55 Gallon Fancy Goldfish Tank Build

I'm back in the hobby as an adult after keeping fish as a youth. I have always loved fancy goldfish but I never kept them properly as a kid, and so I never got to appreciate their true beauty or personality. So I am setting up a fancy goldfish tank! I've got a 55g tank (recently resealed), a local woodworker is building me a stand, and I am picking up the first of probably two canister filters on Wednesday. I'm still undecided about lights, the second canister filter, decoration (mostly substrate, I have a big ol' pile of nice rocks but don't know which will make it into the tank), plants, and of course the fish.

This tank will be one of the first things you see when you enter my home, and it is also in the living room where I spend a lot of my time, so it is going to be a kind of centerpiece.

I have a few things I need to decide on as I get the tank up and running, including:

• What will my second canister filter be? I'm picking up a Sicce Space Eko 300 on Wednesday, but I want another canister filter. I'm considering a Sicce Whale (350 or 500), unless I see a good deal on a well-reviewed used canister filter.
  • Relatedly -- do I want to have a window film background on the tank (probably frosted) to minimize appearance of tubing?
• What do I want for lighting? I'm currently considering a Fluval Aquasky (mostly for app control purposes, as smart plugs are hit/miss in my house because of my wifi) but I've also considered some of the cheaper LED lights like Nicrew and Hygger.
• What color do I want to stain the stand? I'm staining it myself because I don't know what colors will be in the tank. Currently thinking a light colored stain with semi-gloss polyurethane.
• In cabinet outlets -- do I want to go with a DJ rack type thing or a Kasa smart plug? I might do a mix of both (things that cycle on/off on the Kasa strip and things that don't cycle on the DJ rack). Unfortunately I have wifi issues and have issues with Kasa plugs because of the 5ghz vs. 2.4ghz issue.
• Which sand for the substrate? I got some of the regular sand from Buceplant and I love the way it looks, but I'm not sure I want to spring for a full tank of that (especially at a depth of 2") since I expect with such light sand it'll need to be refreshed periodically. But it looks great.
• How do I want to plant it? I will definitely have pothos to soak up nutrients, but unsure so far about submerged plants....maybe some vals? Or just whatever I can find for cheap at the local aquarium society auction
• Do I want a ranchu tank or a general fancy goldfish tank? If I go with only ranchu then I will almost certainly have to get the fish online.

Other bits and bobs needed: heater, filter media, air stone/tubing/pump, supplies for QT tank (tub, air pump, fake plants)....

 

A single Sicce Whale 500 would probably be overkill for the tank - it's rated for up to 135 gallons. I have this very filter on a 75 gallon Severum tank and I had to turn the flow down.

If you have issues with wifi I would steer away from any of the wifi controlled lights. I have a Finnex Planted+ ALC on the Severum tank and its bright. Programming isn't fun - there's a YouTube video that covers it. I've heard good things on Nicrew and Hygger but this was the direction we went. Full disclosure...rest of my tanks are Fluval Aquasky 2.0's.

Cabinet stain is user preference. Don't ask a group of 20 people this question as you'll get 20 different answers. Go for what you want and the rest can quietly nod at your choice

Cabinet outlets I would install a surge protector with a long enough cord to reach your nearest outlet. I would also suggest installing an undercabinet light. You'll be surprised how handy this will come in especially if you go the traditional route and paint the stand satin black.

For sand, just go to your local Big Box home improvement store and grab a package of pool filter sand. Then wash, wash, wash....ahem...wash, wash, and wash it some more. Toss a prefilter sponge on your canister filter intake if you go this route as loose sand will eat a filter impeller.

Can't comment on the other points of planting the tank.

As for heaters, I run a 54 gallon pond (goldfish and Shubunkin) and have (2) heaters sized to heat 55 gallon tanks. Reason being is that I keep the pond outside during spring/summer/fall and some nights one heater is not sufficient. I keep it dialed in for 68F. They're adjustable Aquatops with plastic guards around the glass elements.

 

Going to pick up the stand this evening!

Thank you for the responses briangcc1997 ! I’ll do more research into canisters - I may also look at the lowest gph version of the Oase Biomaster that has an integrated heater and a massive sponge prefilter!

 

I started up a fancy goldfish tank last fall after a few years break. I had used Black Diamond blasting sand from Tractor Supply last time, so went with pool filter sand this time. Although I loved the look, the white/light colored sand really washed out the fish. I had a heavy ink calico Ranchu that looked brown, not black. After about 2 months, I siphoned out the pool sand and put in the black blasting sand. My Ranchu's colors intensified and the dark Ranchu's black areas looked as black as they should. Plus, fancy goldfish produce so much waste that you'll be constantly vacuuming the pool sand if you're as particular as me. And you did say the tank will be in a prominent part of your home so I REALLY recommend black substrate. It's cheap ($9/40 lb bag)!!
Another thing, buying mid-high quality goldfish online is very reliable these days. Choose a quality seller. Most fancies are either imported from Asia or bred in tropical fish temps. Many sellers recommend 78F to as high as 84F! Keeps the digestive systems in these delicate fish active to avoid swim bladder issues. Some fancies will tolerate high 60s - low 70s, they will not flourish in those temps. Ask me how I know .

