Hi all, I have yet another question. I am adopting some fish soon and need to know what the best kind of hood for the tank would be. It's a 20 gallon tank, with a filter, pictured here (belongs to JP27): http://www.kokosgoldfish.invisionzone.com/...&cmd=si&img=922

I am a newbie with goldfish, so I want to know the best type of hood to use.

I keep hearing that glass hoods are the cheapest...does that mean it is just a flat piece of glass? I am not sure how this filter works, would it allow the filter to be in operation?
What about a light? Should I get one of those black hoods that has a light included, or do they not cover the whole tank top? The tank will not really be near a window, and will not have a ton of light near it, but it will get some.

I have cats so I definitely need to have a cat-proof cover. Plus, these are big fish and I don't want them jumping out!

Thanks for any advice on this, I am not sure what to get, and I want to make sure my cats can't hurt my new babies!

Also, what about adding something to the tank to start the good bacteria? Should I do this or let it cycle naturally? These fish are currently in a 10 gallon (4 of them) and I will probably keep one in the 10 gallon and 3 in the 20 until I can get another tank. Let me know what to get, and if I should use such a product.
Thank you!

Well, my hubby is going to make me a fiberglass lid for my tanks. I dont think having a light on it will work though, so maybe glass is better for that purpose, but if you want to cat proof it (like I do) I would either just buy a normal hood for it, or have someone build one for me (my hubby is going to build mine) out of wood. There are lots of DIY websites out there...hmmm...let me see if I can find one...
Well darn I was gonna say go here but the link isnt working. Well, Ill post it anyway just in case: http://www.kingvinnie.com/aquaria/diy

As far as cycling, I would suggest to just wait it out. I have heard that most cycle products do not work.


"Thanks for any advice on this, I am not sure what to get, and I want to make sure my cats can't hurt my new babies!"

Lol you must have read my posts.

Are you the one who had a few fish (a black moor maybe) that got swiped at and were using cardboard until your hubby made you a plexiglass top? How is your fish doing?

Or are you another fish-loving cat owner?

I'll have to check out your posts!

lol that was me. The little moor is doing fine. His gash has healed soo nicely! I was thrilled to see him recover. He has now earned the name "Lucky", and boy is he ever!

I am glad he is ok! Very "Lucky" indeed!

Your post WAS the inspiration for this one. I would've though of it eventually, but I want to have the hood here when I bring the tank home. Thank you! Tell Lucky he may have saved some other fish. Or should you tell your cat, out of spite? LOL!

Cycle the tank with food and let it happen naturally I think is what I would do...

as for hoods, it is really personal preference and which will suit your needs, I do however think you should get one with lights, they make a big difference I think in not only how the tank looks but also in the algae issues etc.

Having said that I also think fluorescent lights kick incandescent lights butts! so I would go with fluorescent in a heart beat.


good luck with your new adopted fish

Thanks! I think I will just get a traditional black one with lights. Thanks for the flourescent tip too. :-)

YOu can buy the glass top with a light fixture that sits on top - the glass and the fixture are typically sold separately. It may be cheaper to purchase them in this fashion. The glass tops are two pieces of glass that are hinged together with a plastic compression hinge. The light portion sits on top of the back portion of the glass. There is a section of the tank at the back that is not covered by the glass - that is where your filter, heater, air hoses, etc. all fit. It is generally too narrow for all but the Milos of the cat world to do anything about.

The black hood usually comes with a section of plastic that you cut out with a pair of tin snips to fit what you wish to put in the tank. It is a little more of a "full" cover, but not much. You may have trouble finding one of these without buying the tank with it. I always try to buy a tank with a hood - it ends up being cheaper in the long run.

Flourecent is the ONLY way to go. The incandecent lights put out a tremendous amount of heat - and will overheat your tank. They are not good.

IF you have an already cycle, healthy tank there is no reason to go through the work and time of recycling the 20 from scratch. Right now, before you are ready to set the 20 up, get a bag of media - ceramic cylindars, lava rock, sintered glass, or even bio balls. Drop the bag of the media in your 10 gallon tank, or, if possible, jam it into your filter that is running there. Leave it in there for about 2 weeks. At the end of the two weeks, set up the 20 gallon tank. You will split your media for the 10 gallon tank in half - half will be new and half will be old. The rest of the new and 1/2 of the old will go into the 20 gallon tank's filter. Since the fish are in a 10 - all together, try splitting just two to the 20 for the time being. Monitor your parameters in both tanks. Both should be 0 ammonia, 0 nitirites in a matter of days. At that time, you can add the third fish to the 20 gal. tank.

Thanks for all the hood advice! :-) I haven't seen any glass hoods anywhere yet, but maybe they are kept in the back and i need to ask for them or something? I have seen some black plastic hoods with ligts available without the tank, but maybe I will get an extra 10 gallon too, for qt or hospital purposes. I have noticed it seems cheaper to buy them together, it is just that i am getting the 20 gallon tank for free.

