Help Me Bring My Tank Back To Life!

Hi everyone

I'm new here and due to circumstances beyond my control at home I've now taken ownership of a fish tank, while I like the concept I've never been involved in looking after it so have nothing but the most basic of knowledge about what it is. I can't even remember how long we've had it, we got it either this year or last, but it's up and running and is home to 5 fish, 2 guppies and 3 tetra (I think). Problem is its had next to no maintenance at all (cleaning etc) and apart from chucking some food in daily, nothing has been done. It's dirty, I don't know whether it's working properly and quite frankly I'm amazed those fish are still alive.

I have 2 young children (one nearly 4 and the other just past 2) and we bought the tank as they take an interest in watching the fish. In it's current state though it's not particularly attractive and I want to bring it back to life, hopefully adding some more fish for the kids to take more of an interest but also to provide a good home for the fish. Ideally it should be fairly low maintenance, I'm happy with a decent amount of small colourful fish.

Let me list what I have then a whole host of questions Please excuse the lack of correct terminology, no offence meant

So I have a tank which I guess (looking at other dimensions of tanks) is 24in x 12in x 15in. I have a heater and a filter, also have a bottom layer of gravel with a fair few plastic plants and a big rock. Also have some water and 5 fish.

In terms of accessories, I have:

• A JBL Combiset Test kit
• A JBL NH4 Test
• Interpet Filter Start Water Treatment
• Interpet Tapsafe
• A siphoning tube

(I'll add a pic on the next post to show this stuff)

So onto questions:

1. The main concern is cleaning. Can someone link me to some guidelines on this? I'm half tempted to just start again with it all but of course that'll mean losing the fish I have, what's the best way of keeping them?
2. Do I have all the right equipment? The filter isn't blowing any air into the water, it's very still in there at the moment. How can I check/fix/work it
3. Should I use any of the test stuff I have to check the water? The fish are alive and have been for many months now, but while I'm sorting it is it worth checking anything?

That'll do to start, I'll no doubt have many more questions as I go. Any advice welcome at the moment, I really have no idea where to start. Links to other articles would be good too.

Thanks!!

You could start by testing the water and posting your water stats on here. I also suggest you work out how to get the filter to ripple the surface of the water. This makes oxygen and is very ideal/needed for the fish to breath.

Cleaning it might be a job of removing the fish to a filtere tank or bowl or bucket and cleaning it out that way. Am shocked how there even remotely alive, did you do any water changes at all?

I realise the image gives no info about the heater and filter so here we go. The heater is a Interpet Deltatherm 100w, the filer is a Interpet PF2 (although it doesn't have the bright blue top as seen in images on the net, either we have a grey topped one or ours is extermely grubby!).

Here is a pic of the kits I have

techen said:

You could start by testing the water and posting your water stats on here. I also suggest you work out how to get the filter to ripple the surface of the water. This makes oxygen and is very ideal/needed for the fish to breath.

Cleaning it might be a job of removing the fish to a filtere tank or bowl or bucket and cleaning it out that way. Am shocked how there even remotely alive, did you do any water changes at all?

Click to expand...

Hi techen, thanks for the reply. I'll have a look through the Combiset kit and work out what tests I can run. Any in particular that you think would be good, or should as many as I can?

I'm not sure how the filter works, it has a rocker switch on the top that have an O and I setting (on and off I assume), but switching it seems to do nothing. Does it need a clean our or something?

I think there might have been some water changes at the start, but certainly not in the last few months. I can't actually remember seeing any to be honest. Yeah the fish must be very hardy!!!

