starting up a fish tank, im new to this need help please?

First, Clarke Gable -- you are a completely insensitive jerk for suggesting she just flush her "test" fish. I hope the question asker has more sense than to listen to someone like you.

I am going to guess (with no offense intended) that the fish most likely died because of neglect to the tank and tank maintenence? When you get a new tank, it has yet to go through it's cycle process, so the fish will die and/or become sick if adequate water is not changed on a regular basis (while cyling, at LEAST 50% of the water should be changed per day. After cycle is complete, then it becomes 50% a week for the life of the tank. You will need a test kit -- to test ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Depending on the levels once you test, you may need to do a little more.)

Since you have an empty tank at the moment, this gives you the perfect opportunity to do a fishless cycle! This is truly the best way to start a fish tank, and by far the most humane to your fish.

Some people do start with a "test" fish or a cheap fish to get their cycle going. There is one big problem with this though -- the cheap "feeder" fish type are usually kept in really bad conditions and harbor all kinds of disease. To start your tank off this way is introducing all kinds of potential disease and parasites to your future fish. It is a really bad idea for this reason. (Sometimes, the parasites/bacteria will lie dormant in your tank for a long time, and only strike when one of your fish becomes weak.)

I would move your plants to a small, separate tank while you fishless cycle (if you choose to do this.) Then I would add them again once your tank is established (usually takes a month or so.)

Here is all you need to know about fishless cycling:

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/FishlessCycle.html

I wish you best of luck with your tank, whatever you decide to put in it! I know the fishless cycle route takes a little time and patience, but it is beyond worth the end result -- for you will have MUCH happier, healthier fish, and a more beautiful aquarium.

Please don't get overwhelmed, I know it seems like a lot at first, but I promise, it gets a lot easier as you go along!

Good luck! =]

Edit: As far as cleaning goes, I always just use a scrubber brush and plain water (soap is bad!) Once you remove your plants, I would give the whole tank a good scrub and just start from there. =]

Also, definitely condition your water when you add it. If you don't have fish in the tank, you can add water first, then condition. Once you do have fish, treat the water prior to adding to tank. Usually water conditioners work instantly -- there is no need to let them sit.

1. Doesn't matter how you add the water, as long as it can be added without contamination from soap or another chemical that is bad for fish.

Once the tank is filled up, since there is no fish, then add the water conditioner.

2. You will need to probably run the tank through the nitrogen cycle since it has been sitting so long with so little water. Most likely the majority of the beneficial bacteria, if not all of it, has died. Below is a website so you can read up on what the nitrogen cycle is, why it is important, and how to do it. This process usually takes around 4-6 weeks. But is completly worth it, and will help you be that much more successful.

3. You can clean the inside. You will do it before you add more water. If the plants are already hanging on the edge, you'll just have to cross your fingers for whichever route you take.. But it would be easier to remove the algae before filling it with water.

At this point it's probably best you start from scratch.

1. When you are starting up, adding water is as simple as just putting plain old tap water into the tank. You don't need to add any chemicals or dechlorinator at this point.

2. Before you get fish, you'll need to do what is called "fishless cycling." If the tank was never cycled before adding fish, that's probably why they all died off. Plus, "feeder" goldfish actually need about 55 gallons for just a pair and should live 15-20 years. My guess is someone told you to cycle your tank using feeder fish? Don't do that. It's a headache and will only frustrate you. Fishless cycling is so much easier, and it is much more humane. Cycling with fish causes permanent damage to their skin and gills. While it may not kill them outright, it will at least shorten their potential lifespan. The great thing about fishless cycling is you don't have to worry about the constant partial water changes. Since there are no fish in the tank, you don't have to worry about ammonnia, nitrites, and nitrates reaching fatal levels--because they have nothing to harm. With fish-in cycling, you have to do partial water changes pretty much every day just to keep the fish alive. Here is a great article on fishless cycling. Cycling is kind of confusing at first but it's really much simpler than it sounds.

http://www.fishtankforums.com/frontpage/?p=vB9582

And this graph gives a good visual aid if you aren't sure what should be going on throughout the course of tank cycling:

http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/fishless/fishless.ht...

You can use the time it takes to cycle your aquarium (about a month and a half) to research different fish that can go in your tank together.

3. Cleaning algae is much easier when the algae is wet, so I'd scrub it off after the tank is filled. What kind of plants do you have? If they are truly aquatic plants, they have a better chance of surviving if they are submerged. Do make sure they have access to light, and change out half of their water every 3-4 days or so. You can use any old rubbermaid or tupperware container while your tank is cycling. Ammonia is harmful to plants as well as fish, so wait for the tank to finish cycling before adding the plants.

My biggest piece of advice is this: don't listen to a word the pet store workers have to say. Get your information from books and reputable websites. When you go to the store to get your fish, know exactly what you want. Don't rely on them for any suggestions. They are wrong at least 80% of the time. I AM a pet store worker and I still tell people this. Research, research, research. It's very important. Oh, and don't waste your money on any ammonia-removers or water clarifiers. They're a very temporary fix and are no good for your aquarium.

Since all the fish died, that could happen for number of reasons.

What I would do is take Everything out of the tank and clean it. Do NOT USE ANY KIND OF SOAP because that will kill the fish. You can disinfect everything by letting it sit in water mixed with salt. Kosher salt is the best because it has no iodine which will also kill fish.

Then rinse the tank out with the same solution.

Put everything back in the tank. Fill tank from Cold Water Tap only. Warm has some kind of chemical from being heated. Let water stand for few days. This will allow chlorine from tap water to evaporate.

Then try a Cheap hardy fish to see if it lives(It should). A feeder(fish they feed to other fish) gold fish will work. Once you see it lives you can add more fish .

Make sure the new fish are compatible with each other. If you want you can bring the test fish back to the store(if it wont be compatible with the new ones), give it away or if you have the stomach for it just flush it.

Buy a decent book on general keeping of tropical fish. You can usually get them Very Cheap off of half.com, BN.com or Amazon.com . Get it used. No need to spend a lot.

Build a relationship with the guy you will buy fish with so you can ask him questions. This can be invaluable.

Best of Luck in a fun hobby !

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