 

I started up a fancy goldfish tank last fall after a few years break. I had used Black Diamond blasting sand from Tractor Supply last time, so went with pool filter sand this time. Although I loved the look, the white/light colored sand really washed out the fish. I had a heavy ink calico Ranchu that looked brown, not black. After about 2 months, I siphoned out the pool sand and put in the black blasting sand. My Ranchu's colors intensified and the dark Ranchu's black areas looked as black as they should. Plus, fancy goldfish produce so much waste that you'll be constantly vacuuming the pool sand if you're as particular as me. And you did say the tank will be in a prominent part of your home so I REALLY recommend black substrate. It's cheap ($9/40 lb bag)!!
Another thing, buying mid-high quality goldfish online is very reliable these days. Choose a quality seller. Most fancies are either imported from Asia or bred in tropical fish temps. Many sellers recommend 78F to as high as 84F! Keeps the digestive systems in these delicate fish active to avoid swim bladder issues. Some fancies will tolerate high 60s - low 70s, they will not flourish in those temps. Ask me how I know .

Thank you so much for the advice - I have seen the black blasting sand, so I may have to rethink my light sand plans. Do you know what size sand grain you got? It seems like black blasting media comes in different sizes.

Realistically, I’m a good 2 months away from being able to even think about fully setting it up because I’ll be traveling…so I have plenty of time to decide. I will also see how well my light sand in my 10g community tank looks after a month…if I hate how it looks in that relatively low bioload tank, I definitely won’t like it in a goldfish tank.

I was surprised at the temp recommendation for fancy goldfish temps, and I’m sorry to hear that you learned it the hard way I had seen one breeder (Luminous Goldfish) recommend higher temps, but I admit I assumed that was because they are located in California Silly me! This definitely makes me think that an Oase with integrated heater is the right move…although I’m
not exactly going for the ADA minimalist look, I do like the idea of keeping the in-tank equipment to the minimum. Plus, goldfish can be clumsy…

Once the stand is out of the car and set up, I’ll take some pictures of it!!

 

I think the darker sand shows up the orange colors better, but also shows waste more. I made a mix of light and dark sand, leaning more heavily toward the dark. It doesn't really show waste at all and I was surprised how much I liked the look. You might play around with a small amount of that mix and see if you like it. I have Aquaskys on 2 of my tanks and like the programmability of them, but the cheaper Nicrew I have is ok too if you don't need the extra bells and whistles. Looking forward to seeing your progress!

 

My vote is for a Fancy Goldfish mix over just Ranchus.
I have common, comets, fantails, Ryukin, Black Moor, Telescope Butterfly tail in a 1000L outdoor pond, I'm also after a pure white Oranda, I have basically every other colors.
I was our coldest night of the year last night and the tank got down to 9oC (48.2F) with air temps of -3.1oC (26.42F). They all did well and had their lunch today. One of the major online breeders here in Australia keeps all their fancy Goldfish outside in ponds year round.

 

Thank you so much for the advice - I have seen the black blasting sand, so I may have to rethink my light sand plans. Do you know what size sand grain you got? It seems like black blasting media comes in different sizes.

Realistically, I’m a good 2 months away from being able to even think about fully setting it up because I’ll be traveling…so I have plenty of time to decide. I will also see how well my light sand in my 10g community tank looks after a month…if I hate how it looks in that relatively low bioload tank, I definitely won’t like it in a goldfish tank.
I was surprised at the temp recommendation for fancy goldfish temps, and I’m sorry to hear that you learned it the hard way I had seen one breeder (Luminous Goldfish) recommend higher temps, but I admit I assumed that was because they are located in California Silly me! This definitely makes me think that an Oase with integrated heater is the right move…although I’m
not exactly going for the ADA minimalist look, I do like the idea of keeping the in-tank equipment to the minimum. Plus, goldfish can be clumsy…

Once the stand is out of the car and set up, I’ll take some pictures of it!!

Most aquarium folks use the 20-40 Medium grit size of Black Diamond blasting sand. It rinses pretty easy. Some don't even rinse it, but I did. Just put several inches in a 5 gal bucket, run a garden hose in the yard and let it overflow until it runs clear. A couple minutes at most. Then scoop into your tank to desired depth.
I have 2 large HOB filters. I have a short bodied, but appropriate watt heater submerged in one of them. I just have a few rocks (hardscape) in the sand. I tried plants, but goldfish are notorious plant eaters/diggers/chewers. My anubias petite nana lasted the longest, but not worth the hassle of constant re-anchoring.

