I need feedback on my plans for my 90G (goldish stock)

[Digital]

I am planning to do my 90G for imported fancy goldfish. Specifically, orandas, lionheads, moors, pearlscales. I'm using black gravel as a substrate, it's already been in the tank, but I've washed it with gravel wash, and dried it out completely.

I've sanitized the inside of the tank and all the filtration.

Equipment:




Emperor 400 (new media cartridges on order, bio wheels rinsed and dryed from previous setup)
AC110 (new sponge and carbon, old substrate rinsed off and dried)
Eheim 2236 (new sponge and carbon, old substate rinsed off and dried)
Tetra Deep Water 96 air pump
Corallife Nutri-Grow freshwater plant light (40watts)
300 watt Aqueon heater
Corallife Digital Thermometer
I am planning on doing live plants, I am not going to do CO2 unless the plants don't flourish. I do know that I may need to do a dual lamp setup because of the size of the tank.

Now, I have been told, that I can put about 6 to 7 6"-8" goldfish in there if I want them to grow bigger. If I don't want them to grow anymore, and them basically retain their size, I can probably do about 12-13.

Now I do know about overstocking and so on and so forth. Before this setup, I previously had a breeding pair of 10" Albino Oscars with a 7" pleco. That was the limit for the tank as far as Oscars go.

I have more than enough filtration, and do about 50-75% of a water change weekly. If the tank does get bad, I can also diatom it.

The plants I know will be eaten, as I am getting them to be eaten so the goldfish get a natural balanced diet, along with peas, aquadine food and some shrimp.

Now, give me your feedback on the things I have spoken about. :)

Here is a picture of the tank. So you can give ideas on planting as well.

Note: The fan was in the tank to help dry out the gravel.

http://marc.ic3d.net/update/DSC03670.JPG

[Digital]

I need suggestions on lighting setup asap.

[Digital]

Anyone?

[kj5kb]

Stocking: I have a 75G (a short 90) with 7 GF...and it's quite crowded. I'd suggest no more than 5 in there, they'll look lost at first, but will GROW.

Goldfish are prodigious poopers...I'd suggest putting a set of undergravel plates in and running it as an RUGF with 3 or 4 Whisper 600r powerheads; plus the largest HOB you have. I bet you could tee the 2236's output and run an RUGF with it, too (since you already have it). I'd want a turnover of ~10x...900GPH or so. (tee meaning two inputs into RUGF, not one into tank and one in to RUGF)

Lighting...The single tube light you have gives you less than 0.5 wpg...you'll want at least double that, if not 4x for plants.
I like cheap/easy...a shoplight with 2 daylight tubes is fine...but I have a canopy on mine that hides the light. Or you can go with PC lights if you have the $$...easy to get wattage with them. Another thought: convert your single tube housing to 4-6 screw-in sockets and use 27W spiral daylight CFLs

Plants that work for me (didn't get eaten): amazon swords, various anubais, java fern

got torn up or eaten: microsword, jungle val, cabomba, hornwort, anacharis, ludwigia, diandra

They can really make a mess of your plants...I'd avoid anacharis, especially, since they tend to chew it off and spit it out. They'll happily eat cabomba tho. I'd suggest a netful of duckweed every few days...they'll hoover that right up.

You won't need a heater if tank is at room temp...if anything it may be on the warm side for GF.

[angelianmickie]

If I don't want them to grow anymore, and them basically retain their size, I can probably do about 12-13.

Wouldn't that be the same at stunting them? Isn't that bad or am I misunderstanding something

[Digital]

Stocking: I have a 75G (a short 90) with 7 GF...and it's quite crowded. I'd suggest no more than 5 in there, they'll look lost at first, but will GROW.

Goldfish are prodigious poopers...I'd suggest putting a set of undergravel plates in and running it as an RUGF with 3 or 4 Whisper 600r powerheads; plus the largest HOB you have. I bet you could tee the 2236's output and run an RUGF with it, too (since you already have it). I'd want a turnover of ~10x...900GPH or so. (tee meaning two inputs into RUGF, not one into tank and one in to RUGF)

Lighting...The single tube light you have gives you less than 0.5 wpg...you'll want at least double that, if not 4x for plants.
I like cheap/easy...a shoplight with 2 daylight tubes is fine...but I have a canopy on mine that hides the light. Or you can go with PC lights if you have the $$...easy to get wattage with them. Another thought: convert your single tube housing to 4-6 screw-in sockets and use 27W spiral daylight CFLs

Plants that work for me (didn't get eaten): amazon swords, various anubais, java fern

got torn up or eaten: microsword, jungle val, cabomba, hornwort, anacharis, ludwigia, diandra

They can really make a mess of your plants...I'd avoid anacharis, especially, since they tend to chew it off and spit it out. They'll happily eat cabomba tho. I'd suggest a netful of duckweed every few days...they'll hoover that right up.

