Aquarium Sand/ Goldfish

[Sher 555]

[glow=color,strength,width][/glow]I have 2 4-5" goldfish in an aquarium set up with a penguin 170 biofilter. But here is when my questions come in play *
I have had gravel in the aquariumd but since I don't have an undergravel filter the food just settles down in there causing for decay. So I was wondering if anyone use aquarium sand? would that be a good idea? I am currently going graveless. but it's somewhat unattractive.
I also have another question ???
[glow=color,strength,width][/glow]My goldfish's aquarium usually needs a water change weekly. I get an odor from it and usually a yellow looking color. *I already use aquaclear and stuff along that line. My filter has carbon in it. I just don't know what to do so if anyone has suggestions please let me know. thanks![glow=color,strength,width][/glow]

[clothahump]

Wow, too much glow.
Sand is perfectly acceptable for the substrate.
Do your water suppliers use chloramine?
Have you got any wood in there?
Are you overfeeding?
Is the smell unpleasant?
How much water are you changing weekly? 8)

[Matt Nace]

What size tank?

Are they regular Comets?
Comets are really messy.

 The junk in the substrate has to be vaccumed out as well.
 If this is a small tank, you may need to do an additional water change inbetween your regular ones.

I suggest you test for Ammonia, Nitites, and nitrates.

My mother-in-law had a comet in her 55 gallon, which was so cute at first. It ate..and ate...and ate...then it was super big and fat. It caused an ammonia problem, and the water clouded. The end result was me takin it to the LFS.

If these are not comets, but fancy tails, then I would guess you were not getting the detrius and decaying food out of the gravel.....which you took out.

I dont use any carbon or chemicals in my tank, except to dechlorinate the water going back in.

[ryanp15]

Yeah sand sounds fine. You should get a gravel vaccum and then get the mess out of it. ;D

[Sher 555]

I have to fantail goldfish in there. And yes the odor is unpleasant. I change about 25% of the water once a week sometimes more. I have the two gldfish in a 20 gallon aquarium. I don't have any wood in the aquarium- how would that help?
I have a completely empty 20 gallon aquarium without gravel and a penguin bio filter. It just go to be so messy I use to have a live plant in tehre for them to eat, but then that also was clouding the water so took that out.
If I get aqarium sand and use the vacum would the sand get up through the vacum?
I'm thinking of adding some type of wood or figurine to the tank once I get this problem under control, but the two fish are having fun just playing with each other right now that it doesn't relaly matter.
if you have any suggestions on what else to add... please help me ;D *:-*

[Matt Nace]

Wood can give off tanins that color your water.

Your water changes are good, Try a 50% water change next time. You may still have a lot of nitrates built up from when the "gunk" was in the tank.

Make sure you clean your filter, but not the bio wheel part. Leave that alone.

After the 50% water change, you may need to add carbon(cant believe I am saying this) to get the yellow out. Hmm.yellow. Is the water clear..or is it a cloudy yellow? You can usually tell from the side. Mine are crystal clear from the side.

Make sure your flourencent bulb is not too old it can make your water look yellow, or even a blueish.Try buying a GE Daylight bulb for a nice white light.They are at home depot, and I seen them at wal-mart as well(in USA). I wonder if this is the problem, the bulb.

Is your glass free of algae?

If you buy a bigger grain sand, it might work ok with a siphon...but I can't tell you for a fact.I would think like a playsand size would get sucked up.

They have some real neat caves and plastic wood looking "gardens" at the fish stores.I have a rock that is a cave for a reptile, but I have it for fish. I liked it cause it looked like a rock...not plastic.

How about the front of the glass

[Sher 555]

The yellow water is transucent. I also every now and then have brown algea on the sides. But after my last water change I removed that. I think it was actually from another aquarium because it is near this one and had a substancal amount more of the algae.

[Matt Nace]

SO how old are the lights for the aquarium?
What kind are they?

[Sher 555]

right now they don't have lights. Since I don't have AC and the tempeture is rising I just use normal lights in the room and indirect sunlight. The fish are doing find so I have nothing to complain about.

[Kristin]

 you havee to have a little gravel in there- at least 1/4 inch. if not then there is no where for the nitrifying bacteria to grow and you have no biofilter. you can get a snail for the uneaten food. my betta lived a LONG time on that system. make sure it is a bisexual snail instead of an asexual snail if you do decide to do with that.