 

Minor Equipment Update
My LFS had ordered me a Sicce Space Eko 300, so I got to pick that up today. I also ordered an Oase Bio Thermo 350. I would have liked to go for the next step down, but the heater in the OBT 200 would have been undersized. In any case, the filtration is gonna be more $ than the tank and stand, so I am hoping that all the research I did on these two filter models pays off. But I won't know for sure for a while as I'm not able to get them into a tank for a week or two.

I'm getting help moving the stand from my car into my house (I've been driving around with it for 3 days...It makes my car smell like pine ).Then I'll be out of town for a week. That means picking the stain and looking at how I'll plumb it will have to wait til then. I have a fair large amount of dissertation writing & revising to do between now and the end of the month. But if the weather is good, I think it's realistic to have it finished (stained and painted/sealed, interior and exterior) by the end of the month, as long as I don't spend too long deciding how to stain it. The fella who built it used white baseboard to help keep the cost down, so I have to find a way to mix stained wood and painted wood in a way that looks intentional and ~aesthetic~. There are plenty of examples online, so I'm not too worried about finding something I like. It's more the actual picking the thing I want to do. I want to keep the look light and airy because it's a big piece in my not so big house, but if I do go with the black diamond blasting sand, then I'm not sure how good a light stain/white paint will look.

More about my fish thoughts in another post...
Fish Thoughts
I've begun looking at some fancy goldfish breeders/importers: Goldfish Island, Luminous Goldfish, Zhao's Fancies, ChuChu Goldfish, Jimmy Goldfish, King Koi, and East Coast Ranchu. I found a local importer, but he was asking $700 for a single Ranchu -- while I like the idea of a fish that is used to roughly the same water, I do not have $700 goldfish money.

I've noticed that some places suggest not mixing their stock with stock from other breeders, ever (even after quarantine). No idea if it's true, but here's the reasoning I've heard for this: Breeder 1's fish are durable with respect to bacteria they are used to in Breeder 1's system. But Breeder 1's fish don't have resistance to other strains of bacteria, so if you introduce a fish from Breeder 2 and Breeder 2's system has bacteria that Breeder 1's fish have never encountered, then Breeder 1's fish are more likely to get sick (and vice versa).

I'm not sure if this is reasonable advice science-wise, but unless it is clearly true/it would be bad husbandry to disregard it, then I don't know if I'll follow it. I have semi-specific ideas for what color variations I want (I want an all red/orange and a Kirin) and prefer chubby-cheeked Ranchus, Yuanbaos (but not too much wen growth) and Telescope Eyes. I also want to start with smaller fish (under 4.5") because I think it'll be cool to watch them grow (not to mention hopefully a bit cheaper). I haven't really found one place which offers the kinds of fish I want in the colors I want...which, reading back what I wrote, is perhaps not surprising because what I want is pretty specific ). I had seen an adorable female Ranchu for sale at Coast Gem USA but the reviews on them are so bad that even the cutest fish face ever (she had freckles, folks!) couldn't convince me to pull the trigger (that and I do not actually have the tank set up yet...)

One more observation: some of these goldfish breeders have releases that are like new sneaker releases (or so my students tell me), where they 'drop' (are released on the website) and sell out almost instantaneously. One breeder releases new fish a certain day at 7pm, and more than once I have refreshed the page at 7pm to see many of the new arrivals already sold! It's a breeder I'd really like to buy from, but I'm not upgrading my internet just to buy goldfish faster!

The stand is in the house! And the tank is on it! It's awesome! I have realized that it likely makes the most sense to paint the stand rather than try to stain it with all the different lumber grades. Sometimes there are nice, happy accidents and I'm going to take this as one of them: paint will be easier in terms of prep work, and in terms of choosing a color. I'm going to choose a cabinet paint and seal it, and use a water-resistant enamel + sealant on the inside of the cabinet. It has a nice shelf for the small bits and bobs, but lots of space underneath that shelf for my canister filters! I'm very glad to have it in the house before I go away!

 

Back from vacation! Three awesome things happened while I was away:

1. Thanks to my good friend and some well-seeded media, my quarantine tank (20 gallon long) is cycled and has a lovely coating of algae for the eventual quarantine patients to snack on!
2. I saw a gorgeous goldfish for sale from Luminous Goldfish, so I went for it. I'm currently waiting to see if their next release has another goldfish I like, as I prefer to quarantine them in pairs to avoid loneliness. Those fish will arrive early next week.
3. Petco sent me the Oase Biotherm 350, not the 250 I ordered and they aren't gonna make me send it back

Preparing for QT

• Round up all the QT medications I'll need (I'm still deciding whether to preemptively treat or wait and observe/medicating as needed).
• Look into the medications that fancy goldfish keepers often use for baths.
• Get some fake plants and maybe a terra cotta pot for a hide
• Get goldfish food (prepared and fresh).

