Introduction And Help To Save My Fish

[dutchyfish]

Hi,

I have been trying to keep my fish alive for maybe a year now? Before that the tank was my hubby's,(he always fancied one, but never really looked after it once he got it) so I have been trying and unfortunately failing... Never really considered doing the smart thing and looking info up online, but always asking for help at petshops, which always meant it was the fault of the filter/heater/where I bought the fish/that I changed my water to often/not enough etc. I have been reading through some of the topics on this forum and suddenly things make sense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My sincere apologies to all the fishes that lost their life through my ignorance...

So now, can someone pleassssssssssssssssse help me do right by my fishes. My tank is 120 cm/47.5" long, 30 cm/12" wide and 39 cm/15.5" high. (How many gallons of water is that?) I have a fluval 4 waterfilter, and a vivi-therm 300w heater. I also have a interpet airvolution 3 airpump, with two outlets, one of which is connected to a diver and one to an airstone. The temperature is set for 72, and the water we have comes from a private supply, filtered by uv bulbs.

I have been told by the petshop to do waterchanges once a month, change half of the filter every month and to rinse one filter out weekly alternating which one. And to leave my water overnight to acclimatise before doing a chance. I have live plants in my tank and most of my fish have just died of to much ammonia in the tank. I have been told to buy something called tra rock online, but haven't been able to find it. But stumbled on this website instead, my fish and I thank you.

I read the bit about cycling, which I obviously haven't done, but seeing as how it's an established tank, should it be ok? I have just ordered the test-kit and hope it will arrive this week.

Now at the moment I have two fish still alive in the tank, a neon tetra and a smaller one (which I have forgotten the name of)both have been alive for several months, they must be very sturdy fish . I will do a waterchange once I finish writing this, and will use a combination of boiled and cold water, as I don't have the testkit yet to check the warm water supply. My questions are as followed;

Is my temperature right, what kind of fish would you recommend for my tank, I am looking for a nice variety, and how many fish would be suitable for my tank. How often should I do waterchanges, how often do I change the filter, how often do I rinse them out, and what else am I not doing that I should be doing to keep my fish healthy? Is it true that fish need to change their food every so often, and how much should I feed them?
My tank stands beside a window, do I need to blank that side of or not and how long should I turn the light on each day?

Sorry for being so completely ignorant, but for the sake of my fish, please help...

 

[bae1994]

Hi Welcome to the forum

I'm it too sure on Fahrenheit but you want to be around 27 centigrade for most tropical fish but it depends as some like it higher some like it abit lower but the tetra will be ok at 27 ( you will want to get more tetras but wait untill the tanks completely stable)

There's a lot of fish suitable for your size tank and howmany depends on the exact species of fish I'd suggest looking through some journals on here and name some you like so we can say there good or not

You should change 10% of your tanks volume every week and your best to use water conditioner for fish tanks, to remove heavy metals although your water filter may do that anyway you'll have to find that one out

Don't change the filter sponges once a month rinse the filter sponges in tank water ( the water you take out when you do a water change just squeeze the sponge in the water not freshwater)

The food doesn't need to be changed every so often but its best to.feed a varied diet so flake /pellets and once in a while ( every couple of weeks) some deshelled peas and frozen food is a welcome addition ( bloodworms. Brine shrimp etc from your local fish shop )

Bae

 

[dutchyfish]

Hi Bae,

Thank you for your reply. I have today received the test kit recommended on this forum and have tested ph (7.0) ammonia (0) nitrite (0) and nitrate (between 80 ppm and 160ppm). This means that everything is fine part from the nitrate, which is through the roof right? I have done a 50% waterchange on tuesday, can I do one again now, to get the nitrate down, or do I need to buy something to bring it down? I have tested both the cold and hot water supply in my house and both have a value of 0 nitrate.

How do I test my wtersupply for heavy metals?

When I rinse the filter sponges, do I do this every week or every month, nd do I rinse them both or alternate?

Thanks for your help so far I really want my fish to survive for more than a month at a time...

Dutchy

 

[bae1994]

Hi for the water changes it should be ok to do another 50% now but I'd do 25% daily untill your nitrates are down then do 10% weekly for there on every week

You can get tests for copper iron etc and tbh unless you add chlorine or chloramine to your water you should be fine to just add it straight off

IMO its best to rinse the sponges once a month and to alternate them but as I said don't do it in fresh water do it in water that you take from the tank in a bucket or something then pour that water away

Atb bae