HELP.... NEED ADVICE FROM SOMEONE

[penguinpimp1990]

I recently got a tank from my friend who didnt care for it anymore.....There are no fish in it but there were fish in it 3 months ago...The gravel, filter, heater, artificial plants, etc. were not cleaned or fooled around with...WHAT ARE THE STEPS I NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO MAKE MY TANK FISH READY?

 

[penguinpimp1990]

note that the filter was kept running and still is

 

[WILDER]

http/www.fishtanksandponds.net/headers/beginners.htm

 

[jflowers]

After three months with no fish there will be no beneficial bacteria in there, so you are gonna have to cycle from the begining I am afraid. if you are not familier with cycling, check out the pinned topics in this and the tropical chit chat forum.

Jon

[EDIT: Nice link wilder]

 

[penguinpimp1990]

how do i get beneficial bacteria in my tank?

 

[WILDER]

http/www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.php

 

[penguinpimp1990]

http/www.petsmart.com/global/product_det...D=1106087913933 is this beneficial bacteria?

 

[WILDER]

Do you have a friend in fishkeeping who can give you some gravel and a sponge from his filter.

 

[penguinpimp1990]

yes

 

[jflowers]

Ok, if you have a friend with a cycled tank, you could talk them into giving you some of thier gravel (on loan) and put it in a sock and hang it in your tank to speed up the cycle a little. Better still is to get a piece of filter media from that tank and put it into your filter. This can provide an instant cycle for a small amount of fish, emphasis on 'small' amount and 'can', not will. you will still need to test your water to be sure.

Jon

 

[penguinpimp1990]

thanks i understand now

 

[sylvia]

No - such products are generaly useless. If you wish to add fish immediately, get only a couple of suitable, small, hardy ones and get some filter media or gravel from an established tank - either from a healthy tank at your LFS or from a friend's tank. Then test your water daily to make sure your tank has cycled (0 ammonia/nitrIte, nitrAtes increase steadily and you bring them down weekly by doing a partial water change with de-chlorinated tap water). Then you can continue adding fish, a couple at a time, on a once-weekly basis. You cannot cut corners with fish keeping. Read through the links in my signature.

edit: sorry, other people have already answered I was too slow