How big a tank should I get?

[JohnsonFish]

I have to say don't limit yourself. If you have the room get a 300 gallon. Get as big as you have room for. You well always want to add fish and if you don't they will love space.

I like that line of thinking!

I have some time to think about it and then plan it all out. I'm moving back into my own house July 1 which is also why I'll have more or less as much room as I want for a big tank. So my plan is to keep up with the 10 gallon tank for two more months at my current residence and then set up the new tank when I move into my house. Do a fishless cycle on the new set up and then move them into their new tank. I'll keep the 10 gallon up and running and use it to quaranten the new goldfish before I put it into the main tank.

Lets see if I can figure out how to post a few pictures of Fin and Ginger.

[JohnsonFish]

I don't see how to post a picture?

[pawsplus]

You have to have it on an external site (like photobucket). Then click the little picture icon in the reply window and copy/paste the URL of the photo into the box that comes up.

[JohnsonFish]

You have to have it on an external site (like photobucket). Then click the little picture icon in the reply window and copy/paste the URL of the photo into the box that comes up.

Thanks, I'll have to set that up then first.

[koko]

http://www.kokosgoldfish.invisionzone.com/forum/index.php?/topic/95717-how-to-post-pics-photobucket/

[JohnsonFish]

That was easy, once you know how to do it. Here are a couple of pictures of Fin and Ginger, Fin being the bigger of the two. They are quite social with each other and almost always swim around together.

On the topic of the tank size the weight of the tank when done could be a factor too. I imagine one would have to get pretty dang big for it to be an issue but this would be on the main floor of a Ranch style home with a basement under. A 150 gallon tank would be at least 1,250 pounds and a 300 gallon tank would weigh at least 2,500 pounds (8.35 lbs/gallon). Does anyone have any experience on what a average home floor is designed to handle?

[pawsplus]

They're lovely!

I got my handyman to crawl around under my house prior to getting my new 90 gal. He's going to shore up one area just to be safe. I probably would not put sometning 2500 lbs anywhere but a slab basement though. That just seems like it's asking for trouble!

[johnt]

There is absolutely no excuse for losing a pond fish to a bird. People who have that happen are those who refuse to cover their ponds because they don't like the look of a net or other cover. I have herons, egrets, cranes, etc. walk or fly past my house regularly. The ponds are covered so they hunt elsewhere.

I don't know where the idea came from that pond fish aren't pets. What I like best about ponds is that it is so much easier to interact with fish in a pond than in an aquarium. I can sit beside the pond and the fish all come over to me, mouths out of the water so I can put food in it. I reach into the pond to pull out some debris and they are all nibbling on my arm. A fish that wouldn't come near my hand when in an aquarium, is taking food from my hand when I call it's name a week after I move it to the pond.

mine do this in the aquarium,anytime im near they have a chomp on my arm or eat out of my hand one of my fantails likes swimming into your hand and staying there

thats why i keep goldfish,so friendly and active i had a little tropical tank for a while and it was just like a bunch of insects flying around

[TorontoBoy]

...On the topic of the tank size the weight of the tank when done could be a factor too. I imagine one would have to get pretty dang big for it to be an issue but this would be on the main floor of a Ranch style home with a basement under. A 150 gallon tank would be at least 1,250 pounds and a 300 gallon tank would weigh at least 2,500 pounds (8.35 lbs/gallon). Does anyone have any experience on what a average home floor is designed to handle?

Here is a site with tank sizes and weights. If you are thinking about a 150-300G tank I would certainly consult a structural engineer. Each house, even a ranch is constructed differently. You would be safer placing your large tank over a load bearing structure rather than in the middle of a long span. A 150G tank is fast approaching a ton (2000lb) in weight. The average family car is about 1.5 tons. I would not park 2/3ds of my car in my living room, given my ranch house and basement underneath.

A 150G tank is enormous. I cannot fathom the amount of work you would beed to do a large water change.

Lovely goldies.

Edited April 24, 2013 by TorontoBoy

[JohnsonFish]

Thanks for the link on tank sizes and weights. I found this link on an explaination from a structural engineer. http://www.african-cichlid.com/Structure.htm This would be a lot easier if I was putting the tank in the basement...

Based on this I need see what location would give me the most support and floor strength. It's an older house (1956) and I do remember there are several very large beams running under the length of the living room floor and there is also a steel post supporting the floor in another area. I've decided I'll get the biggest tank my floor will support safely and take it from there. Without looking into it further it appears that up to a 125 gallon tank would likely be ok if I put it in the right place. That would give Fin and Ginger a lot of room and give me options in the future. A quick look at Craigs List indicates I'll have no trouble getting a nice big tank with a stand at a very good price.

I'm thinking I'd keep the tank very basic and see how it goes. Having the right tools to do water changes would greatly cut down on the time and effort as well.

