PerceptivePesce Posted August 3, 2022 Author Share Posted August 3, 2022 @Ken BurkeSo, you put new tap water in the tank and then condition it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Burke Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Yes. Kinda. I put the conditioner in when I start filling back up. good water conditioners are fast acting, so there really is not much risk. I typically use fritz complete from ACO since they have the pump. Makes measurements much easier 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 4, 2022 Author Share Posted August 4, 2022 @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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 5, 2022 Author Share Posted August 5, 2022 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!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfish Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 @PerceptivePesce What kind of spray paint did you use? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 5, 2022 Author Share Posted August 5, 2022 @redfish The whole can was emptied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfish Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 Thanks! what size tank is that again? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 5, 2022 Author Share Posted August 5, 2022 On 8/5/2022 at 10:16 AM, redfish said: Thanks! what size tank is that again? 75 gallon- petco had them for 50% off, so it was $125+tax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfish Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 ok thanks. I was looking at the tanks on sale at Petco. I was looking at another 55G since I have a stand already but a 75G would be nice too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 Welcome to the forum @PerceptivePesce! It looks like you're moving ahead quickly with your goldfish tank. Have you decided on what kind of fish to get? I'd suggest Sarasa Comets. They're one of my favorite fish because they look like small kohaku koi. They're not prone to genetic defects and they're full of personality, Yes, they're eventually outgrow a 75, but unless you absolutely stuff them with food they’ll be ok for years, just get small ones to start with. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 5, 2022 Author Share Posted August 5, 2022 @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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 5, 2022 Author Share Posted August 5, 2022 I just placed my first order with ACO! When I'm ready for plants I'll be making another order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfish Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 Nice. I'm two orders deep at this point. Supplies and plants. Everything arrived in great shape. It's addictive. 😊 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 On 8/5/2022 at 9:35 AM, PerceptivePesce said: 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. No, I just really like them 😁. I like Orandas and and other fancy goldfish too, however the fancy types are more prone to more medical issues. Do your research and get what you like the best. A couple of big Orandas in a 75 would be stunning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 7, 2022 Author Share Posted August 7, 2022 @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? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 10, 2022 Author Share Posted August 10, 2022 (edited) 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. Edited August 10, 2022 by PerceptivePesce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rube_Goldfish Posted August 10, 2022 Share Posted August 10, 2022 On 8/7/2022 at 6:01 PM, PerceptivePesce said: Your Sarasa comet is really eye catching. I'll definitely be thinking about them too. Thanks for the suggestion.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? The way I think it works is that GH is a measurement of both calcium and magnesium collectively in the water, and that yes, you could get a high GH reading and not know what proportion of that hardness is Ca and what proportion Mg. You can also buy more specific test kits to find out,* if you wanted, but to the best of my knowledge (I'm still new to this, too!) it wouldn't really matter to fish anyway. It could matter to plants, which might show deficiencies of one or the other nutrient in that case, but you could just wait and see how they grow. (This part is speculation on my part: I think "all Mg and no Ca" might be harmful for young fish developing their skeletons. I know snails need Ca for their shells and shrimp need it for their exoskeletons, so I'm extrapolating.) *This one, for example: https://www.amazon.com/Nutrafin-Calcium-Test-Fresh-Saltwater/dp/B0002568F4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 10, 2022 Author Share Posted August 10, 2022 @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 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 11, 2022 Author Share Posted August 11, 2022 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 11, 2022 Author Share Posted August 11, 2022 (edited) It seems like modifying a canister filter intake and outflow is in my future no matter which brand I go with. Mercy! Edited August 11, 2022 by PerceptivePesce 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 11, 2022 Author Share Posted August 11, 2022 (edited) Welp, my husband successfully modified the fittings. He cut out a 1/4" piece of curved plastic from the fittings which allowed them to slip over the rim and be secured down. Removing the plastic does weaken the "ears" that hold the screws. Picture of modification attached. Edited August 11, 2022 by PerceptivePesce 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 11, 2022 Author Share Posted August 11, 2022 This aquatop filter is pretty neat. It came with a standard intake and a skimmer attachment. It came with a 2-way outflow and a spray bar. It has an outflow adjustment. It has a built-in UV light. 370gph and it was $120+tax. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 12, 2022 Author Share Posted August 12, 2022 A real person from Aquatop replied and helped me troubleshoot with pics! I figured I'd get some corporate canned response. I love Aquatop now! The mounting bracket my husband cut can be totally removed. The rep's solution was to remove that bracket and secure with suction cups. Sheer brilliance! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share Posted August 16, 2022 Just wanted to let y'all know I'm waiting on a tank stand to be built, cleaning rocks, stacking rocks, and developing MTS. What aquatic life has captured my attention and given me MTS when I don't even have my first tank set-up? Beautiful, colorful Shrimp. I don't think goldfish and shrimp can share a tank, so I'll need a second tank. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerceptivePesce Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share Posted August 16, 2022 @Ken BurkeDoes Pet Zone offer a water testing service that will analyze more than ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, hardness (GH), buffer (KH), pH and chlorine? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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