Help/advice needed

[kezzywoo]

First you have to cycle the tank. You can use the time to investigate what your local shops sell - assuming lockdown allows. If you do manage to look, make a note of all the fish you like, but bear in mind that the fish in the shops won't have stopped growing yet so they'll get bigger.
Once the tank is cycled, make sure there are a good number of plants. Real plants are best but fake ones are OK. It sounds backwards, but the more hiding places there are the more you'll see the fish. If they know there's somewhere to run and hide if that predator comes along, they'll be more confident.
You can get the first shoal once the tank is ready for them, test for ammonia and nitrite every day to make sure they stay at zero. Once you are certain, you can get the next shoal. And again test every day afterwards. It is better to buy the fish as 10 neons, then 10 something else rather than 5 neons and 5 something else to make up the 10. Shoaling fish do better if the whole shoal is bought together.
If at any time either ammonia or nitrite is above zero, a water change is needed to get them down to zero.

Could you tell me a good ammonia/nitrate testing kit please? Thank you for your advice I will get ten neons to start then ten of another maybe ember tetras.

 

[Essjay]

I use the API master test kit - that includes ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH (2 different testers for different pH ranges). It's cheaper from Amazon or Ebay rather than a real shop. You can also buy API ammonia and nitrite testers separately. Those are the two really important ones when setting up a tank. [Note - with the ammonia tester, read the colour in daylight if possible. Some lights, particularly fluorescent, make the liquid look the wrong colour)

 

[GobyMaster11276]

Could you tell me a good ammonia/nitrate testing kit please? Thank you for your advice I will get ten neons to start then ten of another maybe ember tetras.

I personally like the API liquid test kits, which work similar to the strips with a colour system. You can buy the individual tests (e.g. just ammonia and nitrates) or a master test kit, which comes with tests for all of the measures. If you look online, you should be able to find these for quite cheap.

 

[kezzywoo]

I personally like the API liquid test kits, which work similar to the strips with a colour system. You can buy the individual tests (e.g. just ammonia and nitrates) or a master test kit, which comes with tests for all of the measures. If you look online, you should be able to find these for quite cheap.

I have high ammonia so need to get this down. Do I do a full water change or about 70%? What else do I need to add once I have done a water change? Any tips please

 

[Essjay]

Can you just reassure me - have all the fish died, and you are getting the tank ready for new fish?

If this is right, I would do a water change to get the ammonia level down to 3 ppm then follow the instructions in this method https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/ Because you've already had fish there will be some bacteria just not nearly enough, so it should go a bit quicker than usual.


But if there are any fish still in the tank, you need to do a water change as big as necessary to get ammonia and/or nitrite down to zero.

 

[kezzywoo]

Can you just reassure me - have all the fish died, and you are getting the tank ready for new fish?

If this is right, I would do a water change to get the ammonia level down to 3 ppm then follow the instructions in this method https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/ Because you've already had fish there will be some bacteria just not nearly enough, so it should go a bit quicker than usual.


But if there are any fish still in the tank, you need to do a water change as big as necessary to get ammonia and/or nitrite down to zero.

Hi yes all of the fish have died I have none in the tank now so I will do a full water change thank you

 

[Essjay]

If you do a full water change, the best way forward is to cycle the tank before getting any more fish.

If you don't want live plants, or only a couple of live plants, this is the way forwards

Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!

Cycling Your First Fresh Water Tank What is Cycling and Why is it Important? Fish waste, and especially fish breathing, plus uneaten food and other organic matter breaking down in a tank all produce Ammonia. This can quickly become toxic to fish if it is allowed to build up to any measurable...

www.fishforums.net

If you do want lots of live plants, the first thing is to put the plants in then sit back while they establish themselves. Take a photo as soon as they plants are in then you have something to compare them to so you know when they are are growing.

 

[the_lock_man]

Okay thank you. So all my levels are ok? What about the PH? Where can I get this bottled ammonia from please?

Nitrate and nitrite are fine. We don't know about ammonia, you don't currently have an ammonia test.