cleaning and maintenance

[llewellyn]

i just had a fish tank given to me. it came with everything, including a lonely little red-eye tetra that had been in a tupperware container all day. the people were moving and took all the water out of the tank. i've been wanting to set up a tank for a while but from the little research i've done i started to think that having a tank was too complicated. i felt bad for this poor little fish though and i wanted to get it back into its tank as soon as possible so i filled the tank up with water again and rushed out to the pet store to get food and water conditioner and was somehow convinced to buy a Siamese fighter and another little white cloud tetra... long story short...
the tank has an undergravel filter, and i didn't know how to clean the tank before putting the fish back in. now however im worried that maybe i've made a bad choise. the red eye seems to hide all the time?. im worried that im slowly killing him. the white cloud seems to be fine and happy though. and im not sure how i was convinced to buy the betta, im scared to put it in the tank. wont it kill the other fish?... but i don't really want to leave the poor thing in a tiny llittle jar either.
so my main questions are:
how do i properly clean the tank?
the tank is very cloudy, is it supposed to be?
can i introduce the betta to the tank safely?
should i be considering upgrading my filtration system? or just adding another filter that hangs on the back?
any other general advice would be apprieciated
thanks

 

[mostlycichlids]

i just had a fish tank given to me. it came with everything, including a lonely little red-eye tetra that had been in a tupperware container all day. the people were moving and took all the water out of the tank. i've been wanting to set up a tank for a while but from the little research i've done i started to think that having a tank was too complicated. i felt bad for this poor little fish though and i wanted to get it back into its tank as soon as possible so i filled the tank up with water again and rushed out to the pet store to get food and water conditioner and was somehow convinced to buy a Siamese fighter and another little white cloud tetra... long story short...
the tank has an undergravel filter, and i didn't know how to clean the tank before putting the fish back in. now however im worried that maybe i've made a bad choise. the red eye seems to hide all the time?. im worried that im slowly killing him. the white cloud seems to be fine and happy though. and im not sure how i was convinced to buy the betta, im scared to put it in the tank. wont it kill the other fish?... but i don't really want to leave the poor thing in a tiny llittle jar either.
so my main questions are:
how do i properly clean the tank?
the tank is very cloudy, is it supposed to be?
can i introduce the betta to the tank safely?
should i be considering upgrading my filtration system? or just adding another filter that hangs on the back?
any other general advice would be apprieciated
thanks

first off what size tank? were the filters kept in tank water the entire time? As far as filteration I am not a big fan of undergravel filters althought for those fish it may be better. I would add a HOB filter to the tank.
The Cloudiness is likley from toxins ammonia, nitrite from the tank not being cycled or having to be cycled over. You are going to need a test kit if you have one post your results ammonia, nitrate, nitrite ph. Then we can move foward.

 

[Addict]

You are going to need a test kit if you have one post your results ammonia, nitrate, nitrite ph. Then we can move foward.

With any post on this site referring to health or water, you're always going to have to post your water params. Invest in a quality kit (NO test strips).

You bought a Betta? I assume that's what you mean by "Siamese fighter". That is NOT community fish. I would take it back if possible because your tank needs to cycle and it's not fond of others. I'd take back the cloud as well and look for a couple more red-eyed tetras.

What size tank is this (gallons). If you don't know, measure the height, width & depth.

Your tetra will do well in a group of 3 or more. They like bloodworms and flake (its good to alternate). http://www.aquariacentral.com/species/db.cgi?db=fresh&uid=default&ID=0147&view_records=1

 

[llewellyn]

its a 20 gal tank....the place i got the fish wont take it back... but they'll replace it if it dies within thirty days!!!.. i have him in a seprate bowl, i really don't know why i let myself be talked into that one..
as far as a test kit.... what would you recomend?
the cloudiness is gone now.. i left the tank alone for a few days and it cleared up on it own.. and my red-eye is finally out from hiding. we are definately going to be getting a few more though...would i be over crowding if i got 3 more red-eyes and 3 more white clouds...and maybe a cory?

 

[Addict]

its a 20 gal tank....the place i got the fish wont take it back... but they'll replace it if it dies within thirty days!!!.. i have him in a seprate bowl, i really don't know why i let myself be talked into that one..
as far as a test kit.... what would you recomend?
the cloudiness is gone now.. i left the tank alone for a few days and it cleared up on it own.. and my red-eye is finally out from hiding. we are definately going to be getting a few more though...would i be over crowding if i got 3 more red-eyes and 3 more white clouds...and maybe a cory?

Hagen makes a Master Test Kit that's really nice.

If you want Corys, you should have 3 at minimum. They do better that way. That said, you could do 3 more red-eyed & 3 more white clouds. Adding 3 more Corys might be too much. Some go by the inch per gallon rule.

 

[Star_Rider]

was the ugf and gravel intact when you got it..the ugf in place and gravel over the ugf?

was there any water in it..sometime people will drain the water but leave the ugf in place with gravel..the ugf willmost likely trap some water in it and the bacteria may still be intact..with a ugf just about the entire substrate is a bacteria colony.

if you added water to this (treated I presume) you most likely release mulm from the gravel and this will cloud the water..it will eventually work itself back.

are you running powerheads? or are you using airstones? you may consider a rfug..
you should use powerheads..if you use a rfug(powerhead with a reverse flow) marine land makes a kit. these are a bit spendy but they improve the ugf by passing water thru the gravel pushing mulm out of the gravel..the rfug has a prefilter so it supplies a bit of mechanical filtration along with bio filtration..add a small hob and you wil have nice clean water(appearnce)