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Posted By: DJ_Karl_David Fish Tank & Filter - 21st May 2009 9:19am
Cheap as poss please!

Posted By: MattLFC Re: Fish Tank & Filter - 21st May 2009 11:22am
what capacity mate?
Posted By: DJ_Karl_David Re: Fish Tank & Filter - 21st May 2009 2:36pm
nothing major mate just enough for 4/5 small goldfish. i went into to buy one and it was nearly £50 fook paying that
Posted By: MattLFC Re: Fish Tank & Filter - 21st May 2009 2:54pm
Dunno if you realise, but Common and Comet goldfish require about 40 - 55 litres each as they grow, and fancies about 30 - 35 litres each. Goldfish eat more than they need but the beauty is their digestive systems only make use of what they actually need, however it can be lethal in small tanks because they excrete/urinate excessively - its the Urine (Ammonia - hence you have to keep an eye on Ammonia levels in any fishtank, but moreso a Goldfish tank) that is the killer. Thy also require their own space, and will become stressed in a crowded tank, and stress in goldfish, causes infections and sickness.

So you could be looking at 200+ litres for them. Depending on the size of the goldfish a 2 foot may be okay if it holds about 65+ litres of water, in the short-term. It's a common misconception that Goldfish don't require big tanks, but the reality is exactly the opposite.

You can sometimes pick up 4 foot tanks with filters etc for less than £25 on eBay, also check out Carr Farm down on the Meols Stretch, they sell second hand tanks and often have 2 - 4 litre tanke for £16 - £30, which is as good as you will get.

For a 100+ litre tank, you will be needing an external filter, which will cost £30 upwards brand new, but will be the best solution (both in terms of filtration quality and ease of cleaning) and "should" last you the lifetime of the fish, look for ones from good brands like Fluval, Hagen, Tetra, Eheim, Aquel etc, and ones that include a 5 year guarantee for peace of mind.

Dont buy a fish tank brand new, unless you want summit special like a Juwel or summit.

Do you have the goldfish already? If not, then id recommend limiting it to 2 maybe 3 if your not planning on a very big tank.

The bigger the tank, the better, much less hassle as you don't have to worry or keep an eye on them so much. It also means less cleaning and preiodic part-water changes.

Don't forget, there is plenty of coldwater breeds out there, so if you want an active tank, you can get Danio's, Guppies, Minnows etc, which are all good community fish don't require anything like the capacity goldfish require, so if you don't have the goldfish already, you could buy two goldifsh and get other smaller coldwater breeds. Many of these breeds have better digestive systems and both types of intestine, which leads to less urine or excrement.

It may sound like a lot on money for some stupid goldfish, but it should prove to a be a one-time expense, and will ensure your goldies live the happiest and healthiest lives possible.
Posted By: Peachy Re: Fish Tank & Filter - 21st May 2009 5:18pm
omg matty you don't half go into extra detail! Silly =]
Posted By: MattLFC Re: Fish Tank & Filter - 21st May 2009 5:48pm
It's called avin too much time on ya hands Trig smile
Posted By: DJ_Karl_David Re: Fish Tank & Filter - 21st May 2009 5:59pm
Nice one for the info mate, i went for a starter kit from the pet shop £14 for everything including 2 little fishies!

that will do for now the baby is made up with them so its all good
Posted By: DJ_Karl_David Re: Fish Tank & Filter - 25th Jun 2009 9:06am
im gonna need a bigger tank now as we wanna get a couple more so need a big enough tank for 4 tiny goldfish
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