As for preparing the display tank, here are the things I need to do before I can add water:

• Install window film background
• Install DJ rack/power strips inside tank.
• Get PFS & wash the sand (still reading up on the best way to do this...I've never washed 50+lbs of sand before...)
• Add extra brace for stand (the long side rim just barely sits on the 'wall' of the stand, and I'd like a bit more support, so I'm going to take some lumber I have left over from fixing my deck, cut it into two 21" pieces and screw it onto the frame.
• Sand, paint, and prime exterior of stand in Benjamin Moore Coastal Fog (I am reluctantly likely going to have to do this inside, as NC weather is too unpredictable this time of year rain-wise, and I would not be able to get the stand in by myself if the weather turned. I have painted/refinished furniture inside the house before, so I have fans and am lucky to have doors optimally placed for a strong cross-draft).
• Seal interior of stand. I'll do this with polyurethane and some high gloss trim/cabinet paint I have laying around. I do plan to keep the canister filters in little tubs and the back is fully open, so I've decided that I don't need to buy a special paint.
• Wash the rocks
• Scape the tank!

My Short Term Shopping List

• 1 QT Benjamin Moore Coastal Fog (probably in their advanced formulation)
• DJ power rack (for powering non-timed electric components) -- I'll install this inside the cabinet.
• Frosted window film for background (the wall my tank is up against has a chair rail behind it, so I want to hide this)
• Structural screws for adding the extra support beam.
• Silk plants (petco has them on sale right now)
• Goldfish foods (Hikari pellets, frozen blood worms, peas, broccoli)

Medium Term Shopping List

• Pool filter sand
• Filter floss to pad the bottom of the tank where I'll put rocks (I actually need to re-stuff my couch too, so I may just get a big bag at the craft store and do both projects with that!)
• 48" light -- currently hoping I'll get a good Memorial Day deal on a Fluval Aquasky. I'd take a Planted 3.0 as well, but feel like that would be slightly wasted on me as I don't intend to grow a ton of submerged plants.
• Removable wall hooks for pothos
• Basins for canister filters

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...
I need to figure out how to deal with the time between when I can get water in the display tank and when I need the quarantine tank for the goldfish. Currently the bio media and sponges are just hanging out in that tank. Probably I'll just get a bucket and throw the media in with a sponge filter for some air movement.

I hate naming pets -- my last two pets came with names, and I asked someone else to name my Honey Gourami. Ironically I had no problem naming my snails once I picked a theme (racehorses). I'll have to decide on names for the goldfish (or at least a theme) but I think I'll wait until I actually have them to do that. But it's already stressing me out a bit

Stocking Considerations
Now that I've ordered my first fish, I'm starting to think more seriously about stocking. Since I'm getting these fish online, and they aren't cheap, I want to be very intentional about choosing fish. Unfortunately, that also means I'll have opportunities to overthink myself in circles. Since goldfish are social creatures, I've decided that I'll add the goldfish residents in two pairs (I know it is controversial to keep 4 goldfish in a 55 gallon tank, but I have everything I need to upgrade to a 75g except the tank itself, and feel confident enough as a fish-keeper that I can keep the water clean. I likely won't add the second pair until this fall, since the weather will start to be too hot for me to be comfortable having fish shipped.

The first two fish I add will be female, and I'm considering a sorority. The only downside I've heard to this is the risk that without the presence of a male goldfish, the females have a higher risk of getting egg-bound. I'm not 100% sure I believe that being egg-bound is as common as people say it is, since there seem to be many things that can go wrong with goldfish that present similar symptoms to being egg-bound. I wouldn't want more than one male goldfish, just because the risk of a mixed-sex tank is that the males stress spawning females out with chasing. So once I get my first two goldfish, I'll consider adding a male as part of the second pair.

 

Got the food, going to get the silk plants and some frozen bloodworms now!

 

I'm concerned that my cycle in the QT tank is actually stalled -- I'm registering 0 nitrates, 0 nitrites, and 0 ammonia. I have occasionally gotten 0 nitrate readings in my heavily planted 10g, but with a newly set-up QT tank (albeit with seeded media), I'm definitely eyeing that 0 nitrate suspiciously. The tank does have pothos, floaters, java fern, and algae in there, but I doubt that is the cause of the reading. I'm wondering (sadly) if having a friend "feed" the tank with fish food only while I was away was insufficient. I've decided to get some Dr. Tim's ammonia, consider adding some sponge from one of my already cycled tanks, and will be nursing the cycle along. I'm tentatively scheduled to get my new goldfish early next week, so I have some time.