And the advice about the cycling-wow-thanks! So should I just not add any new water to the 10 gallon tank? We will be transporting the fish in a rubbermaid bin or a bucket, so I can bring the old tank water with me (30 minute drive), and probably salvage most of it. And I need to keep the 10 gallon filter wet during the move right? Then I can just put the fish with the old water back in the 10 gallon, do what you said for two weeks and then start the 20 with two fish added? Hopefully I am catching your drift here! ;-)

Jen

There is very little beneficial bacteria in the water itself - probably not enough to make it worth very much to save, but it would not hurt to salvage a bit of it. Keep any gravel, decorations, filter media, etc. wet with that tank water, though. And it would not hurt to give it a test to find out where the pH and other parameters were - the fish might need a bit of acclimation.

The glass tops are usually in flat boxes under the hoods, lights andlight bulb stands at the store. They are just two pieces of glass that are connected with a hinge - so are only a half inch thick. The boxes are really thin, too. The lights come in boxes that fit them, too.

Daryl,

Thank you so much! I emailed Joanna and told her to keep some water in the 10 gallon so we can keep the gravel, ornaments and filter wet on the way. We are debating whether to transport the fish in a bucket w/ saran wrap or a rubbermaid-type tub with a lid, but i worry about the fish banging up against the sides in something so big (a large, 10 gallon rectangular tub).

So once I get home, I should add water to the 10 gallon, condition it, make sure the temp is right and get it up and running (filter etc.) , then add the fish? Or do I test the ph first and make sure it is not too different from their current water? Only thing is, if it is really different, how long can I leave them in the bin or whatever with no fresh water to change? I am a little worried about finding plastic bags big enough for the huge one for the acclimation. Maybe I can rig something else up. If you have any advice on the acclimation stuff, that would be great.

Any thoughts on the best test strips/kits to buy? I don't have a lot of extra money, so the best bargain ones would be a good choice for me.

Your advice has been invaluable thus far, thank you so much, and the fish thank you too.

Thanks for the tip on finding the glass hoods too. :-)

I am going to assume that with 4 fish in a 10 gallon tank, that the gravel in that tank is most likely pretty nasty. It will have a whole bunch of waste in it that you are not going to want to deal with.

I think, since your friend (?) with the fish is being so helpful, what I would suggest is to put the fish in either a tub or a bucket (you said a 1/2 hour trip? - that is not a big deal). If she can have the tub/bucket water be fresh water of the type she has always used. After the fish have been removed from the tank, have her lift the ornaments, filter, etc. out of the tank and take a couple of cups of the water from the tank with them. Have it as clean a water as possible - before distrubing the rest of the tank. These items can be stuck in plastic bags and tied or rubber banded up. Then, with the last of the water, swish the gravel around vigourously. All the gunk and yuck in the gravel will come floating out. This yucky water can now be dumped, swishing as she dumps so she dumps as much of the gunk as possible. She should not rinse the gravel with tap water or anything, though, for that gravel carries a fair amount of the beneficial bacteria. The idea is to get as much waste out of the gravel as possible. The gravel can be left in the tank, wet, as long as you are very careful when moving the tank. If it gets set on a spot that is less than level, the tank could twist and compromise the seals - which might lead to a leak in the future.

When you get where you are going, take your "new water" form what ever source you are planning to use. Add a cup or two of that water to the fish's water. In a bit, remove a cup or two of what is in the bucket and add a few more cups of the new water. As you unpack and move, you can come in and remove and add water all afternoon if you wish. When you have sufficiantly done this, the fish will be in almost all new water and will be acclimated nicely.

When you fill the tank, fill it slowly so you do not stir up too much stuff from the gravel. Set the filter going, and, when the water has sufficiantly cleared, you can add your fish. You may get a bump in the cycle, depending on a lot of factors, but you will have preserved the lion's share of the cycling bacteria and it should bounce back quickly. Once it does, you are ready to set up for the 20gal.

Test kits are really essential. I have found the most cost effective to be the Aquarium Pharm. test kits sold in individual kit boxes. That way you can buy just what you need and no more. You can add more tests as you get the money to do so.

If you are going to be on city water where you are going, you can assume that the pH is within a reasonable range. You can probably push off the pH test to a later date. YOu should definately get an ammonia test, and a nitrate test. If you can afford it, a nitrite test is really important. Finally, an essential buy would be a product like Prime or Amquel or whatever - something that treats tap water, removes chlorine, and detoxifies ammonia/nitrite/nitrate. A bottle will go a long way and can get you past a cycling tank and deal with tap water of most qualities.

I ahve been told that BigAls has cheaper tests. I find mine at PEtSmart or PetCo. Here, Petsmart is cheaper but does not always have them.

Good luck. Keep us posted!

Wow, Daryl, thank you so much!

I emailed your instructions to Joanna (who is JP27 from this site, we met on here when she said she needed a home for her fish) and she said she printed them out and will do all that when she gets home.

I feel more confident about everything now, thanks to you. I am a little nervous about netting fish though, I have always had ones that were small enough that I just let them swim into a measuring cup. She told me I might want to get a bigger net for the huge fish because he barely fits into the one she has, and I will definitely do that. The acclimation tips are great too.