You won't need a heater if tank is at room temp...if anything it may be on the warm side for GF.Thanks so much for the feedback. It has been very helpful! I am still up in the air as far as the lights. The heating, it seems that in my 37G my 2 4" red caps orandas are enjoying the warm water. It's @ 80. :)

They are much more active with the warmer temp, but I will bring the temp lower once I get my alkalinity between 120 and 180, I'll raise the pH to 7.2ish and lower the temp to about 76.

They are really loving to eat the plants in the 37G now. I don't mind buying new ones, because I feel that it is good that they are eating something natural, when they would like to, as they would in the wild. But, on the other hand, it definately takes away from the aquascape. But ya can't win'm all! I'm sure I'll figure out a healthy balance between the two.

I am looking into a food that promotes head growth in orandas made by the folks over at Tung Hoi Farms. Here is a link to the food.

http://www.goldfishutopia.com/product_info.php?cPath=17&products_id=113

As for the filtration, I have never been fond of UGF's or RUGF's. I know with the HOB's alone I should be upwards of 800gph, and adding in the Eheim, I should be over 1000gph.

Ok, I think I'll start with 5 then, but I might max out at 7. I plan to do vaccuuming and water changes twice a week. I got this idea from a fella that owns and breeds champion ranchu's and he does water changes every 2 days. So I am more than fine with once a week, but I do know how dirty they are, and am prepared.

Coming from owning a breeding pair of Oscar's, goldfish and the O's are pretty much in the same boat to me.

Thanks again for all your helpful feedback! :)

[Digital]

If I don't want them to grow anymore, and them basically retain their size, I can probably do about 12-13.

Wouldn't that be the same at stunting them? Isn't that bad or am I misunderstanding something
You are right, and I figure that I could put that many in there, but it might be to the extent of them living in a small tank at a LFS. I figure they said that also for me to buy more fish from them, buy more supplies, etc. Not fair to the fish, but fair to the petstores overhead bills! lol

12-13 is just too much. 5-7 nice sized ones will do me just fine. :)

[Dwarf Puffers]

I wouldn't do more than 6. The general "rule" for fancy gf's are 30g for the first and +10g for each after that. Of course, that would mean you probably could house 7, but I don't think that "rule" works for larger tanks. Think if you were stocking a 150g; you couldn't really have 13 8" fish in there, could you? That's why I would go with 5 or 6, it cuts down a lot on the bio load too.

[Digital]

I wouldn't do more than 6. The general "rule" for fancy gf's are 30g for the first and +10g for each after that. Of course, that would mean you probably could house 7, but I don't think that "rule" works for larger tanks. Think if you were stocking a 150g; you couldn't really have 13 8" fish in there, could you? That's why I would go with 5 or 6, it cuts down a lot on the bio load too.
Ok, 6 fancy gf's and a cory or two. :)

I figure that would be fine, since they are small in size. Thoughts?

[Digital]

I'm sure those two would get a long fine. Corys and fancys.

[wataugachicken]

well, it depends on what your temperature is. if you're not going to heat the tank, then no cories - they need tropical temps of upper 70's. 76 would probably be okay for both groups, though younger cories can be quite sensitive and clean water would be crucial for them. it would be worth the money to buy larger ones.

[Dwarf Puffers]

Also, cories need groups of 4 or more. The larger the group the better. Personally, I would go with 5 fancies and 6 near mature cories.

[Digital]

well, it depends on what your temperature is. if you're not going to heat the tank, then no cories - they need tropical temps of upper 70's. 76 would probably be okay for both groups, though younger cories can be quite sensitive and clean water would be crucial for them. it would be worth the money to buy larger ones.
I was planning to give the tank heat yeah. 76ish is what the plan was. I'd buy bigger ones.

[Digital]

Also, cories need groups of 4 or more. The larger the group the better. Personally, I would go with 5 fancies and 6 near mature cories.
I never heard that, I would have got 2. Why so many cories? Is it totally necessary?

[wataugachicken]

they are a schooling fish that do much better in groups. in the wild during spawning you can find them in groups of thousands. without others of their kind, they have a tendency to just kinda 'give up' and fade away. they don't add much to the bioload and they show more natural behavior when kept in groups. 6 goldies and 6 cories would be fine.

[Digital]

Update. I made it into a community tank instead! lol

All your feedback was very insightful and useful. Thanks!

[silentskream]

I have a 90 gallon and my stocking is in my signiture. its a little overstocked.. because my mother thinks giving me goldfish is a good idea for a gift..
she knows better now.

[Digital]

I have a 90 gallon and my stocking is in my signiture. its a little overstocked.. because my mother thinks giving me goldfish is a good idea for a gift..
she knows better now.
WOW, post up some pics! How big are they? I told my LFS owner a few months back that I wanted to do all imported fancies, especially panda moors.

When I was in there today he said he saw one the size probably 8" HUGE, but he'd have to sell it for 150$, he didn't get it cause he wasn't sure if I wanted it.