How long do I let my 5.5 gal fresh water fish tank run before putting my 3 goldfish I just won at work in it?

In a case were the tank is bought first I always recomended let it run for 24 hours before you put the fish in. This gives you time to test the water to make sure it is safe. It also starts the growth of natural bacteria. (some filters depend on this to clean the water) If you can't wait, then at least let the water in the tank reach room temperature. Don't just put the fish in the tank. Float the bag in the water untill the temperature matches, and then use a net to put the fish in. Putting the water from the bag in the tank takes the chance of putting anything the fish was exposed to in the tank as well. Most large group fish tanks (like those used to store gold fish in at pet stores) have a tendancy to develope fish diseases very easily. This is from having to many fish in an area. The rule of thumb is one inch of fish to every gallon of water. This lets the fish grown at a healthy rate, and keeps down on amonia problems.

uh. fancy goldfish will end up needing ten gallons of water per fish, not eight like the other person said, and if they are shubunkins, comets, or commons, they can get so large that they will need 20 gallons of water each. Why? goldies are extremely messy, and 5.5 gallons will not keep them alive for long. I would personally return the tank, and if they are fancies, use that money to go to meijers and buy a 30 gallon tank for 100 bucks, or three ten gallons tanks, and so on and so forth...

Another option which would be much cheaper for right now is to get a rubbermaid tub. Get a fifty gallon one if you've got the room. they are about 15-20 bucks in my area..... Then fill it up using dechlorinator. You must also use bungee cords to wrap around the tub to support it sides once all of the water is in there....

Not pretty, but cheap and will save your fish. This is why alot of goldies die, cause they are seen as cheap cute prizes. People take them home not knowing what they are getting into, but true goldy lovers come and ask questions just like you. And that is good because then you can learn what they need to survive.

OH, BTW, that "Goldfish only grow as big as their tank" saying is a lie. The fish try their hardest to grow to be full size no matter what size tank they are in. The reason people believe they dont grow any larger than the fish bowl is because the fish are constantly dieing in there before they can grow any due to poor water quality.

P.S. you will also need a air pump and a filter for the tub, if you choose that route. You can make the whole thing look prettier by adding live plants that can grow in the rocks on the bottom. Also, on thing I do is I grow pothos and philodendron in there too! I let the roots grow in the water and have the ivy dramping over the side of the tub. I have so much of it growing right now that I can barely notice the ugly plastic tub! But, I am going to have to get rid of these plants because they are poisonous to humans and I just had a baby. So keep that in mind if you have little ones.

Another way to hide the ugliness of the tub is to decopage it, or even spray paint the ***outside*** of it. let it air out for a few days before adding the fish, cause the fumes could kill them

Distilled water is no good for any aquarium fish without the addition of electrolytes. Goldfish prefer a pH around 7.5 and more importantly a kH of at least 80 ppm (160 is better). I would get some Wonder Shells or comparable products to improve your electrolyte/ kH water chemistry.

If you use tap water, the addition of a product such as Start Right will remove chlorine instantly.

Once your tank has the proper chemistry it is ready (you still have be careful during bio cycling)

Also some live plants will help with ammonia absorption until your tank cycles.

Another note is that goldfish do best long term if they have 8 gallons per fish.

Then your main concern is the nitrogen cycle of the aquarium, which will take from 14-21 days.

Feed sparingly during this time with a quality food such as Omega, HBH, Spirulina 20 (but not TetraFin) to avoid excess pollution.

There is a lot more to know here.

Here is a link for basic aquarium principles:

and another with links to all sorts of aquarium questions and info:

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Basic_Aqua...

http://americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Infor...

What the hell kind of work do you work at that uses living creatures that feel pain as prizes??

First- Baby-juvenile fancy goldfish NEED 10 gallons PER fish (orandas, ryukins, fantails, moors, basically any goldfish that has a round egg shaped body).

Baby-juvenile long bodied goldfish NEED 20 gallons PER fish. (comets, commons, shubunkins, cheap feeder fish)

They are going to die in that size tank as soon as the ammonia spikes. Goldfish excrete so much ammonia and they all get 12-14 inches and have lifespans of 30 plus yrs. No fish grows to its environment. When kept in horribly small quarters, the outside stops growing but the insides continue ultimately killin the fish. They also need ALOT of filtration, not only to help clean the water but to oxygenate the water since goldfish require alot of dissolved oxygen in the water. In that bowl the fish are going to suffocate first or die from ammonia poisoning.

Second- Distilled water is BAD. It has nothing in it at all. Fish need minerals to live. The fish will be dead in a month if you continue using distilled. That is if the housing situation doesnt kill them first. Either use your tap water with a water condtioner that removes chlorine and chloramines and neutralizes heavy metals or buy spring water.

Read this on the nitrogen cycle- http://fins.actwin.com/mirror/begin-cycling.html

Read these on the proper care of goldfish- http://www.goldfishparadise.com/care/care.php

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat...

http://www.mu.edu/~buxtoni/puregold/home.html

http://www.goldfishinfo.com/setup1.htm

http://www.fishpondinfo.com/gfish.htm

http://www.thegab.org/Articles/GoldfishBasics.html

Like someone said get a cheap 50 gallon rubbermaid storage tub, get a filter that will hang on the side, i like the whisper brands. Goldfish are ALOT of work and are not good fish for beginners. If you cannot afford to upgrade housing, please find the fish a new home.

certainly, you may set up the tank approximately 3 days earlier than time and enable it run with the aid of somewhat, then once you get the fish placed the fish interior the bag interior the water. go away the fish interior the water interior the bag and set it interior the tank, the water interior the bag will grow to be the comparable temp because of the fact the water interior the tank, then launch the fish such because of the fact the water interior the bag, into the tank. enable the bag with the fish in it, take a seat interior the water for roughly an hour. Get a backside feeder too, like a sucker, they help save the organic stability.

put the bowl or whatever you have them in now on top of the water in the tank.. let it sit for about an hour or so, until the temperatures are the same.then put the fish in the tank.

till the water is room temperature