Help! New to aquariums ... What do I do?

[rainbow.Bright.667]

OK so I had a beta in a bowl for nearly 3yrs, no problems. Changed water weekly. Then I got a 40g tank. New filter... Filled it up and put him in there. He did great for a few weeks then I added about 4 medium sized glofish. My beta died about a week later. Broke my heart a week after I added 4 more glofish. It's been a couple weeks with them all in and they are dying now oh also I have an algae eater too.

Also I have a uv light for the glofish. I switch it to normal lighting during day and glow mode at night. Is this bad?

I've NO IDEA about cycling, what to do, materials needed... But I think I need to start fresh and cycle first before trying to get more fish?

Help! I'm farrr from an expert and all the posts I've read about cycling are confusing for a brand new (aquarist?). I never knew it was so hard to keep fish

So frustrated please help?

 

[Rbishop]

Start with the freshwater cycling guide in the sticky section of Fresh Water Newbie. Water changes are your best friend right now.

 

[rainbow.Bright.667]

Start with the freshwater cycling guide in the sticky section of Fresh Water Newbie. Water changes are your best friend right now.

Ty! I'm trying to read up on testers? And other stuff I need to get. I have just the ph testers that turn colors doesn't show amonia numbers or anything?

I'm hoping at least my algae eater will survive and I can cycle? Gah. I wish I had of known about cycling before I bought all those poor fish but they were from Walmart and ppl there dunno anything either.

 

[tanker]

First buy a test kit to measure your water perimeters, and yes--Need to do daily WC to keep ammonia, ect down.

 

[rainbow.Bright.667]

First buy a test kit to measure your water perimeters, and yes--Need to do daily WC to keep ammonia, ect down.

So.. I just take out part of the water.. And add new... Making sure to treat it with something to take chlorine out first, right?

 

[rainbow.Bright.667]

Will I be able to save my current fish?

 

[tommy d]

If you keep up with the daily PWC its going to be a big help. Even if you don't h ave the test kits yet. You need to ceep changing that water

 

[Claire Vaughan]

Add bottled bacteria following the directions or find someone who has an established tank and squeeze some water out of their filter and put it in your tank. The water will have bacteria in it. This will help the fish until the tank cycles.

 

[MardieJane]

Hello, if you don't mind updating what your doing and if it's helped... my tank is sitting empty while I read many sad stories, some happy endings and trying to learn from what others are figuring out.
I only have one question for this thread...someone told me freshwater fish like aquarium salt used in their tanks? All freshwater fish? ..but doesn't that apply to brackish fish? How do you know if your fish are brackish? Can you mix them with plain freshwater? I'm sorry I really did read the 4 "sticky threads" already but my head is sort of spinning and don't remember reading anything about it.