Fish have all died!

[crittermom]

I have been keeping fish (and other critters) for years, both at school and at home. I prefer livebearers at school because my 3rd graders love watching the babies. Well, I got hold of a copy of an aquarium magazine, and decided that what I've been doing for all those years was breaking all the rules...so I did what the magazine said and got live plants and snails. I also used a new water conditioner that's supposed to take care of chlorine/nitrites/nitrates/ammonia/you name it. And now, ALL of my fish (except for 2 goldfish at home, and 1 guppy and 1 firebelly frog at school) have died! The only thing I've done different was the plants, snails, and the new conditioner (which I have TRASHED!!!). Now I have to start all over again. Think I'll go back to breaking all the rules. Any suggestions? (I saw a tank in a PetsMart that had a sign on it: "Want a tank that looks like a saltwater tank, but without all the hassle?" They had put sand in the bottom, and marine-type decorations, and had cichlids in it...it was gorgeous!) Thanks!

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

The good bacteria that live in your tank filter break down ammonia and prevent it from killing your fish, but it also needs the ammonia created by the fish to survive.
When you added the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/chlorine remover not only did you remove the nitrates aquarium plants need to survive but you also removed the ammonia the filter bacteria needs to survive and thus killed it which would have inevitably lead to an ammonia spike after there was nothing left to regualy remove the ammonia from the tank and killed your fish im sorry to say.
There are some great pinned easy to read articles on cycling tanks and building up the beneficial bacteria in them in the beginners section which will help you start up your tank again plus plenty more other useful advice, to say the least you have my sympathy and im glad you chucked out the aweful chemical.
Good luck with starting up your tank again