Coldwater VS Tropical and where to place?!

[JodyH92]

Hello! I'm new to this forum, signed up literally seconds ago so this is my first post 

I'm 17 and new to fishkeeping. Parents have had many fish tanks in the past and know the basics about them. Anyway, i'm thinking of getting a tank for christmas! Not all that big and not too much money! Been looking around some shops such as the fish section in Wyevale and Pets at home to compare tanks and deals, then we happened to come across a local fish shop that we didn't know about until today! Saw a lovely 'starter tank' £69.99 for coldwater style, £79.99 for tropical... which is in the price range that I wouldn't really mind paying although my dad still thinks that the tanks too big for my first go on it all but I liked it - so I win 

So up until this point today I was thinking of getting coldwater fish - a few different types of goldfish, but when my dad spoke to the man in this shop we came across who seemed to know his stuff he said that tropical is just as easy to look after as coldwater, if not easier... this made me want to go for tropical instead of coldwater because I like the look of the fish! So I thought i'd come on here and ask people that know their stuff and have more fish experience to give their opinions on what may be best for me.. COLDWATER or TROPICAL and which is easier or is there really not alot of difference?!

- Another dilema we have come across is where abouts to put the tank in my house... We found a perfect spot to put it in the kitchen where it might be hard for the cat to be nosey!... but where it's most convenient, so thats where we were going to put it all along up until about an hour ago where I thought of a few things that might be wrong with that! Some being - near the door... not stupidly close but yeah, it's nearish to a door (I read that slamming of the door can disrupt the fish?!); drastic room temperature change from oven and cooking in the kitchen, as well as condensation; and also my dad suggested that it may look as though we have just put it there because we have nowhere else to put it - as though it would look 'out of place' there?! So we were thinking of maybe putting it in my bedroom - but I have wooden flooring and there may be weight issues there. Another thought was putting it in the living room - Also wooden flooring 

Any advice would be lovely but without the complicated fishy language! 
Thanks in advance!
I'm Jody by the way!! 

[Morgrid]

I am biased but I say go for tropical fish. There are a lot of coldwater fish choices besides goldfish but the tropical fish are more available. Typically tropicals will be more active for you as well. I would stay away from placing the tank in the kitchen and especially by the door. Open doors can cool down a tank fast. A bedroom is nice as the temperature is stable but more people will be able to enjoy your aquarium in the living room.

[Pagey]

Welcome!

I'd go with the tropical setup myself - having done both, I really think tropicals are easier than goldfish - smaller and much less messy, so you can have more of them, too. The only difference between the two setups is checking the temperature in a tropical tank, which is no big deal. (And I've found bigger tanks are easier to manage - the water conditions stay more stable.) The only thing I'd check is that it comes with a fluorescent hood and not an incandescent one. Incandescent lights burn out a lot faster and they just don't light up the tank as well. That's something it's well worth paying a little extra for, if you have to.

As far as weight, figure about ten pounds (4.5 Kg) per gallon (3.75 liters) of water. I've successfully kept a 20 gallon tank on a forty-pound metal stand on a wooden second floor, but I haven't tried anything bigger yet. I figure the whole setup weighed about 250 pounds, taking everything into account.

I'd be a little wary of the kitchen, too, for the same reasons. I know the temperature in mine can fluctuate thirty degrees depending on what's cooking and how many burners are on along with the oven. (It's a gas stove and it puts out a lot of heat.) The living room or bedroom is probably a better bet.

[Cholly]

As long as it is placed next to a load bearing wall, weight should not be an issue. A simple check(for someone 75+ kilos) is to flex your knees like you were going to jump, but not quite hard enough to actually leave the ground. If the floor feels solid, you're golden to at least 55 US gallons/208.45 liters. If the floor flexes, pick another spot.
I prefer warm water as there are so many varieties that even after keeping fish for 40 years, I still haven't kept all the fish I want to try. I'm finally getting to the expensive ones now, some of the more exotic "oddballs".