Kit

The Fluval 06 series of external filters sits outside of the tank, which means they don’t take up valuable water space.

They come in four sizes to suit different sized tanks:

The 106 model, for tanks of up to 25 gallons

The 206 model, for tanks of up to 45 gallons

The 306 model, for tanks of up to 70 gallons

The 406 model, for tanks of up to 100 gallons

The range of filters is more expensive than some other options. They’re also more expensive than Fluval’s internal filters. However, if you want to invest in good quality kit, the Fluval 06 series is highly recommended.

All of the products in the range come with a three year manufacturers guarantee. [Read more…] about Fluval 06 Series Filters

Fluval is one of the best-known names in the aquarium filtration business. They offer a range of filters, designed to fit a wide variety of goldfish tank sizes.

Fluval offer a series of filters called the U-Series. These underwater filters are some of the most popular filters on the market and are well known for being both effective and quiet.

Of course, every goldfish tank needs a filter, so if you don’t have one yet (or if you’re looking for an upgrade) then we definitely recommend reading on to find out more… [Read more…] about About Fluval U-Series Filters

You should always include a filter in your goldfish tank or pond.

Goldfish eat a lot and produce a lot of waste, which can pollute their water. Without a filter, your aquarium water will soon poison your fish.

What type of filter do goldfish need?

There are two basic types of filter: external filters and internal filters. As the names suggest, external filters sit outside your tank, whereas internal filters are submerged within the tank.

There’s not a “correct” type and goldfish can be kept in tanks that use either an external or internal filter. However, an external filter is usually worth the extra cost if you can afford one.

As they sit outside the tank, an external filter can contain more filtration media and can therefore do a better job of cleaning your water. External filters can also be hidden away in an aquarium cabinet to avoid interfering with the look of your aquarium and have the advantage of not taking up valuable space inside the tank.

What size filter do you need for goldfish?

Both external and internal filters are available in various sizes. However, it’s not the physical size of the filter that is important. It’s the “flow rate”.

Flow rate is the amount of water filtered per hour.

You should aim for an absolute minimum flow rate of 5 times the volume of your tank per hour.

Ideally, you should look to filter closer to 10 times the volume of your tank per hour.

For example, if you have a 20 gallon tank, your filtration system will be in the region of 100 to 200 gallons per hour.

It will be easier to reach a higher turnover if you use an external, rather than internal, filter.

Many types of filter – such as the Fluval U Series come in a range of sizes so that you can select the right filter for your tank.

Cleaning your filter

It is vitally important that you never clean your filter in tap water.

Instead, once or twice per year, you should rinse your filter sponges in water from the tank.

Take care to only rinse the sponges gently, rather than squeezing them too aggressively.

This is because cleaning your filter sponges in tap water, or squeezing them out too much, can kill the good bacteria living in the sponges. And killing this bacteria would be very bad for your fish!

Summary

The answer to the question “do goldfish need a filter?” is a very definite yes!

In order to take proper care of your goldfish, you need a filter of some kind.

This could either be an external filter or an internal filter, but we recommend using an external filter wherever possible.

However, it’s important to realize that installing any old filter is not enough to ensure clean water.

You need to get a filter that turns over around 10x the volume of your tank per hour, make sure that you have a big enough tank, and always remove any excess food after feeding your goldfish.

Even with a filter, your water can quickly become toxic to your fish. This happens when your filter is too weak, your tank is too small, you leave food in the tank to rot, or you don’t do enough water changes.