I got the window film for the 55g background, which I'll install when I take the tank off to paint the exterior of the stand.

 

QT tank is coming around for me -- it is registering over 0ppm nitrate (but less than 5pmm), 0 nitrite, 0 ammonia.

I purchased a second goldfish from Luminous Goldfish - I went with a 3.5" female milk cow Ranchu (or Yuanbao? Luminous Goldfish's describes these fish as Yuanbao. The LG fish lack a dorsal fin, but places like Jimmy Goldfish and Goldfish Island use "Yuanbao" to describe fish with dorsal fins).

All I really need to do with the QT tank is clean it up -- I have ceramic filter media cycling in it that will go into the canister filters of the display tank. My plan is to put those media trays in a bucket with an air stone and feed the bacteria daily, with water chemistry tests to make sure things are staying in good shape. But in order to do that, I have to scoop up all the little bio media balls, which is surprisingly hard to do! I will do the best I can today, and then get any remaining ones when I do a WC tomorrow. The breeder recommends having "aged" water for WC's, so I am going to get a few extra buckets to age water in. Could always use a few more buckets anyway

But today is first and foremost a writing day, as I have a deadline from my advisor. Fortunately I have a cute new Betta friend, Plutarch aka Pluto, to keep me company in my desktop tank (in addition to my dog, who likes to lay on the desk next to my laptop).

 

My first two goldfish are coming tomorrow! I’ve been setting up the QT tank according to the breeder’s instructions. I’m glad to have the fluval plant 3.0 because it’s so easy to adjust.

Sadly my Celtics lost last night, but if I can find a silver lining, it’s that if the Celtics made the finals I’d be yelling at my TV, and the fish wouldn’t have appreciated that so soon after their arrival.

Anyway, I’m still determining what WC schedule I’ll be on for the QT tank. I find the arguments about the fragility of fishless cycles I’ve read on here compelling, so my current plan is to test water 4 times a day (7am, 11-12am, 4pm, and 8pm) for at least the first week. I want to do small water changes even if that means doing them much more frequently, as I think I can do tiny (1-2 gallons) with very little disruption to the fish.

I just tested my water, and I have some ammonia (.25ppm) so I’m doing a WC of 4 gallons). I’ll add a 2x dose of Prime, a 2x dose of Stability, and test again. I’ll consider adding a Purigen packet to the filter if necessary. Typically I would not want to throw the kitchen sink at water chemistry, but this tank ultimately does not have to support itself long term. It has to support the goldfish for a specific purpose and duration, so I can take on the extra responsibility. With my luck, it will probably cycle juuuuuust as I’m moving the fish to the main tank

 

Fish were shipped today, and will arrive by 10:30am tomorrow. I've got major "kid on Christmas Eve energy"! I am so, so thrilled that the months of planning are coming to fruition. Of course, the real (or perhaps just different) work begins once the fish arrive, but it's really actually real once the fish are in the building.

The Sakura is tentatively named Dumpling and the Milk Cow tentatively named Cleo.

They’re here! They’re stunning! They’re begging for food

Doing temp acclimation now…pics to come!

 

Can't wait to see them!

 

Welcome Dumpling and Cleo
So these are not good photos. You can blame me for that -- I have the photo-taking skills of a Boomer dad, and the lighting is quite low as Asher (the owner of Luminous Goldfish) recommends keeping the lights dim initially as the fish settle in.

They went into the tank at 11:22am.

Water Parameters @2pm
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0pmm
Nitrates: 0pmm

--

The breeder has specific instructions for acclimating them (float the bag for 30-60 minutes, keep the lights low, don't stare at them), so I followed those instructions. I moved them from the bag to the tank using my bare hands (which is what most fancy goldfish folks do). Not quite hillbilly hand fishing, but certainly a bit out of my comfort zone!

I've kept the room dim and quiet (with the exception of a few phone calls and sports radio), and so I can hear them occasionally break the surface to (I assume) snack on some of the floating plants or suggest I come feed them. Sorry girls, Asher's instructions say no food til tomorrow! I am very glad I chose to get a pair -- they 100% are enjoying each other's company. I like to imagine they became good friends on the plane ride

The larger fish, as I expected, seemed moderately more stressed by the whole experience. She was doing some glass surfing on and off for the first two hours. It makes me think I probably would not want to buy/have shipped a fish much bigger than her. She has shown only very minimal signs of behavioral stress, and physically seems fine except for some very minor and localized slime coat loss. I'm not too worried.

Lastly, while they seem to appreciate having some stuff in the tank, they are more active than I expected right out of the gate, so I may remove and/or trim some of the silk and real plants which will give them more swimming space.

