Tank Help

[Hdmack]

I'm new to all this and i need help with ideas on how to get started. Currently i have a 10g tank with 3 glass shrimp 1 cory 3 neon tetras and 4 bloodfin tetras and 4 unknown snails. I wanna stock that tank more and need help. Also i have a 20g high a 20g long and a 29g tank which i think one of them i wanna do cichlids? i dont have much to spend but i work at a walmart and i have a local fish store right next to my work. I wanna get more invertebrates in my 10g tank and i wanna get that one all done and setup before i start another. Also ive had problems with all this i first started in my 20g long i started with 4 neon tetras 4 peguin tetras 4 pristella tetras and 4 bloodfin most of them have died and i dont know why. i dont know anything about testing the water ive never done it i live in a small town and get water from the river which doesnt have clorine. Im just looking for help i dont have a clue what im doing.
Thanks mike

 

[arise1dwr]

Not sure where your located but maybe there are some larger traces of metals in the river water, toxic to humans and fish. River water could also have chemical run off or parasitic bacteria that can harm your fish too. Check this site out for homemade water filter help, http://www.onlinetips.org/homemade-water-filters. When i do water changes i use a 50/50 mix of water treated with conditioner and water thats been sitting out for a week.

 

[Hdmack]

I live in Huntington Ma

 

[Sploke]

Well the first thing you'll want to spend money on before buying more fish is a decent test kit. The Freshwater Master Test Kit by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals is highly recommended. Without water parameters, it will be next to impossible to diagnose the problem. My guess is that the tank is not cycled properly, which is leading to high ammonia levels which will kill the fish. Start by reading here: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81388

Also, When you say you get your water from a local river, do you mean thats where your house water comes from and you're drawing it from the tap, or are you actually going out to the river and bringing in buckets of water? I would advise against using water from local waterways just because you have no idea whats in it. With well water, the source water has to be tested to meet certain health standards...rivers/streams do not.

Start with reading the article and getting a test kit and ask questions from there.