Anyway I may not be able to do much until after Xmas, but I'm happy to listen to advice!

this is a good page too read u can learn lots here

http/www.fishforum...esource-center/

if ur water is still then try adding air stones .. of course u will need a air pump to do this but i would also invest if possible one day a good filter that will also give a good flow of water in tank , i use a fluvel u4 filter .. this gives me plenty of movement along with my air stones either side of tank ..

i would only feed ur fish every other day untill ur water is cleaned /ready ..plz certainly read about cycling for healthy fish u really need to make sure ur water is really good

you need to test ur water stats regularly this will help u too keep on top of things , i use API liquid test kits ..i test 2 times a week ,

to clean ur tank a gravel cleaner will be needed .. that needs to be done on a regular basis helps clean fish /food waste i do a gravel clean once a week .. a quick one , then every month i do a full gravel clean when i take decos out etc ..ur filters need a clean too i do mine once a fortnight ..a quick swill in the tank water u have removed .. my filter has 2 media secions so i do one one week the other following week

ur water shud have a change of at least 10 % weekly .. but most certainly once a fortnight!
this will also help keep ur fish healthy they like clean water ..once on top of this it its a quick easy process .....my 2 foot tank takes me 10 mins to do a water change weekly , as does my 4 foot tank ,
if water stats are higher than they shud be then daily water changes untill correct may be needed

hope this helps


you can see pic in my siggy water movement ,,at top of tank and air stones either side

First off, if the tank has never been cleaned or the water changed, the nitrate level will be off the scale. New fish would probably die if introduced but the existing fish will have got used to it. Therefore you need to do small, very regular changes. 5 litres twice a day for a few weeks should be fine, too quickly though and it will shock them. Give the gravel a good clean each time, you will be amazed at the crud that will be down there.

Rinse the filter sponges and the components out in the dirty tank water, that way the bacteria keeping your fish alive won't perish. Never clean it with tap water or discard it unless the sponge is next to useless. The gunk will wash off. Alsao scrub the inside of the tank with an algae scrubber.

Once you have done the basic clean up, you can think about making bigger changes. For example how about sand? Or live plants? What kind of fish would you like? Once the fish are acclimated to clean water, you can try and rehome them if you would prefer - at the moment it would just be a death sentence to you as they have got used to poor tank conditions - google old tank syndrome.

run as many of those tests as possible. that's your first job, then you know exactly what you are dealing with in there (absolute minimum would be ammonia nitrite and nitrate)

then use your siphon tube, and use that to clean the gravel. make sure the tip of the siphon goes into the gravel so it sucks up as much gunk as poss. once you know the nitrate results, you'll know roughly how much water you can change without shocking the fishies to death!! (if unsure post results on here and someone will help you out)

then once your water is sorted at correct levels, which could take a few weeks of work, you can start having a think about what you want to do with the tank, what fish you'd like etc.

i have a nearly 3 year old and a nearly 2 year old (and one on the way) but both girls love sitting by the tank and watching the goings on, there are some very pretty colourful fish out there! Iwould reccommend changing the gravel for play sand, its much easier to keep looking clean and if you end up getting corydora catfish they play in it and its really fun to watch

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll run some of the test tonight and get a handle on what I'm dealing with, I don't expect it to be pleasant reading though!

I think my first priority is getting the filter working properly - I'm sure it use to chuck loads of water out, assume that's what it's supposed to do? I suspect the filter component inside is blocked and needs a good clean so I'll try and do that tonight. If I take the filter out, will the fish be ok for the time being? Loathe to change anything for fear of making it worse for them!

Once that's done I'll get to work cleaning it up. Is it worth taking the gravel out for the time being, will that make it easier to clean? Otherwise I'll have a go with the siphon but not sure exactly what to do, I know how to siphon water but not clean a fish tank!

The tank itself needs a good clean too so I'll have to look at doing that somehow.

In terms of new fish/features etc, I'm not hugely bothered at the moment as I want to get what I have clean and working first before I worry about changing stuff. Depending how much I get into it I'll make more changes but at the moment low maintenance is important to me.

sadguppy said:

First off, if the tank has never been cleaned or the water changed, the nitrate level will be off the scale. New fish would probably die if introduced but the existing fish will have got used to it. Therefore you need to do small, very regular changes. 5 litres twice a day for a few weeks should be fine, too quickly though and it will shock them. Give the gravel a good clean each time, you will be amazed at the crud that will be down there.

