How do i start the tank again?

[Cossack1977]

Ok. If anyones read my previous post you have heard that a mystery has just wipped out my entire tank 30 or so fish dead.

I have cheered up a bit by looking at it as a new challenge. Bigger and better and all that thing.

Questions:
How do i rebuild the tank ie. clean it?
Can i do it in such a way that i dont kill the bacteria in the filter media and noodles?

I was thinking of washing the filter and noodles in a heavy salt solution and then putting them in my 10 gallon medical tank with a air pump and heater and adding ammonia while im rebuilding the tank to keep it going. Will this work?

 

[Tropjunky]

Well if you don't know what wiped out ur old tank then i wouldn't do that id start from scratch. That means wash every thing in tap water and then if u can get new filter media ( this means everything, sponges, floss, chemical medias and biological media as well.) I would also use a mild bleach solution to wash the tank and filter in and then rinse and rinse and rinse some more (till ur sure there’s no bleach left).

I know this seems like a lot but I would be very afraid of that mystery killer of urs.

I'm sorry that ur fish died and that ur now going to annihilate ur bacteria but some things need to be done. Just in-case I’ll use a general medication on ur thank.

 

[Cossack1977]

what do i do about my plants and gravel?
how do i clean them?

Can i use lemon juice to clean the tank instead of bleach?

 

[karrihug]

i am pretty new at this so not sure, but i have heard it suggested that you clean with pure ammonia since you will need this if you have to re-cycle your tank anyway. should kill just about anything and if you miss some in the rinse it won't hurt

 

[Cossack1977]

would a strong salt solution allow me to clean the filter and noodles with out hurting the good bacteria?