Bad fish keeper over here :(

[FishieKeeper429]

So I feel terrible. I got really into fish keeping and got two tanks. A 10g and a 5g. Then school started and I got less and less into it until I was barely cleaning their tanks and forgetting to feed them.
Then I just got a wake up call when my 10g was only holding about 4g and you couldn't even see through my 5g cause of the algae.
I just want to know some quick tips on how to get my tanks back to normal. I immediately did 75% water changes and am planning to go to the store and get a new brush to scrub the algae but it looks like it grew into the filter pad, so should I change the filter pad?
I feel so bad and I just want my fishes to get some care!
Any advice is welcome!

 

[Sk3lly]

So I feel terrible. I got really into fish keeping and got two tanks. A 10g and a 5g. Then school started and I got less and less into it until I was barely cleaning their tanks and forgetting to feed them. Then I just got a wake up call when my 10g was only holding about 4g and you couldn't even see through my 5g cause of the algae. I just want to know some quick tips on how to get my tanks back to normal. I immediately did 75% water changes and am planning to go to the store and get a new brush to scrub the algae but it looks like it grew into the filter pad, so should I change the filter pad? I feel so bad and I just want my fishes to get some care! Any advice is welcome!

How long did you leave it to lose 6g of water from a 10g tank?!?!? Tht sounds pretty poor to me

 

[Batgirl]

Don't make a sudden dramatic change. I know this seems obvious but I have lost a betta this way (I was 8)

 

[Khuligirl93]

No need to buy a special brush- I use an old toothbrush and it works wonders To clean the filter, take it all apart and clean all the parts with plain water- no soap. The filter pad you can just swish in old tank water to clean it. It houses all the good bacteria you need though, so don't rinse it in tap water because it will kill the bacteria. Never change the filter pad unless it is literally falling apart. How was your filter functioning if there was only 4g of water in your 10g?
Your tanks shouldn't be growing algae unless they are by a window or you are leaving the lights on for a long time every day. If they are by windows, you might want to take this deep cleaning opportunity to move them somewhere else. If the light has been on, you should have it on for 6-8 hours a day max. If you have no live plants, you don't need it on at all if you don't want to.

 

[FishieKeeper429]

No need to buy a special brush- I use an old toothbrush and it works wonders To clean the filter, take it all apart and clean all the parts with plain water- no soap. The filter pad you can just swish in old tank water to clean it. It houses all the good bacteria you need though, so don't rinse it in tap water because it will kill the bacteria. Never change the filter pad unless it is literally falling apart. How was your filter functioning if there was only 4g of water in your 10g? Your tanks shouldn't be growing algae unless they are by a window or you are leaving the lights on for a long time every day. If they are by windows, you might want to take this deep cleaning opportunity to move them somewhere else. If the light has been on, you should have it on for 6-8 hours a day max. If you have no live plants, you don't need it on at all if you don't want to.

Ok. And the water was evaporating. I do have live plants but they are pretty much dead. I will use the toothbrush idea and take apart the filter. And I kept forgetting to turn off the light at night an it would stay on for days at a time.
I know I was really stupid.
I will do all you said and post the results on this thread.
Thanks everyone!!!!!

 

[FishieKeeper429]

How long did you leave it to lose 6g of water from a 10g tank?!?!? Tht sounds pretty poor to me

About a month. I was REALLY dumb

 

[FishieKeeper429]

Don't make a sudden dramatic change. I know this seems obvious but I have lost a betta this way (I was 8)

Ok. I'll make sure not to. Fingers crossed that my pristellas make it!

 

[Jbrock]

what fish are in there?