Rinse the filter sponges and the components out in the dirty tank water, that way the bacteria keeping your fish alive won't perish. Never clean it with tap water or discard it unless the sponge is next to useless. The gunk will wash off. Alsao scrub the inside of the tank with an algae scrubber.

Once you have done the basic clean up, you can think about making bigger changes. For example how about sand? Or live plants? What kind of fish would you like? Once the fish are acclimated to clean water, you can try and rehome them if you would prefer - at the moment it would just be a death sentence to you as they have got used to poor tank conditions - google old tank syndrome.

Click to expand...

Very sound advice, I would start with this. There's no point adding new fish now until you have sorted the tank and water conditions.

The tank doesn't look particularly dirty, but give it a good clean anyway (this should be done as part of a weekly maintenance routine). Then I'd test the water and post the results here, then we can work with you to sort those out if need be.

With regards to your filter, clean it as suggested by sadguppy then when you place it back in the tank make sure the outflow is near the surface of the water. This will hopefully cause a ripple on the surface and should solve the oxygenation problems. If it's still not rippling the surface then you might want to consider changing filters or adding an airstone.

You have all the equipment you need so you should start as soon as possible .

Chunky said:

I think my first priority is getting the filter working properly - I'm sure it use to chuck loads of water out, assume that's what it's supposed to do? I suspect the filter component inside is blocked and needs a good clean so I'll try and do that tonight. If I take the filter out, will the fish be ok for the time being? Loathe to change anything for fear of making it worse for them!

Once that's done I'll get to work cleaning it up. Is it worth taking the gravel out for the time being, will that make it easier to clean? Otherwise I'll have a go with the siphon but not sure exactly what to do, I know how to siphon water but not clean a fish tank!

Click to expand...

They'll be fine as long as it's not for a prolonged period of time. It won't take that long to clean .

With the gravel vac, this video will probably help. http/www.youtube.c...?v=8sSdyNQ5rxQ. It's not the best but it'll give you the jist .

make sure you clean the filter in old tank water, tap water will kill the beneficial bacteria and you'll have to cycle your tank again

How should I change the water? Just scoop 5 litres out and add 5 more from where? Straight from the tap or use the Tapmate first?
How do i clean the gravel? Use the siphon?
How do I clean the tank? I don't have an algae scrubber, can I use a scouring pad or suchlike? Have some brand new ones so could use that?
How do I get the filter open, Is it fairly straightforward?
When the filter is in the tank, how submerged should it be? It's very noisy if it's high, so do I just need the top cm or so out of the water?

How should I change the water? Just scoop 5 litres out and add 5 more from where? Straight from the tap or use the Tapmate first? Change the water with a siphon and a bucket. Clean the gravel at the same time, root around and suck the crud into the bucket. Replace it with water that is the same temperature and has been dechlorinated with seachem prime, aquasafe or similar (i assume that is what tapsafe is). Pour it back in slowly.

How do i clean the gravel? Use the siphon?
You can do this while doing a water change - root around with the siphon and suck anything nasty up into the bucket, the get rid of it.

How do I clean the tank? I don't have an algae scrubber, can I use a scouring pad or suchlike? Have some brand new ones so could use that?
As long as your tank is glass you can use a non-scratch scouring pad. On acrylic, i don't know.

How do I get the filter open, Is it fairly straightforward?
Yes, the pf2 comes apart easily. You press in the sides and the main body comes away from the head. There are two pads in it, plus ceramic media in the top part which is more difficult to get apart but worth doing. Get a full bucket of water from the tank and take it apart in the water, rinsing each bit. Your fish will be ok in the meantime.