[pawsplus]

Make sure it's close enough to a faucet w/ threads so you can use a python. Absolutely necessary! I set mine up to drain and then watch TV or do chores. Then I set it up to fill and do the same (but with a bit more attention LOL--you CANNOT forget it when it's filling!!).

[smegypsiren]

Unless your going to stand right there and watch it drain, you need to cover you vacuum with some kind of mesh. It only takes a second for a fish to get sucked up and hurt.

[pawsplus]

I have a piece of net over the end, although I have to say that with the long python hose and no water turned on, the suction is pretty darn weak. It takes me 40 min. to drain 50% of my 55 gal LOL.

It goes faster if you run the water (i.e., faucet turned on), as it sucks the water out of the tank, but I can't do that b/c I'm on a spring and it would be wasteful. So it just drips out, and a 1" goldfish could resist the current LOL, let alone my bruisers!

Edited April 25, 2013 by pawsplus

[4prettyfish]

Just to be safe I covered my Aqueon Water Changer cylinder end with mesh anyway regarding if your doing something else or standing at your tank watching.

[Daniel E.]

I live back in the mountains of east TN and we have kingfisher, blue herons, bears, raccoons.....etc. the list goes one. The only thing i have lost goldfish to out of my pond is a mud turtle or two that sometimes find the pond before i find them. I have fish that have been in it for 16 years without problems. I’d have all my fish inside in tanks if i could lol but that is not an option for me. Ponds are good and easy to work with. The bigger the easier. Just my

[JohnsonFish]

Thanks for the tips on making water changes easier with big tanks. I'll aim to get that system down so I can keep up with in even when the rest of life get's stressful as it does from time to time. My thought also is that with the bigger tank I should see my water quality balance out better, i.e. more gallons per fish. For example with 125 gallons that's going to give them over 60 gallons per fish. I do remember reading somewhere on here that they release something into the water that keeps them from growing. So with a big tank and weekly water changes I should see them grow faster/bigger than they would otherwise, all other things being equal.

[TorontoBoy]

...Based on this I need see what location would give me the most support and floor strength. It's an older house (1956) and I do remember there are several very large beams running under the length of the living room floor and there is also a steel post supporting the floor in another area. I've decided I'll get the biggest tank my floor will support safely and take it from there. Without looking into it further it appears that up to a 125 gallon tank would likely be ok if I put it in the right place. That would give Fin and Ginger a lot of room and give me options in the future. A quick look at Craigs List indicates I'll have no trouble getting a nice big tank with a stand at a very good price.

I'm thinking I'd keep the tank very basic and see how it goes. Having the right tools to do water changes would greatly cut down on the time and effort as well.

If you are going to get the largest tank you can then you might consider plumbing hot and cold water next to the tank, as well as plumbing a sink/drain right beside it. A water faucet and drain right beside your tank would make water changes much easier. Also it would also be easy to add some electrical outlets very near your tank, as you'll need it.

[JohnsonFish]

Finally got it done. This Saturday was the day and I brought home a 75 gallon tank. Given what I could tell with my floor and where I had space for the tank I decided not to risk any more than 75 gallons. It looks HUGE compared to the little 10 gallon tank. You can see the little tank next to to the new 75 in the pic.

After I got it all set up I did a 50% water change on the existing tank and just dumped the water directly into the new tank. I also rinsed off the existing filter in the new tank. I figured that would give the new tank lots of bacteria and get jump start the cycle.

As soon as the new tank is cycled I'll let Fin and Ginger loose in their new rooming home.

Edited September 17, 2013 by dan in aus
Fixed broken image.

[dnalex]

[mjbubbles]

Great! I'm sure fin & ginger will love all the room.

Good on you for thinking it all through before you boughtvthe tank home.

Mj

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[Daniel]

Congratulations, it looks great!

[tithra]

Congrats!!! It's lovely!

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[ShawneeRiver]

Congrats!!!

If your smaller tank is cycled, you can put that filter on the bigger tank and move the fish over now for an "instant cycle." You still have to watch your parameters, though. Beneficial bacteria live on surfaces, so the water might not do much to boost the cycle. Another thing you can do is move over your gravel or any plants or ornaments that would carry BBs into the new tank.

I hope your fish are happy with their new home and get nice and big for you!

Edited September 17, 2013 by ShawneeRiver

[pawsplus]

Looks great! Congrats to Fin and Ginger. Yeah, be sure to move your old filter over to the new tank--that's where the beneficial bacteria are, not in the water itself. You'll need at least one more filter to get to 750 gph filtration rate. So just keep an eye on your parameters for a few weeks to make sure there's no cycle bump. Can't wait to see the fish in there!

[ShawneeRiver]

Another thing you can do it put any media from your smaller filter into your new bigger filter to seed it.