i just purchased a used 35g hexagon tank...it came with an undergravel filter and a whisper 20-40. does anyone else have a hexagon like this? what kind of filters do you use for that since its got such a small space to house the filter? also, any pictures of hexagon tanks?

I have a hex but it is an eclipse with the filter in the top of the tank

i have a 5.5g hex for my betta like that...but i'm really struggling with this 35g...

How about getting a canister type filter? Also if you plan to put goldfish in there I would go with no more then two cause of the shape. It would make a very attractive community tank. But you still need to stock very lightly.
Let us know how it works out and maybe some pictures?

what is your planned budget?

there are some internal filters that i haven't had experience with but may work.
when space is limited, i tend to go for canister filters. they're really nice, but can be costly.
the way i see it though is might as well get something more expensive that is convenient, efficient and great for stuffing with filtration media.

you might be able to find good deals on smaller cannister filters from bigals or drs F&S.

I have a 45 gallon hex..but my goldfish out grew it..and I am onlying using it for small tropicals...

I had a whisper 20-40 on it but it only pumps 200gph..

And Canister filters are good...

yeah, i just realized that. i'm even more lost looking for canisters than i was looking at hob filters. lol. this is turning out to be a very interesting rescue. i really know absolutely nothing about canisters so...help?

also, can i run the whisper for now until i get a different filter and still move my common and two comets over to the 35g? or will that end up killing the fish that i'm working so hard to save...

i'm not quite sure i understand your question...
you can run any filter on your tank.
you just want to have at least a 10 time turnover rate...
meaning however many gallons you have, you want the filter or combined filters to run 10 times that amount.

for instance...
a 10 gal tank x 10 = 100 gph filter or combined filter turnover
a 20 gal tank x 10 = 200 gph filter or combined filter turnover

same goes for canister filters...
the only difference is the style.

kind of like undergravel filters are underneath the gravel (not recommended)
hang on the back power filters are hung on the back of tanks
a cannister filter is just a filter inside a cannister. all the media, sponges, filter pads are contained inside a tower like cannister.
they're quite convenient in that most of them just need to be cleaned out every 3-4 months or so (depending on how messy your fish are).
they can be hidden under your tank stand or set on the side of the tank on the floor so they don't take up space on the edge of your tank.
aesthetically pleasing in that you don't have too many cords or filters hanging all over the place.

here are some example pictures (although my tank is bigger than a hex... you can get the point)

HOB filters take up tank edge space..


cannister filters dont' take up space on the edge of the tank and have spray bars that will help circulate water


hehe and the water on the bottom tank is that color due to the driftwood by the way... that doesn't mean HOB filters will give you "green tea" water.
you can see the cannisters on either side of the tanks...
but since your hex is smaller... you wouldn't need two of them. =)
one that is 350 gph would be fine.
or you could combine your whisper and a canister together to total 350 gph.


as for moving your goldfish... if you have a tank set up as long as the water is cycled.. you can move your fish where ever you'd like.
the nice thing about having multiple filters would be that you can move one over to the new tank and the beneficial bacteria would already be living in the filter so it wouldn't be like starting a tank cycle from scratch.

for instance if i got a new tank... i could move one of my HOB filters from the bottom tank to the new tank and purchase a new HOB filter to replace the bottom one i moved. that way both tanks will then have filters that already have colonized bacteria.

i think that answers your question.
haha let me know if i just confused you more!

so i have a whisper filter that hangs on the back of my tank but the only problem is that there is a very small opening to put a filter into on my tank. the only opening is 10.5 inches long and maybe 2 inches wide...so i have no room for two filters. not only that, but the filter i have is too small to fully support a 35g tank. thats why i asked if i can still move my fish over before i get a new filter...lol.
the other thing is that NONE of the tanks that i have are cycled. i'm in the middle of cycling my 10g (which has all 4 goldies in it) and my betta tank is a whole nother can of worms....so i dont have a cycled filter to move with my fish. i was kind of hoping to be able to move the three over and work on cycling that one while theyre in it...? or no?

btw...i LOVE your tanks. maybe someday, in like 10 years, when i finally get all this figured out..i'll get myself one of those!

considering you're so dedicated to waterchanges and doing the best for your fish...
as long as you check water parameters and keep up with water changes to make sure the water is never too toxic for the fish..
it might actually be better for you to cycle the bigger thank with the goldies.

the only thing i'd worry about is the filtration.
if it's not enough by far...
then just work on getting an additional filter.

that's what i would do.

thanks by the way... i got those tanks on sale the last time pet_o had a fish tank sale. $1 per gal so those tanks which would usually be about $100 were only $55. haha i had to stock up... and they sat around the house for a while until i could afford to spend extra money on the stand, canister filters, and other doohickeys.

i think i'm going to move everyone around tomorrow...i'll start my tank up tonight and make sure the filter really does work (even tho its a bit small for now) and then move everyone after my last finals test tomorrow afternoon. is it true that some of the good bacteria lives in gravel too? so if i get some of that going in my 10g tank, i can move it to the 35g and help that cycle along?

just started up the old filter...it sounds like the army is moving in next door...very loud. definitely going to have to get something a bit quieter. tomorrow maybe...we'll see i guess.