Despite my desire to see them in better light (and take pictures!), I'll probably keep the lights low for another 2-3 days until they're on their normal meal schedule again.

Pic #1 is them in the box. Well packed!
Pic #2 is them in the bag doing the temperature acclimation.
Pic #3 is Dumpling (Sakura) doing a hide.
Pic #4 is Cleo (Milk Cow) swimming around.

 

So exciting! I probably wouldn't be able to not stare at them lol.

 

So exciting! I probably wouldn't be able to not stare at them lol.

It's very hard not to! But it makes sense -- in addition to the shipping stress, Asher raises his fish in herds each in a large (like above-ground pool size) outdoor stock pond with opaque siding. Going from that to a bag with one other fish, then to an indoor clear-sided tank with one other fish is probably quite an adjustment! And from their perspective, I'd probably look like I was trying to eat them.

I have a chair in my living room that is parallel to their QT tank, so I'm sitting in that and sneaking peeks from time to time. I also turned the air stone up a bit.

It's a beautiful day here in North Carolina, and I think I've observed them long enough to be confident they'll be fine if I go on a walk

 

Water Chemistry Update: my water parameters are 0ppm nitrite and between 0 and 5ppm nitrate. Ammonia has undergone a bit of a development. The API test read .25ppm ammonia yesterday. But this morning it was up to .50ppm ammonia, which I attribute to the fact that they had their first meal yesterday and made some truly impressive poos overnight. I did a 20% water change, and then fed them again. I will test the ammonia again this evening. I am double-dosing Prime, and I have read that this can cause either artificially high readings of ammonia or can be misleading because the ammonia is bound by the chemicals in Prime, so it is there to be picked up by the test but not actually dangerous for the fish. For my personal comfort level, I want it under .25ppm.

Goldfish had their second meal today -- 10 pellets each (20 total) soaked for 20 minutes. Even after just the one meal, they have learned I provide the food, because when I sit on the couch next to the QT tank the Milk Cow will stare at me. They are also splashers -- I was thinking I was not going to need a lid on the tank, but that was because I didn't think they'd be jumping. They mostly do it in the corner where the HOB intake is, and my hypothesis is that they are splashing the floating plants that collect there into the water and then eating them.

I turned the lights on (low setting) and I'm going to try to get some pictures today. The water is definitely a bit cloudy, and I'd let some nice algae grow on the glass, so I'm not sure how nice the pictures will be...

 

Can't wait to see the pictures!

 

Here are the best pictures I got of Dumpling (Sakura) and Cleo (Milk Cow calico) during their little photo shoot today! Cleo is very adept at splashing from the back corner of the tank closest to the sofa where I sit. She splashed me twice as I sat here editing the photos. I lightly edited the photos to better reflect how their colors look in person. They really are gorgeous fish!

 

Oh man, those faces!

 

Well, things took a turn this morning. I woke up to the fish covered in some clearest white, stringy/lumpy stuff all over their bodies. I've posted in the Disease help subforum. I'm really worried about these two, and especially about Dumpling. She had a harder time adjusting in general, and this has definitely knocked her back more.

My differential diagnosis is Epistylis (I did not mention this in the post in the Disease section to avoid potentially biasing people's thinking) rather than Ich. But from my research this morning, other than the temperature change (for Epistylis the recommendation is to lower temperature whereas for Ich the recommendation is to raise temperature), the treatment for Epistylis and Ich can be the same (or at least don't interfere with each other).

Other recommendations I've seen for treating Epistylis are to increase the water flow/aeration, increase filtration, and to do a salt dip. I am unsure about whether to try these three interventions just yet. I'm open to increasing the water flow, and to increasing filtration (though I don't want to stress them out with extra current). But I've never done a salt-dip before, and I worry that throwing the kitchen sink at them will result in more stress, which will backfire.

The Petco near me closes at 7pm, so depending on how they're looking, I'll decide if I need to go get supplies before dinner.

 

Doing much better this morning! I did a salt dip last night, and that helped A LOT.
This morning they're behaving like little pigs. They still look a little rough (especially Dumpling). I've turned the temp back up since I no longer think it's Epi. I may do another salt dip.

At this point, I think the most likely cause of the initial issue was a PH crash. I'm going to get a filter with a longer intake tube (the Tidal intake only goes ~5 inches under the water) to try and keep the bottom cleaner. I added a wonder shell to buffer the water.

Right now my lingering concern is a possible bacterial infection. Their bellies look red (though much less so than yesterday), so I'll continue feeding them kanaplex-soaked pellets.