When the filter is in the tank, how submerged should it be? It's very noisy if it's high, so do I just need the top cm or so out of the water?
Up to you, if the noise bothers you then submerge it fully but be aware that it needs to make the surface ripple in order to oxygenate the water. You can always move it up when you aren't in to make the fish happier, and down when you need peace and quiet.

sadguppy said:

Change the water with a siphon and a bucket. Clean the gravel at the same time, root around and suck the crud into the bucket. Replace it with water that is the same temperature and has been dechlorinated with seachem prime, aquasafe or similar (i assume that is what tapsafe is). Pour it back in slowly.

Click to expand...

How do I get the same temperature. Mix of hot and cold tap water?

sadguppy said:

How do i clean the gravel? Use the siphon?
You can do this while doing a water change - root around with the siphon and suck anything nasty up into the bucket, the get rid of it.

As long as your tank is glass you can use a non-scratch scouring pad. On acrylic, i don't know.

Click to expand...

Right so siphon 5 litres out by rooting around at the bottom. Haves a glass tank so that's sorted too.

sadguppy said:

How do I get the filter open, Is it fairly straightforward?
Yes, the pf2 comes apart easily. You press in the sides and the main body comes away from the head. There are two pads in it, plus ceramic media in the top part which is more difficult to get apart but worth doing. Get a full bucket of water from the tank and take it apart in the water, rinsing each bit. Your fish will be ok in the meantime.

Click to expand...

So scoop a load out, rinse the filter out, then pour it back in? Even with all the gunk in it?

sadguppy said:

When the filter is in the tank, how submerged should it be? It's very noisy if it's high, so do I just need the top cm or so out of the water?
Up to you, if the noise bothers you then submerge it fully but be aware that it needs to make the surface ripple in order to oxygenate the water. You can always move it up when you aren't in to make the fish happier, and down when you need peace and quiet.

Click to expand...

Ok will play around and see how I get on.

No, pour away the gunk. Siphon it out, rinse filter, chuck it.

I mix hot and cold tap, but if you have copper pipes leading to your hot tank that can cause problem for the fish. Mine is fine though. If you have to pour in cold water, do it very gradually so as not to shock thr fish.

And don't forget to test your water, once you've cleaned your tank. Post your results here, we'll help you interpret where you need to go with it

You've got the same filter model I have.

I think you've got it too high out of the water, look on the left hand side near the top, you will see a min water level mark. The filter should be submerged to at least this line. I have mine so that the outlet hole is partially submerged, this makes it blow bubbles across the surface of the water.

There is a button on top which is the venturi valve which produces the air bubbles, set this to O to get the bubbles to work. If you find it too noisy, you can turn the venturi off ( I position) or completely submerge it. There is also a flow control switch coloured blue on the front, looks like you already have this set to maximum. I have this set to minimum and it produces enough flow for my 65L interpet tank.

If there is not much flow then it probably needs cleaning. Turn the filter off & disconnect power, take it out of the tank and open it up. Tip out any water inside down the sink.

On the left you should see a black sponge. This is the carbon filter which may need replacing, this is used to remove toxins and medications from the water. Carbon filters only work for about a month and then need replacing, I suggest only bother to replace it if you are adding treatments to the water that you need to remove.

On the right is a white sponge, this is a physical filter and will probably be really gunked up. Clean this with old tank water and you should see your flow rate pick up.

Take the bottom of the filter off. There is an 'aqua valve' inside which should be cleaned every couple of months.

Above the main filter chamber is the biochamber where your beneficial bacteria are kept. Access it by twisting the top of the filter. Clean this only when really necessary (no more than every 6 months) and only in old tank water, never tap water as the chlorine will kill the bacteria.

Then check if the impeller needs cleaning. Take off the cover right on top of the filter and you can remove the impeller (the rotating bit). Use a soft brush to clean it up.

All this should improve your flow output. If you need more help then I've got the instruction manual for your model so I should be able to tell you about it