50gal - Need Help

Hello all,

A while back ago my boyfriend's mom went tank crazy...never having had a real fish tank before and NOT doing her research, she blindly bought a 40 and 50 gal aquariums (with occupants) off craigslist. I've only ever had one cycled tank, a ten gallon - it was done properly and with patience. The 40 gallon she purchased was horrendous; fish were sick and the water was beyond disgusting. The 40 gallon is much much better now.

The 50 gallon was absolutely gorgeous! You can definitely tell the past owner took pride in it - my boyfriends mom was over excited. I told her to just take it slow, do what the previous owner had suggested; of course she did not. She setup the tank, and not a week later added a TON of extra fish against my advice. This was already a great fish community and then all of a sudden problems...fish got ick and lord knows what else. BF's mom then went on to buying a ton of fish medications and just started tossing it all into the tank not knowing what it did. Bad went to worse! Then she decided she didn't want to deal with it and had the filter turned off and just let it go...I was heart broken knowing there were still living fish in that once beautiful tank and was able to have her at least turn the filter back on. Just yesterday she asked if I would fix the tank. I don't even know where to start, I haven't had a tank in YEARS. I can barely see through the water (green from one of the medications she added).

A bit about the tank - from what I know.
- 50gallon
- 15+ occupants (not sure how many are left)
- External Filter
- Planted

Here is a photo of it when she first set it up (with extra added fish she had purchased)


A photo of it today


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How would you suggest I start working on this? :help:

I'll get back to you on the dimensions and no I couldn't give you an accurate stock list...this is all I know about the tank.

I really wish she could return some but this isnt a tank shes just recently setup, its been sitting for about 4-5 months now - Most of the fish came WITH the tank and I would have no where to place them. :headshake2: All I am aware of is it hasn't been cared for and nothing new has been added...fish have died so I dont know what is left. ALL I can physically see are cory catfish and the larger fish (photo below).

And I really couldn't tell you what was in there other than a few corys, frogs, picasimus and these:
This big guy (only one)



She added: Snails, Mollys and these - I am unaware of what else she may have added or whats even left:


The tank is in my charge now, she doesn't want to deal with it anymore...so its my call what to add and not add. All I want to is fix the situation, NOTHING more...I would be happy to just saving the remaining fish, end of story.

How much water should I be taking out at a time? Should I be adding anything, conditioner/salt/anything at all?

Okay so I'm at my boyfriend house and I just got the dimensions its 15x17x36inches so this must be the 40gal she got, the 50 gal must be the other tank she purchased.

I also got reading of the water using a mastery test kit.
PH - 6.4 (so pretty darn low)
Ammonia - 0.50ppm (too high)
Nitrite - 0.00ppm
Nitrate - 80ppm (YIKES)

...Again I couldn't tell you about the number of fish. I really wish I could get a side picture of the first fish but I really cannot see anything through that green yuckiness. I can only estimate, I saw 3 corys, 3-4 of the black skirt tetras and the first fish just for a split second.

I would really love to try and keep what fish there are left...The cory's and the first fish especially.

I will see what I can do. I DO have an established 10 gal at the moment, nothing in it...boyfriend and I have been hesitant to do anything with it just becuase we are busy throughout the week. I don't know if that would even be large enough to house anyone from this tank, even temporary. I will contact my LFS and do as you recommended. I am curious to who is left in there...poor things. I feel overwhelmed. UGH, I hate being put in this situation.