New home for fancies

[CSalmon]

Hi Everyone,

I asked a few questions on this forum a while back in an attempt to save four fantail goldfish which had been sold to me with a too small tank (70L). Thankfully, the advice paid off and the fish are all alive and well! Water parameters are all good. However, the tank requires twice weekly cleaning and they are getting bigger, so I am planning a project to move them into a new home. Here are my plans so far and the points on which I could really use some advice. I'll put some pics of the fish in their current home up at some point too, but this is about the new setup, not the old one.

Shape and Size

I'm looking for a 240 - 280L tank to go along a wall, mounted on a cabinet to hide the filters etc (as this one will have to go in the dining room for reasons I'll get to). Currently searching second hand but things go fast. One idea I had is to get a nice old sturdy cabinet from a second hand store and then get a custom made tank to fit on top. However, it would have to be really strong as the weight of the water will be great. At any rate I will have the setup standing with no fish in for a while before putting anything living in there.

Substrate

I'm thinking dark clay for substrate, as I want live plants in there and it looks like that's recommended to help them root and for nutrients. Also, the copious amounts of waste they produce will not show up as clearly against a darker substrate. The orange and white of the goldfish will also stand out nicely against a dark substrate and background.

Filtration

It's clear that my current filter cannot cope with the amount of waste in the tank due to how quickly it clogs up. What would people recommend? I'd like an external filter for easier access, but I have seen lots of videos recommending sponge filters. However, these look a little ugly in the tank if not well hidden.

Light and algae

I am currently using a standard LED that came with the tank, on for 8 hours a day or less. Plus, the tank is in a very brightly lit room (the kitchen) with big windows. The algae is crazy, and I think it is smothering the leaves of some of my plants. I have two apple snails in there eating all they can eat, but really I think the new tank needs a darker room and some more research going into the lighting. I'd really like one that can do sunrise/sunset instead of just on/off but don't know how expensive they are.

Plants

When the goldies were smaller, the plants I had in there looked great. As they get larger, they just gobble and uproot everything. All the leaves have holes in and I'm forever fishing loose leaves out. What plants can withstand goldfish? Someone on here recommended red tiger lotus, which would look fantastic. However, I wouldn't get to show off the flowers because I will need a lid on (I have apple snails in there too). Still, it could still look good if I don't fill to the top.

Tank mates

Initially this will just be the snails, but I was thinking a bright smaller fish in the long run, once things are settled, could be good. A couple of hillstream loaches perhaps. Or some white cloud minnows just for the speed and contrast.

I'll update again as I get bits in and get started, but this will likely take some time!

Colin

[fr499y]

Wood with Anubius attached is your best bet with goldies! They will eat and ruin any plant you put in the substrate!!

Sand is best for substrate as well.

Over sized canister filter like the Fluval FX4/5 would be perfect.

Lighting is up to you but nothing too bright as it will encourage algae.

[plankton]

I wouldn't keep hillstream loaches in with fancies as they need a fast water flow which the goldies won't like.
The goldies may eat smaller fish like minnows or danios.....but danios may just be fast enough to survive, I've seen it work in the past.
The reason sand is best for goldies is that they tend to take mouthfuls of substrate and have been know to swallow pebbles/gravel anything thick, which doesn't do them any good....
You may find taht algae will be easier to cope with if the dining room is darker than the kitchen.
Hope you find the tank you want.

[LookoutTrout]

Sand/silt/clay are definitions of particle size rather than different substances. Anything smaller than sand will take too long to settle, make the water cloudy and end up in the filter. Even smaller sand particles will probably be difficult.
I went for a bag of aquarium sand, cost a little more but works well in my tank with a big filter.

[CSalmon]

Thanks folks. Regarding the sand, I have not used this as a substrate before but I assume it will need replenishing from time to time as some of it will end up getting sucked up when syphoning during cleaning?

Are there any kinds of fish which work well as tank mates with goldfish, or do they just need to be kept to themselves?

[LookoutTrout]

I find I don't need to Syphon sand, the sand particles don't allow waste to sink down into it* and the fish keep waste moving so it ends up in the filter.
I was worried I'd end up with loads of sand in the filter but that hasn't happened at all.
* The bigger bits anyway.

[plankton]

You just have to waft the cleaner above the sand to dislodge any crud and then it clears from the water column, you don't have to go into the sand at all.
Don't use playsand as you can get more problems with that - it's small granules compact and form pockets of nasty gasses like hydrogen sulphide(sulfide?).
Don't use coral sand as that will cut mouths as they grub.
A lot of us use Unipac sand which comes in various colours.

[Staffylover]

Glad your goldies are doing well, I saw some gold coloured weather loach for sale today I know people keep them with goldfish but not sure how big they get,
If you are not in a big rush I would keep an eye out for a second hand tank, facebook marketplace can be good as the Ebay tanks are often a bit expensive although if you see a listing that finishes at an odd time you might be lucky, I would always see the tank before parting with cash, if it's full at the time even better, good luck with your search

[Maddie]

I have weather loach in with my fancy goldfish. Only had them about a 6-12 months and they all got large. The weather loach is huge now and a total nutter. He likes to swim through your hands and I think he likes to feel squeezed as he squeezes himself between the heater and the air lines and lies there for ages. I also have a bristlenose plec who is still quite little as got her later. The loach has so much character and is so endearing it is impossible not to love him. Just crackers he is.

[Maddie]