I'll get ammonia and nitrate tests for sure, and a nitrite one if I can. I have looked in two LFS's here and have not seen Prime, but I have seen Amquel. There is another store I can check as well, and I haven't looked at Petco for Prime yet either. Thanks for the advice on the test kits and which stores/brands might be cheapest. I am on city water, which should be very close to what the fish are already in, so hopefully the ph will be ok.

I feel like I have said thank you too many times, but I really mean it. If I don;t come up with anymore questions before then, I will let you know how it goes once I get them in the tank!

Jen

I do not neyt - I use my hands to catch the fish. Clean your hands of any creams or soaps or such. Take off any sharp rings and just lift the fish out with your hands. Place them into the new container.

It is kinder, gentler, and you do not risk any scales.

I am a little scared to pick the fish up, mostly because I am worried that I will drop them. but I have decided that I just need to get over it! If I am going be a fish mama I have to do it! I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again for everything! ;-)

Also, I looked at hoods today, both glass and the black plastic ones with the lights. I realized I didn't have the dimensions of the 20 gallon, and wasn;'t sure if they were standard, but since the fish will be in the 10 for awhile still I cam wait a day or two to get the hood. you were right about the glass hoods being on the shelves in flat boxes on the bottom too.

Also, yet another question. I found a test kit at Petco for $25 that has 700 tests including ammonia. nitrate, nitrite, ph, and high range ph. It is called Freshwater Master Test Kit and is made by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Canada, Inc. Is that an ok test kit? I looked at smaller ones and the single ones but this seemed like the best bang for the buck. But i you think it is a bad brand or something, I can take it back.

:-)

Hey there again,

I have the fish now, yay! They are gigantic but beautiful.

We did what you said (I think) and I kept the gravel. fiter and other tank stuff wet. When I got home I put the gravel and ornaments back in the tank. Then I added Prime conditioned water. Now I have the filter turned on and am waiting until the water clears. In the meantime I am adding/subtracting water from the bucket the fish are in to acclimate them. I will make sure the water temp is correct before adding them as well.

Here's is my new question, since I didn't know how it was set up. She has two filters. One is a Whisper In-tank 20i, 125gph 3 stage filtration (mechanical, chemical, and bio). I will refer to this as the "small" filter. the othe filter is a bigger version of the first, a Whisper In-tank 40i, 170gph. That will be referred to as the "big" filter. There is also undergravel filters in both tanks, with the tubes that come up and have carbon (?) in the ends. (sorry i don;t know the technical terms for those)

I thought she had the smaller filter one in the 10 gallon tank and the bigger one was new, and would be put in the 20. But she actually has the "big" filter in the 10 gallon, and the "small" filter back in the box. So, I was thinking, should I put the "small" filter in the 20 gallon while I am doing the cycling stuff you recommended, then when I go to put the three fish into the 20 gallon, swap them? So the "big" filter ends up in the 20 and the "small" filter ends up in the 10? Boy, I hope that made sense! Let me know what you think, and again thanks for all your great advice. When I got to Joanna's to get the fish, she had your post about transporting printed and sitting on the counter so she could follow everything.

:-)

One more development...my water params seem off for having mostly new water, unless that much ammonia couldbe stuck in the gravel and stuff.

Ammonia: 1.0
Nitrates: 5ppm
Nitrites: 0-.25
PH 6.6 to 6.8

Keep in mind this was my first time using a water testing kit, it is an Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Freshwater kit, with drops and test tubes.

I also tested my tap water:

Ammonia: 0
PH: 7.2

Any thoughts on what I should do, if anything? The fish aren't in there yet, but probably will be by the time you read this. Should I just do water changes until the ammonia level gets down? Add more Prime? Thanks again...

Just an updae for Daryl and everyone who helped:

I am working on getting the 20 gallon cycled. The fish are still in the 10 and seem to be doing well. They are eating and acting normally,

I just tested the water and got:

Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: Between 5 and 10
Ammonia: .50

So not too bad right? Not for four commons in a ten gallon!

I am doing 50% water changes to keep the ammonia down. So Daryl, it seems like the transport advice you gave me worked and we held onto the cycle pretty well (if I am understanding everything right). Thanks a million, I'll let you know how it goes with the 20 gallon. :-)

Did you get the hood yet? I was thinking that it would just be easier to get the hood then put all the fish in there with the filters and gravel so it would be cycled and the fish would have more room until you get the 55 gal. So you wouldn't have to fight with the water quality with the 10 gal and you wouldn't have to cycle a tank until you got the 55 gal.

Yeah, I think I may end up putting all of them into the 20 once it has cycled. I am using stuff from the old filter to get it cycled quickly, Daryl gave me a good procedure to do it. Then they can just stay in there until I get the 55 gallon. I did get a hood for the 20 a few days ago, just a black plastic one with a flourescent light. Thanks for the idea, I know they will be happier in a tank twice the size of the one they are in now, even though it is still overstocked! I am getting a new filter for the 20 too, one that does at least 200 gph, so that will help as well. :-)