Stock Tank vs. Aquarium

[Lance]

Hi everyone,

My goldfish, Gholee, has outgrown her tank:

She is about 6 inches in length, living in a 40 gallon breeder with some glofish tetras, guppies, and zebra danios.  When Gholee was smaller she used to zoom up and down the length of the tank - which was very fun to watch - but nowadays she just more or less idles.

I'm thinking of at least doubling the size of the aquarium so Gholee can do her zooming.  I've looked into stock tanks, such as this 110 gallon for ~$90:

And also 90+ gallon aquariums, which including the stands are easily over $400.

I'm curious what everyone's opinions are about going stock tank vs. aquarium when considering costs, spending quality time with the family fish, or maybe even quality of life for the family fish.

I'm leaning toward buying a stock tank since it's significantly cheaper but I don't think I'll be able to enjoy viewing it from the couch, unless the couch is right next to the tank.

[StevesFishTanks]

I have that same stock tank you posted. I have it outdoors mostly shaded, stocked with swordtails, some corydoras, and a bunch of shrimp.

The only time I get to see the fish is at night time with a flashlight.  So the major downside is viewing/interacting with the tank/tub.

The tractor supply tuff stuff tubs are one of the better deals for stock tanks.  I would try browsing craigslist or facebook marketplace daily looking for aquariums. You might be surprised on what kind of deals you can get.

[GardenStateGoldfish]

If you keep her inside in that you will still get to see her, however outside she will be difficult to see, I love the 110 tuff stuff tub, fantastic for all types of goldfish.

goldfish can still have a relationship with you in those tubs just switch to floating foods and when they see you coming they race up to the top, I breed in a bunch of the 27 gallon hdx tubs and it’s really fun for me I’ll attach a photo so you can see the basic idea but you could do some really sweet indoor pond stuff with the 110. 

they raced to me as soon as I came to take the photo lol just to show they will still love u

[Dwayne Brown]

I think it depends on what you prioritize. If price is more important than viewing time a stock tank would be better.  If you really want to interact with you fish both would work fine. if you want to view the fish from a "side" angle then a 90+ gallon would be better. My opinion is that a stock tank would be better, Its cheaper and you can turn it into a pseudo indoor pond; which would be really cool. 

[quikv6]

My vote would be for a glass aquarium, especially since you reference your memory of watching the fish zoom around the tank. Experiencing the viewing is part of the joy.

You can get great deals on large tanks on craigslist. Additionally, a certain box store for Pets has some "smart" Black Friday sales annually. I got my 6 foot 125 gallon for around $400 brand new with stand, lids, and lights last year.

 

[mynameisnobody]

I also have a 110 gallon Tuff stuff stock tank. As mentioned above viewing can be difficult if left outside, however there may be a way around this. I keep mine indoors, with no lid of any kind. I do have a dehumidifier running to control any type of mold issues. Also I have mine moderately planted with cheap tan gravel as a bottom substrate and a 1” or so layer of eco complete as a top substrate. The black substrate make viewing very easy. For a goldfish you could purchase moon sand though I do not know how much that would cost you. There is also blasting sand media that is “black sand” but I would stay away as it is known to have sharp pieces in it and can cause mouth issues to a goldfish that is sifting sand. Just some things to think about. I’ve had 90 gallon aquariums before and I didn’t like it because of the depth of the aquarium, it became a pain in the neck to clean. Good luck! 

[anewbie]

i tried raising angel frys in a pail; and quite frankly the ones i put in a pail did a lot worse than the ones i left in a tank; part of the issue was that they could not see their surroundings (fishes have good eye sight) and this made them very nervous. Then there was the ease of seeing what was happening to them which glass sides help a lot. Now a cichlid is not a gold fish. I've never kept gold fishes but some claim they are fishes with a lot of personality that like to follow their owners; if this is true (not claiming it is); then of course this will be a lot less difficult without glass sides. There is also a question of your intention. Do you simply want a place for it to swim or do you want to be able to watch it for enjoyment...

[Flumpweesel]

Where do you plan on putting this set up?

I would not want a stock tub in my house I feel you could end up spending quite a bit dealing with the potential issues it could have.  If you have children or other pets a large volume of open water in the living room could be problematic.  Having to set up a dehumidifier (if you don't use them already) could also be an expense and its running costs need to be considered. 

Stock tubs are great as pond overwintering or for fishroom breeding projects but as long term in home pet house not sure.  You will get more from the large aquarium but if its out of reach then fair enough but take some time on the pros and cons.  You need to buy more than just the tub to get this going so fully price up both systems were 400 is a lot it is more if you try the tub and hate it after spending a 200 setting it up. 

I would add that you have time the fish looks great and they do zoom less as they age (who doesn't) Gholee has room to swim and isn't struggling for air.  So maybe start saving now for the right set up for both of you.  My goldfish lived for 24 years (lost to a disaster when we were on holiday)  so whatever you come up with you will hopefully be living with for a very long time. 

 

[Lance]

On 11/4/2021 at 6:26 AM, anewbie said:

i tried raising angel frys in a pail; and quite frankly the ones i put in a pail did a lot worse than the ones i left in a tank; part of the issue was that they could not see their surroundings (fishes have good eye sight) and this made them very nervous. Then there was the ease of seeing what was happening to them which glass sides help a lot. Now a cichlid is not a gold fish. I've never kept gold fishes but some claim they are fishes with a lot of personality that like to follow their owners; if this is true (not claiming it is); then of course this will be a lot less difficult without glass sides. There is also a question of your intention. Do you simply want a place for it to swim or do you want to be able to watch it for enjoyment...

If I had to choose one or the other, I'd prefer Gholee have lots of space to swim.  I probably watch her for about 10-15 mins per day on average, unfortunately

[Lance]

On 11/4/2021 at 7:29 AM, Flumpweesel said:

I would not want a stock tub in my house I feel you could end up spending quite a bit dealing with the potential issues it could have.  If you have children or other pets a large volume of open water in the living room could be problematic.  Having to set up a dehumidifier (if you don't use them already) could also be an expense and its running costs need to be considered.

You raise some very good points I didn't even consider.  My toddlers would definitely go crazy, thinking it's a swimming pool, and could potentially hurt themselves.  I completely forgot about the humidity aspect.  I intended to put this in my basement.

Unfortunately the safety considerations alone is enough to nix the idea of an indoor stock tub.  Earlier in the year I had this great plan to build a ~500 gallon pond in my backyard.  Had a bunch of cool plants picked out, nice rock deco, DIY filters like how Cory made with Lowes buckets, netting to protect against birds, everything.  It was doomed from the start because my sons always figured out how to climb the pond fences.  Oh well.  I'll start saving up for a nice aquarium.

Thank you and everyone else for your input!