 

The girls are looking back to normal physically and behaviorally! I gave them another salt bath last night and added some duckweed into the tank. This morning they're looking completely back to normal: no more red bellies, no more sluggishness (they ate most of the duckweed overnight ), and both of them splashed me when I put them back in the tank after the salt bath. I'm going to continue feeding kanaplex-soaked pellets for another day.

I also realized something kind of funny: these fish came from California, and lived outside, so I think they're still on Pacific Standard Time (despite my light schedule being on Eastern Standard Time)...

I wonder if it's time to move this over to the journal subforum...

I'll get more pictures after I get back from my dissertation writing group!

 

That's awesome news! I'm so glad they're feeling better. Phew!

 

It’s been 1 week since Dumpling and Cleo arrived!!!

I put a small wonder shell into the 20g QT tank on Monday and it is now almost gone! I got more wonder shells, but I think I’m going to need to use crushed coral in the filter with the 55g

Speaking of the 55g, it’s time to start getting stuff done with the build. I’m aiming to paint the inside of the stand tomorrow. Then over the weekend, I want to get the lumber to reinforce the stand (I already have the screws). I’ll put that on, and then ideally get the outside of the stand and the background on too. I tried a swatch of the foggy window film on the tank, and the main issue I noticed is that there are always little air bubbles over scratches.

My goal is to have the tank ready for water by the weekend after this one, if not sooner. I would like to have the fish in the 55g by the second to last week of June (if not sooner). They definitely seem kind of bored in the QT tank, and I certainly won’t mind having them in a larger tank because it’ll mean I can probably cut down on water changes and that I can use my new python water changer.

I still don’t have a light for the display tank…and I’m not rushing to get one. After the initial outlay, I’m trying to space out purchasing the “nice to have” stuff like a light, plants, and such.

 

Some photos from today after a 40% water change, plus a picture of the stand. They're still on a pellet and duckweed diet, but I made my first batch of Repashy Supergold for tomorrow. I will be honest, Repashy smells yucky -- it smells like wheatgrass smoothies.

I'm working on the tank stand today as well -- the exterior needs 2-3 more coats of paint (one today, one tomorrow, maybe one the next day). I also washed the sand. I'm not actually sure I need/want to get the PFS...but I probably will, just because it's easier to add it now.

Then I'm going to pull the stand away from the wall to paint the remainder of the inside (my goal here is just to seal it). I need to install the background as well. Once that's done, I'll add the additional structural supports and attach the power strip (I got one with switches). Plus the foggy background -- I need to do that in the morning when I have a decisive hand with the razor blade! If all goes well, I will have the tank up and running by the 20th, and the girls will be moved in shortly thereafter.

 

Oh those cheeks!

 

Oh those cheeks!

I know!!! That is like my #1 criteria for Ranchu! It can be hard to find chubby cheeks without a really large wen!

 

I’ve heard good things about the hygger led lights. I’m getting one, it’s full spectrum plus has 24/7 lighting cycle. You can also change the lighting how you want and change the brightness. It should work great for my plants.

 

I’ve heard good things about the hygger led lights. I’m getting one, it’s full spectrum plus has 24/7 lighting cycle. You can also change the lighting how you want and change the brightness. It should work great for my plants.

I originally was not sure about the Hygger because (a) I wanted bluetooth control and (b) because it doesn't reset after a power outage....but I have the Fluval Planted on my QT tank and while it might go back to the same point in the light cycle after a power outage, it doesn't actually turn itself back on after a power outage which is really more what I wanted. So we'll see! I do like the option on the Fluval lights to have a 24 hour cycle.

This evening I am going to see if I have any 220 grit sandpaper laying around. I haven't been sanding between all coats, but I am ready to put the final coat on the stand and so want to sand before I put that coat on. And I also want to take the tank off the stand for the final coat, which I need my neighbor's help for. Once the final outside coat is dry (or dry enough) I'll finish painting the inside. I probably should seal the interior seams of the stand to prevent moisture getting in there, but I don't want to buy new caulk and I'm not sure if the stuff I have in the shed is still good.

I got the PFS today (it was definitely cheaper than aquarium sand, but more expensive than I expected).

 

Neighbor and I just took the tank off the stand. Needs to finish sealing the inside, give the outside a last coat, power strip installed, and add the supports. Then it's going back on the stand, and hopefully getting scaped/filled the same day. Supposed to be rainy the whole week, so while I won't make my original deadline, I think this weekend is very reasonable.

