Low on funds and time, how do i prepare my fish tank. (10 gallon)?

Question

I bought a 10 gallon fish tank set for my goldfish (only 1 1/2 inches atm so i have time to upgrade), it has a filter thermometer and gravel and lots of plants. I have water conditioner and thats about it. He was a rescue fish so i found myself in a hurried situation. I am hoping to transfer him from the bowl he has spent the last few days in to the new tank and DO NOT have time to cycle it for weeks or really even days. I also dont have the money for bacteria or any of that sort of thing. For now I just need to do everything i can for him with just the basics. Furthurmore our Ph levels where in my part of the state are almost always around like 8.6 so even if i test the ph its gonna peg the scale. Really what i need to know is what do i need to do for now to ensure that he will survive in the tank and what do i need to do to maintain the tank to keep him alive. I realize that it may require much more frequent water changes. Is there any advice anyone can give? Again i am now flatbroke

On a side note my last walmart goldfish lived in a bowl for four years (i know bowls are terrible but i was unaware of that at the time and was instructed by a parent that a bowl was ok) My point is simply that i refuse to believe that a fish that can live for years in a bowl with ammonia levels spiked sky high and no filtration aeration or much of anything is going to keel over the instant you put him in a tank that hasnt been cycled for a month. In effect a tank seems to be simply a bowl only bigger, and with filtration. Please correct me if i am wrong but even unprepped a tank seems healthier than a bowl. Thanx

Answer 1

Currently I have a 40 gallon tank. I have two baby (one year old) red earsliders and 11 goldfish. I have keps my goldfish alive with my two baby turtles.
I ALSO have no free time to always clean the tank and so on. So what I did: Took rocks and pilled them on one side (only because I have turtles don't need for goldfish) and them the rest of the tank floor I put dont small peble rocks. Then I added all the plants etc. At Petco you can buy for $5 real plants that freshen up your water. I also bought two (I dont know there names but I call them sucker fish) They are Grey and have black spots. I don't feed them and they eat all the allgee, poop, and what ever else in the tank that makes it dirty. They are however kinda pricey. and what I mean by that it like $8!!!! My tip for those fish NEVER EVER dump them straight into the tank, they take longer than most to adapt to new water temp. So keep them in their original pet water bags for a while and let the water temps balance out. Once they do let them go free into your tank (for a 10 gallon you only need one.) trust me once you have these fish you wont have to worry about cleaning out your tank.
Also, the fish don't clean 100% only like (85%) so once every two weeks change the filter. My filter takes a few seconds to just rinse it.

Hope this helps you,
Good Luck
Lindz

Answer 2

The best thing you could have done for this fish (apart from saving him from WalMart) was to put him in a tank. The additional water volume will help dilute the wastes he produces much better than the bowl he was in. This gives you a little more of a cushion between needed water changes.

In the future, the best thing for him are small partial water changes ofer the next two months. About 1 gallon every 2-3 days, or 25-30% once a week. This should keep the ammonia and nitrite levles low enough that ammonia or nitrite poisoning doesn't occur. I put links to to websites about ammonia and nitrite poisoning and their symptoms with my answer to another of your questions, so you'll know what to watch for, in case they do get high. Also be sure you don't give too much food, which also creates ammonia.

After the first week, the ammonia should start to convert to nitrite, which will be made a little more dangerous because of your high pH (I use to live in an area where it was 8.3 and I thought that was high!). Rather than try to use chemicals and alter your pH (since this is never a permanent "fix" and will only fluctuate every time you do a water change which is even more stressful for a fish than a constant high pH), add some salt (preferably without iodine) at around 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water. Nitrite affects fish by blocking the oxygen receptors so not enough oxygen gets into the bloodstream (which is why they gasp for air), but the salt inhibits the nitrite from being absorbed. Also, you can add some peat moss if you have any to an old stocking to put in your filter to slowly lower the pH. This will tint the water a brown color, but it will help.

Answer 3

God bless you for being a pet rescuer! First, you do sound knowledgeable about, at least, the basics. You understand the minimum gallon requirements for goldies. You know that your fish needs a filter and you realize that water needs to cycle. And finally, you realize that a bowl is not the best environment and that what you have now is a temporary measure. I would agree with you that an uncycled tank is as good or better than an uncycled bowl. Here is a link to the best site on the web for goldfish and, specifically, the section on cycling with fish. It will be difficult and will require dedicated watchfulness and regular testing to make sure you're keeping your water on course, but it can definitely be done. Normally, I would say don't bother with your ph and right now, don't, but it is high and you might consider putting in a real log in the tank. Wood will tend to "sweeten" the water and bring down the ph. Drops won't do it. You need something more permanent like wood. The worst thing, though, is for the ph to jump up and down. If you can't get it to stay down at a stable level, it's better to not to do anything at all. Good luck! From one goldy lover to another!

Answer 4

They sell a product. its relatively cheap called. 7.0 or 7.5 and it makes the ph perfect. I have put many fish into many new tanks. All i usually have to do is add that stuff and throw the fish in. just make sure the temp. is close to what he lives in now. changes of more than 3 degrees can shock a fish and possibly kill it. "supposidly"
Also goldfish can basicly live in anything and through everything. I use them as feeder fish. and i throw them in all different types of water and they seem to live just fine.

Answer 5

make sure to temper him to the temperature and ph of the new water for at least a few hours. little by little put the new water in with him and let him adjust, if you must rush it you'll have to acceot that he may not survive, but if youre patient and careful his chances are good.

Answer 6

can't help you with the cycling....

but you will need to change the water every day till hes in a filtered tank then you need to do a 50% water change ever week...

www.thegab.org is a great place to find more info