PerceptivePesce

It seems like modifying a canister filter intake and outflow is in my future no matter which brand I go with. Mercy!

The aquatop canister intake and outflow fittings wont fit over the top rim of our aqueon tank. Pic of outflow attached for reference. I wrote aquatop to ask if there is anything I can do other than returning the unit. I'm interested to see what their customer service is like!

@Rube_Goldfish Thanks for sharing your knowledge! :) Here are some articles with plant deficiency infographics to add to your post. https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/plant-nutrient-deficiencies https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/which-aquatic-fertilizer-is-right-for-you

I've been practicing my aquascaping skills. Y'all, stacking rocks is fun! :D I got a 5g bucket of mountain river rocks from a local yard supplier. What's the current consensus on rocks that may have rust on/in them? Aquarium safe? Plants like iron, right? I also have a medium size piece of polished fossilized wood. I dropped some vinegar on it to test for limestone, there were no bubbles under 20x magnification.

@redfishI'm excited to get my chemistry strips to test my tap water. And then coming here to ask more questions! :D @Patrick_G Your Sarasa comet is really eye catching. I'll definitely be thinking about them too. Thanks for the suggestion. Does anyone happen to know the preferred gh and kh range for goldfish? I got some ph ranges. This article has been helpful. It says that goldfish like higher gh levels, but I'd like a more quantified answer. Also, that article explains that gh measures calcium and magnesium, then it goes on to say that gh could be high, but calcium low. Is that true for magnesium? Could the gh be high but magnesium low? Does it work the same way?

I just placed my first order with ACO! When I'm ready for plants I'll be making another order.

@Patrick_G Thank you for the welcome! I like the way these goldfish look: ranchus, orandas with fancy tail, and the telescopic eye butterfly tail. Are you recommending comets because of possible learning curve death? Sorry to be a downer but that's always on my mind... I know it's probably going to happen. I have been thinking about starting with other goldfish after a forum member mentioned that a private pet store bought his fish. I would give them the fish for free! That could also be handy if I want to get rid of an aggressive fish.

75 gallon- petco had them for 50% off, so it was $125+tax

@redfish The whole can was emptied.

Ok, perhaps my coffee invite was too bold? Or perhaps I should have offered to buy steak! 😛 Black spray paint applied to the tank and it's curing where it will eventually be installed. Our garage door motor went out on Wednesday so the aquarium stand my husband wants to build will be put on hold. He wants to clad the stand with some reclaimed cedar. He's talking about doing a board and batten style. Whatever his creative mind wants to do is fine with me! Oh, and my husband wants to try a canister filter from Tractor Suppy. Aquatop brand. (He lOves TSC!)

@Ken Burke Thank you for the info! I have more questions. Should I invite you to meet for coffee? I'll buy! I've never met a stranger from the internet before, I figure meeting at a public place is appropriate. If you'd like to, just send me a private message.

@Ken BurkeSo, you put new tap water in the tank and then condition it?

@Ken BurkeAll the recommended goldfish plants are "beginner" plants, I'm thinking that light will be good enough. Java fern, anubias, crypts, moss, and those marimo algae balls are what I'm looking at. Oh, and I would like duckweed, but that's definitely a snack. Do you have any containers suggestions for water changes? I'm thinking something on wheels would be nice.

@AquaHobbyist123Hello, and thank you for the welcome posting! One positive about waiting, you'll now have more time to scout equipment sales. @Ken BurkeI was looking at this light Amazon.com: hygger 42W 24/7 Lighting Aquarium LED Light, Sunrise-Daylight-Moonlight Mode and DIY Mode, Adjustable Timer Adjustable Brightness Fish Tank Light with Extendable Bracket 7 Colors for Planted Tank : Pet Supplies We have 2 cats so I'll have an old school wooden canopy.

@Ken Burke I was born and raised in north LA. So, since we're neighbors does that I mean I get to pick your head? I read a comment you made about your canister filter in the thread you linked earlier. This means how the water flows through the canister? Is that good for crushed coral additives and such? Why did you choose aqueon brand? Also, what do you use to hold old and new water for a water change?

@Ken BurkeI'm in Stonewall, south of S'port. What is the name of this fish store that you sell your fish to? Your goldfish habitat is awesome! @Ken BurkeDo you have marimo balls?! 😄

You and my husband would get along. He's talking all this tropical fish and plant nonsense and I'm just thinking, "goldfish, goldfish, goldfish." This hobby was my idea, we're doing goldfish, and that's that. Canister is still on my mind, I'm open to that discussion. I'm wondering about the floss filtration for clarity and wondering if sponge filters provide that. Or maybe UV and canister? Does uv kill beneficial bacteria? Edit to add: I'm in NW Louisiana.

How much airflow will I need for 2 sponge filters in My plan? Is 1.5/L per filter enough? I'm probably just going to get a backup power and surge protector unit that people use for their PC.

Oh! It's happening! There's a 75g tank on my backporch in the leak test phase.

@Fish Folk Thank you for the informative reply and pictures. That tank was lovely! I am partial to the black background. I was looking at the clear-for-life tanks and liked the black back they offer. I'll be getting an aqueon tho with an elmers foam board. :) Home Depot/Lowes carries some 3m window tint- I was thinking about that, too. Speaking of plants. I've been unable to find marimo balls online. What's up with that? Supply can't meet demand? Or have they been pulled off the market for some reason? @CKetchum Thank you for welcoming me! I like Cafe Du Monde's beignets and iced coffee. Honestly, it's overhyped, but I'd say it's more about the experience. The place is always wrapped up with a long line, but it's located right on Jackson Square which is great for just taking a break to appreciate the scenery, buskers, artist, etc, and it's a decent place to get some relief from the sweltering heat. (There's also a bathroom- long line, filthy, but it's a bathroom) And there's nothing like waking up early in the morning with the smell of bleach in the streets, beating the long lines at the Cafe, and watching the city wake-up from its hangover. :D But, yeah, I thank y'all for letting me know 2 foam filters is doable. My plan is getting clearer!

Hello, All! I've been gathering information on the aquarium hobby and I'm at the stage where I understand the basics, but have some difficult questions. The aquarium co-op blogs and vlogs have been very helpful on my journey, and I wanted to say Thank You! (I liked and subscribed, and I'll be buying stuff when I get to that point.) I'm interested in fancy goldfish, and live plants. My plan so far: a 75g tank, 0.5" sand, columnar plants tucked in a pile of 3"-5" river rocks, 3 fancy goldfish. Water change and filter clean no more than once a week. I'm debating foam filter vs optimized canister. The only reason I like the foam filter over the canister, it's a big one, is the practicality of cleaning a simple foam filter. Oh, and the back-up battery air-pumps during a power outage are nice too. But, how many foam filters would I need for My plan?* If more than 2, then the minimal-in-the-tank canister starts to become more appealing. How many do y'all think I'd need?* My other questions are about pH, PPM/TDS, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, but I assume this is something I'm going to have to learn as I go since local water parameters are all different. I wish I knew how all this chemistry stuff correlates with each other. Is there a discord channel? *I take responsibility for whatever decision I end up making.