Also just booked a 2.5 week trip to see my BF in July. Fortunately I have cool friends who will top off and feed while I'm gone

 

When it rains...we get tank stuff done:

• finished sealing the inside
• added the extra supports
• installed the power strip (the color coded organizers were a very smart idea, not sure where I read about that but I definitely didn't come up with it myself)
• put the background on the tank
• reserved a gorgeous red and white male buffalo ranchu bred by a hobbyist to be shipped when I get back from vacation (YOLO)
• got the PFS
• Ordered a washable rug to protect the floor in front of the tank/hide the damage my little dog's scaredy accidents + moving a heavy object did to the floor

Left to do before water goes in:

• wash the PFS (was hoping to do it on a dry day, but seems like there won't be one of those for a while)
• final coat of paint on outside of stand
• put tank on stand
• add sand and rocks

I'll add the (hopefully) final coat tonight, and at least get the PFS in a bucket if not wash it. Assuming I like the way the coat of paint looks, the tank will go on the stand, sand/rocks will go in, and it'll be full of water by tomorrow evening.

I finished creating my syllabus for the class I'm teaching this summer, so now I can totally focus on the tank (at least til I start teaching Monday lol).


On an unrelated and slightly morbid note, I'm following the search for the Titan submersible with grim fascination. It sure puts a new, kinda creepy light on those sunken ship aquarium decorations I had as a kid....

 

There is water in the tank! Taking a break (you'll understand why in a moment) before I clean up and take pictures.

I had my first big problem with the build today. The Oase canister filter is horrible to prime. I knew this. I figured "how horrible can it be?" It is really, really hard to prime. Like I spent 15 minutes pressing the priming button crouched on the ground pressing it with my hands, got exhausted and sat on a step stool and pressed it with my feet. Since I am from Massachusetts, I am very used to aggressively flooring the gas pedal, and this was no different. Alas, not even my lead foot was enough to prime the filter. So I got desperate (good things never follow someone saying "I got desperate, do they). And as a result of getting desperate, I got dumb. I figure "if I fill the thing with water and let it run, the pump will prime the filter itself." Now, I think this is technically true, but it doesn't work if you do what I did and fail to completely secure all the locks on the filter. The Oase has a pre filter of sponges that needs to be separately locked in place. So if you do not lock that in place, fill the canister with water, and then turn the canister on, you will be sucking water into a filter and it will overflow. Now, I went to a hippie high school, so I don't know jack about physics (we dyed things with berries and played with arduinos). But I have heard the platitudes about "water always finds its level" and "path of least resistance" and all that. And so instead of being forced up to the output tube (which would be more work) the water came out the top of the pre-filter compartment and onto the stand and my floor! I shut the filter off (I cannot tell you how glad I am to have a power strip with switches on it, versus having to pull plugs out), but that did not solve my problem because (again, conjecture of someone with no science education) I had created a vacuum from the input. So I took the input out of the tank. All told, it was probably less than 10 cups of water, which is enough to be a problem but not so much that I'm thinking it will cause a structural problem with the stand or floor. Next time I will double-check better no matter how frustrated I am with the priming.

My dad describes these kinds of moments "a little tuition in the school of life."

Before all that happened, I put the sand (1 part PFS to 1 part Buce Plant sand) and rocks in. I used the Python to fill the tank up (I later had a minor incident with the Python which convinced me to get the hook-y think for it), and while I'm definitely no expert, I impressed myself with the amount of water I got in the tank vs. on the floor (little did I know...). I'm neutral about the scape, mostly because I took some cat-sitting money (thank you to Milo for being a high maintenance cat whose mom pays a premium for people who know how to make his food just right) and got myself some big plants from Aquariumplantsfactory.com (a sword, two Anubis mother pots). I normally think it's silly to get plants so big from companies (vs. hobbyists) but we just had a big aquatic expo in North Carolina and everyone is sold out of plants (and fish, and dry goods, etc.).

I'm going to let the tank run over the weekend. I'll dump the rest of the stability and a big dose of Prime in tonight, then see what the water parameters are tomorrow. I'll move the fish (via drip acclimation) and HOB filters over once the display tank is has under .25pmm ammonia, 0 nitrites, and reasonable nitrate levels. I'm considering whether to get battery powered air pumps for my tanks while I'm away...I don't really want to buy unnecessary equipment (well, really it's I don't want to spend unnecessary money) but I also know I'll worry about it when I'm away and if the power does go out, some battery powered pumps are gonna look real cheap in comparison....we'll see.

I did find a used Fluval Aquasky for cheap on saltwateraquarium.com, so I jumped on that.

What a day! I'm honestly in a bit of disbelief that it's set up. I've never had a tank this big, and at this point I just really hope I don't wake up with water all over the floor. No reason to think I will, but also the extra supports I added don't quite go under the back rim of the tank. The back side is supported about 3 inches down each corner and 2 inches in the middle. If I decide I can't live with the worry, I will drain the water and flip the support beams. The person who had the tank before me ran it with the back of the tank completely unsupported for a while with no problems, so I'm going to content myself with that knowledge.

I'll update the post with pictures tomorrow, it's a bit too dark to take good ones without any reflection and I just realized I haven't eaten dinner!