I just filled my aquarium and put 3 gold fish in. Should I leave the light and filter on all night or is it ok to turn them off? Any other advice on care is appriciated. Thank you.
2007-06-05 23:50:09 · 20 answers · asked by tammy_c28645 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
The filter is on 24/7, but the light is 10-12 hours a day (not night). If you don't have any live plants, then you should probably leave it on about 5 hours a day.
~ZTM
2007-06-06 03:19:10 · answer #1 · answered by ZooTycoonMaster 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The filter needs to run at all times, it's what maintains their little ecosystem. You are trying to mimic their natural environment, and it's a delicate balance. The light should only be used around 10 hours. Think of it as maintaining their natural habitat. The sun is only out part of the time. We don't turn our lights on until late afternoon certain times of the year, the sun is adequate in our home. (no direct sunlight, though.) Their night cycle should be the same as yours, that's the best way.
Too much light causes excess algae growth. For that reason, keep your tank away from direct sunlight, and don't place it directly near a window. If your tank is already near a window, keep the blinds or curtains closed, so the natural light will still filter in, but no direct sunlight will. The direct sunlight will also heat your tank a bit more, and since they are goldfish, that could be bad.
For care, make sure you are maintaining weekly water changes and gravel vacuums. Goldfish are the "dirtiest" of fish, meaning they release a lot of ammonia with their frequent waste, so the weekly upkeep is a must. Test their water often, as well. You can buy the test kits at your local fish store.
I keep a fish journal. I document tank temperatures, water parameters, filter changes, any changes I notice in the tank, etc. It's very helpful, I really recommend doing that. Seems like a lot, but like anything else, when you get into the habit, you don't really think about it.
Good luck, have fun, this is a wonderful and rewarding hobby.
Hope I've helped!
2007-06-06 00:42:17 · answer #2 · answered by H3yd00 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Turn off the light at night. Only turn off the filter to clean it. Run the filter 24/7
2007-06-06 05:13:47 · answer #3 · answered by Sunday P 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The filter should remain on as oxygen is important to the fishes. As for the light, it is recommended that you provide around 12 hours of light per day. You might want to consider using a timer so that you can consistently light the tank during those 12 hours. Inconsistent lighting may cause your fish stress, which can then lead to health problems. If you have plants in your tank, then the lighting requirements are different. You can check further on the internet by doing a search on any search engine like Google. Fishes need to rest like us so they would appreciate some down time with the lights off. Good luck!
2007-06-06 00:27:07 · answer #4 · answered by MK 1 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Fish have a day and night cycle like many other animals so you should turn off the light. Some fish are nocturnal and will only come out at night so if you leave the lights on all the time they would be extremely shy to come out from hiding ever (like a Black Ghost Knife fish). They also sleep like we do, if you turn off the lights, 2 hours later you should find all your fish at the bottom resting in a comfy hiding spot. Labyrinth fish like Bettas however sleep on the top.
2016-05-17 22:56:16 · answer #5 · answered by berniece 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Leave the filter on all the time.
The light should be on for only 8-10 hours a day... Fish need to sleep too!
ßübblëš
2007-06-06 08:24:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Fish Tank Water Purifier
2016-12-08 16:49:31 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes i keep my: Filter, air pump, light, and heater on at all the times, basically 24/7.
The only reason why my fish die is because my Oscars eats them lol.
2007-06-06 03:30:43 · answer #8 · answered by Tunish305 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Your filter should remain on at all times. The light should be turned on and off to simulate daylight and nighttime. Fish do need a resting period.
2007-06-06 02:23:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Filter needs to stay on constantly, to do exactly that filter. The light can depend on the kind of fish you have, typically tropical fish fare better with a little more "sun" and the the salt water fish (good luck if you have these! saline levels are impossible) can do with a little bit less "sun" but in the end you have the power so it's up to you! Enjoy your little fishies!!
2007-06-06 00:08:12 · answer #10 · answered by wonderfairy18 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