balance, fish can get sick or even die. Head to your local pet store for a freshwater master test kit and an ammonia test kit to test the aquarium. You can also buy them in online stores. When the kit is ready, read the instructions for use or other included information.
Step 2. Add 1 drop of ammonia for every 4 liters of water
Once the tank is ready, but you haven't added any fish, you should encourage the growth of good bacteria by adding ammonia. For every 4 liters of water, you should add 1 drop of ammonia. Do it every day with the right amount of ammonia according to the amount of water.
- If the tank has a capacity of 40 liters, you will need to add 10 drops of ammonia.
- You can buy bottled ammonia at pet stores.
- You can also add fish food and let it decompose in the tank. This will increase the ammonia level in the water.
Step 3. Use the master test kit to test for ammonia and nitrite
After adding ammonia for a few days, you should start testing the nitrite and ammonia levels in the water. Take two water samples with the syringe included in the test kit. Shake the bottle to test for ammonia and add the recommended number of drops according to the information on the bottle label. Then, shake the bottle to test for nitrite and add the number of drops as indicated on the bottle label. Finally, compare the color on the test tube to the color chart to determine the concentration of ammonia and nitrite in the aquarium.
Step 4. Test the nitrate level in the water
After a few weeks of adding ammonia, you should be able to start testing for nitrates. Take a water sample with the syringe included in the test kit. Shake the vial for the nitrate test and add the required number of drops to the test tube. Compare the colors with a color chart to determine the nitrate concentration. Also test for ammonia and nitrite. If the ammonia and nitrite levels drop to zero, but there is a small amount of nitrate, the aquarium is successfully recirculated and ready to welcome fish!
You will still need to add ammonia to feed the good bacteria until you add the first goldfish
Step 5. Don't add all the fish at the same time
Do it one by one. You must replace half the water volume to lower the nitrate level before adding the fish. To avoid risk, you have to add fish one by one. Aquariums have a sensitive balance. So it's a good idea to see how one fish survives in the tank before adding more.
- After adding the first goldfish, you should continue to test the levels of nitrates, ammonia, and nitrites in the water. Ammonia and nitrate levels should be as low as possible. It doesn't matter if there is a certain amount of nitrate.
- You can add another goldfish after testing the water for 2 weeks to make sure the tank is circulating properly and the volume of water in the tank is sufficient to accept the addition of another fish.
Tips
- You can use individual test kits for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in place of the master kit.
- If you have a very heavy tank, just put it in the basement.
- Don't forget to circulate the water properly before adding the first goldfish.
- Perform a weekly 25% water change and check the filtration system occasionally.
- Choose a pebble that is smaller or larger than the fish's throat.
- Some goldfish species are not compatible with other species. Look for information on different goldfish species and you should only mix species that are suitable in the aquarium.
- Before adding fish to the tank, let the fish bag float on the surface for 20 minutes before releasing it into the water. This method helps fish adapt to water temperatures and prevents thermal trauma.
- If you want to use plants, make sure you choose hardy plants like Java moss. Goldfish tend to eat away at plant leaves. Perennials are ideal because they provide oxygen and small amounts of food for goldfish.
- Clean the aquarium regularly to prevent the development of bacteria.
- You can also add a hiding place for your fish so it can pull away when it's scared or stressed.
Warning
- Use only decorations made specifically for the aquarium and don't forget to boil the stones before adding them to the aquarium.
- Do not pour water from the fish shop into the aquarium. The water may contain harmful organisms.
- Don't mix water and electricity! Arrange so that the water droplets do not hit the cord so that water does not enter the outlet.
- Do not place the aquarium near a radiator, as the environment in which the fish live will become too hot.
- Goldfish are cold water fish. Don't mix it with tropical fish! If the aquarium is set up for tropical fish, goldfish will suffer (and vice versa).