Because of the shape of this tank I do not think it would be a good home for 2 or 3 long bodies goldfish. Maybe two fancies for a while.

at this point, i dont have much of a choice. the 10g tank i have all four of them in is just too small and i cant afford anything else. i have enough to get them a good filter for the 35g and maintain any problems but other than that, i'm tapped out. i realize this isnt a permanent option for them so i have a pond lined up when they get bigger...pretty sure they'd get eaten if i moved them out there now.

after reading this, it came out a little harsh...sorry. let me explain a little further. i wasnt planning on getting four goldfish. had i been planning this all along, i would have already bought a big tank and cycled it and then purchased one or two fancy goldfish. definitley would have been more prepared. when i originally thought about getting fish, i decided that goldfish would be too much work for me right now with work fulltime and school fulltime. so i got a 5.5g tank and bought a betta. then my coworker calls me and asks me if i would take some goldfish. i stopped by her house to pick them up and there were four...one telescope in a betta bowl and one common and two comets in a hurricane vase. their water was so murky that you couldnt see thru it. i brought them home and bought a 10g tank because they needed something better than what they were in. i live in the boonies of north dakota and i'm 90 miles from the closest pet/smart/co or a decent fish store. so i looked in the classifieds and got the biggest tank i could find for $100. so here i am with the hex. it will have to do for now. i know that they need to be in something like a 60g. i'm hoping theyll stay healthy enough to get big enough to go to the pond. if i moved them out there now, i dont think they'd survive the night with temperatures dropping to 20-30 degrees and then warming up to 80 during the day. not only that, but i dont have anyone with a large enough tank to take them. there arent many people in north dakota (at least in the area where i am) that feel like goldfish deserve a good home too (including my housemate...he's a "housemate" right now because of the HUGE fight we had about me buying the 35g so i'm not claiming him at the moment). its hard enough to get people in this area to treat dogs and cats properly...welcome to rural america.

Hi Liz -

I just wanted to say that I think that you're doing a fabulous job making the best of a difficult situation. There is a range of circumstances under which you will find people keeping four goldfish -- all the way from murky hurricane vases to 200 gallon aquariums with premium filtration. Your fish are much better off with you than they were with your coworker, even if they have less than the perfect amount of space and less than perfect filtration. By keeping an eye on your water parameters and doing regular water changes, you should be able to keep your fish comfortable until you are able to move and have more spacious accomodations.

Sorry to hear that your fishies are causing difficulty in your relationship -- I hope that settles down soon and your housemate begins to see your fish as the wonderful pets that they are.

liz,

i completely agree with acupunk!

you are doing such a wonderful job researching, learning, and doing everything with the utmost care.
it's really great that you are putting in so much effort to give the rescue goldfish a happy home.

please believe me when i tell you that we're so happy to have you here at Koko's!
sometimes if you ask a question regarding your goldfish, you may get the same comments over and over...
such as being overstocked, suggestions on getting a bigger tank, etc.
all the mods here just want to give the best advice possible, and are answering the questions based on the current conditions of the tank.

again you are by far one of the most diligent beginner goldfish enthusiasts i've ever seen in my couple of years here at koko's!
sorry that you and your housemate are in disagreement over the fish.

i hope everything works out for the best!

~hsihou.

*sniffles* thanks guys...i needed that. its been a stressful couple of weeks... hidr, i did not mean to snap...an accumulation of new fish, ammonia, finals, work, silly boys etc has made me a little touchy. i apologize. as for the relationship thing...he'll get over it. we go thru this every time i rescue something...last time it was a puppy (see pet brigade for that story). he knows that i'm going to do it whether he likes it or not...he just feels the need to express his concerns about me taking on too much at very inopportune times. anyways...i'll keep you updated on how moving day at the fish house goes.

well i got my hexagon set up and its fairly cool looking if i do say so myself...pics will come in a little while. i had a bit of a setback....didnt realize that my tap water has fairly high levels of ammonia...ugh. thats in a different thread under diseases and diagnosis...my main concern right now is my filter. can anyone give me a very simplified explanation of what i'm looking for in a canister type filter and what some of the good ones are?

i've only used Eheim filters myself, but i absolutely LOOOVE them!

for a canister filter, you want to check and see how big a space you need it to fit into, because some of these things can be monstrous!

you want to find something you can stuff chock full of media!

i've heard wonderful things about fluvals too!

Fluvals and Eheims are very popular brands. The problem with canister filters is that they can be a lot more expensive per gallon/hour than a HOB filter. However, they do pack a LOT of filter media into one canister, thus more BBs.

