help on a 30 gallon goldfish tank ?

You can leave it bare or add your gravel. WHat you are looking for is called river gravel and you can get it at any home and garden or landscape place (It will be cheaper than at the pet store)

On the contrary goldfish do live in the wild in almost every country in the world. They just don't look like our "revised" versions we put in tanks. Here is a photo:

http://www.thejump.net/id/wild-goldfish.htm

I would not suggest sand. First with the waste from fresh water fish it is difficult to clean. It is used mostly in salt because there is no solid waste to clean. (that isn't to say you shouldn't or couldn't use it) It is your tank.

Watch drift wood. It will lower your PH drastically, (counter act withseashells hidden in the filter)

For your 30 gallon tank, please know that you can only put two Fancy Goldfish in there, at most, and no more. If you put one in, it'll be very happy! Do not get Comet Goldfish, or Shubunkins, unless you are going to upgrade to a 60 gallon + tank later on. You should put gravel in it, as it ties the whole tank together. Sand is harder to clean, and the fish could eat it, which could scratch the insides of them. Make sure to put real live plants in there, as well as an air pump/stone to circulate oxygen around the water. Make sure you have a filter made for 40 gallons +, just because Goldfish are very messy fish, and need it. You should put driftwood in too, if you like, but remember to boil it first, just because there could be fungus/bacteria growing on it, so before you put it into your tank, make sure it is cleaned thoroughly.

Just pick a gravel or some river rocks in your favorite color. Sand or no substrate at all makes it too easy to see all the poop, and you don't want that. The fish really don't care. With small gravel, sometimes they will try to pick it up in their mouths, but choking isn't a huge concern. Get whatever you think would look nice in your house.

Actually, goldfish are derived from carp, which do live in the wild. They just aren't brightly colored like your pets.

I bought pebbles that were natural stone instead of the colored gravel in lots of aquariums. It looks really nice. Fish poop collects on the bottom of aquariums after awhile, and you clean it with a hand-pump filter that has a long, wide tube to reach the bottom of the aquarium. It wouldn't work on sand. A piece of black poster board looks really really good on the backside of the aquarium.

Please do give them some gravel (be sure to rinse well first) and some other interesting things. I would put in some fake plants, not too many, and something to swim in and out of (make sure it is big enough that they won't get stuck or scrape their sides). Also do some research online to make sure that you get compatible fish and do not overstock. There are many wonderful sites online that you can check out for further information. Just google freshwater fish. Good luck and enjoy!

I disagree with joe, sand is much easier to clean, and because the waste only acumulates at the surface of the sand, you only have to hover the syphon above the sand and suck up the waste, instead of having to dig when you have gravel.

Fish dont like it when they dont have a substrate at the bottom of the tank, and often stresses them out. Definatly get sand. Good luck.

Gravel is the best substrate for freshwater fish, easier to clean to

Plant gravel and some small plants!

The goldfish won't really mind either way. It's your call.