If you're strapped for cash (which all of us college students are) you can make a canister filter out of large diameter PVC pipe and a power head (and the plumbing to connect them, of course). I'm working on a design right now, and it will be WAY cheaper than buying a Fluval (and have more GPH! ).

that would be FANTASTIC! this has already been a pricey adventure and the cheaper i can get quality stuff the better. im not half bad with tools and some directions (mostly because college student furniture never comes assembled or its falling apart and needs some work lol) if you figure out a design can i get a copy?? ?

Liz, you will be the first to know when Thomas (A Penguin) and I make our canister filter. Look for it in the DIY section... maybe in the next few days?

Just wanted to throw out there, in case the DIY one doesn't work, Rena is also a really good brand. I've had one on my 60 gallon tank for the entire time I've had it set up and it works really well Other than my klutzy self losing the suction cups to keep the spraybar in place I haven't had any problems with it!

awesome! i'll watch for it! i'm so excited!

i moved three over to the hexagon tank today and they seem in awe of the size lol. i think theyre happy tho.

Just saw your thread and wanted to show you my hexagonal tank. It's only 30 gal. My bf picked out this one so I agreed even though a 30 long would be better. I have a Whisper 40 HOB filter on it so if it's good for 40 gals then it should be good for 30--I hope! Right now I have 2 shubies and one comet gf in there and clean/vacuum/change 20-30% water every week. I know the fish would like an even bigger tank but they seem perfectly happy and are very active with good appetites. This is all I can do for now as well so I just need to be diligent with the water changes, etc.

By the way I think it's great that you took on a rescue project and are doing so much to help those fishies. The timing isn't always going to be convenient--your "housemate" needs to look at it from the animals point of view.

Sorry to be but Kristi !!!!

Having 3 pond fish in a 30 gallon tank is only half of what they need! 60 gallons to keep them healthy. It wouldn't be so bad but your filtration is horribly inadequate! Just because Whisper Co. says it's for 40 gallon tanks doesn't mean it's suitable for goldfish. The Whisper 40 is only 210GPH. With how badly you are overstocked I would suggest having a filter of 500+ GPH.

You really should move them into a big tub if you can't get them a bigger tank.

Edit: Until they have adequate housing/filtration, you should be doing 50-75% water changes every 3 days or so... 20-30% once a week just will not cut it!

I knew that was coming but I'm sure you're correct! The point was she wanted to know if anybody else was using a hexagon and was overstocked, right?? I'll just have to do more water changes then 'cause there's no room for even a tub now and nobody I'd trust to give my babies to.

kristi - is that real bamboo in your tank? that looks so cool! i think we're all doing the best we can with what we have. just a quick question... whats a shubie?

Kristi, I didn't mean to come across so harsh. I just saw your set up and I went a little bit... . I like what Liz said... we're all doing the best with what we have. Personally I would change the water everyday with how overstocked the tank is. You could also get more filtration to help carry the waste load.

Liz, a shubunkin is a type of pond fish. Essentially, it's a calico comet. Here's more detailed info: http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/Shubunkin.html

Liz--thanks! No, it's not real bamboo but I really like it. I got it on clearance at Pet%smart so don't know if they still carry that style or not.

Joy--that's ok--you are right! I am moving up as I can, though. When I first got back into gf a couple years ago I started with a bowl again. Then went to a 10 gal, a 20 and the 30. So now I have my eye on a cool 40 gal shaped to fit in a corner--I love that tank!!

I absolutely LOVE corner bow-front tanks. They look SO awesome.

here it is! i think it looks pretty good! (please ignore the wallpaper...)



everyone seems to be enjoying the new arrangement so far...

That is a beautiful tank setup! Truly wonderful.

one question about the log in the center tho...its an ornament that came from w-mart. (i didnt buy it, it came with the tank) its hollow and after reading the posts about water getting bad under ornaments, i put a small bubbler inside the log to keep the water flowing...will that work to keep the water from getting bad?

Liz, your tank looks great! I love hexagon tanks, but have never had one before... Oh, and... am I blind, or are there no fish in the picture? I want to see the babies!

lol.. sorry desiree...i posted those in the photo section. i took the tank pic before i moved everyone over..
the link to my fishies first photo shoot...http://www.kokosgoldfish.invisionzone.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=69436

i really like the look of hexagon tanks but the only thing is that i'm only 5'4'' and i dont have long arms. sooo...i bought a small kitchen ladder and i have to drain at least 10g to 15g out to move things around in there unless i want to go swimming..

Yes, stagnant water (water that doesn't get moved around from the filter flow) can cause anaerobic bacteria growth (such as botulism) that can possibly kill your fish. Putting an airstone in the log causes that water to move, and constantly be replaced with fresh water. You'll be fine!