Yipes! My tank water has gone cookoo!

Question
My girl is crying over here! I came home and found one of my neons beat up from the feet up! So I checked the water with test strips and it's all over the place. I have been using Microbe. (That's what the guy at the pet store said) (and damn it was expensive) How do I get things back to extremely ideal for the little guys. I don't want to see one more dead fish! It's a 10g tank. Do I have to many fish? 4 fancy gups, 6 neons (now 5), a bottom feeder. All are not even an inch.
Please help bro! I'd really owe you one!
Thank You! Jay Ciserano

Answer
Hi Jay;

It sounds like you have a new tank that has had fish in it for less than 8 weeks?

If so, you need to make some water changes. Toxins from fish waste are poisoning them because the bacteria balance hasn't established itself yet. Remove 25% of the water every day and replace it with fresh water until the fish are feeling better. Use a water conditioner when you add the new water.

Starting with so many fish is making it worse than it should be. A new tank has to start with only one or two fish for ten gallons of water until it cycles. Even using fancy water conditioners and stuff that is supposed to balance it for you doesn't eliminate "New Tank Syndrome". Here is my article about it that will help you through;

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New Tank Syndrome or Break-in Period

So you have a new tank and you filled it up, put the filter together, mounted the heater into place and turned on the lights. You have all the plants and decorations where you want them....
You are ready for fish.

But, your filter is not ready for a full tank of fish yet.
The filter is running and moving the water and cleaning out crud, right? Of course!
But a very important part of your filter is the part you can't see. An aquarium filter removes the larger visible stuff, but it also must remove the dissolved fish waste that turns into ammonia in the water. To do this, special bacteria must grow in the filter system and on the particles of gravel in the bottom of your tank. This process occurs even on a limited scale in little fish bowls that have no filter in them.

This is "New-Tank Syndrome" or the "Break-in Period". The entire process takes 6 to 8 weeks to complete because these "nitrifying" bacteria grow quite slowly.

Start off with only two hardy fish for every ten gallons of water and don't add more until the 6 to 8 weeks has gone by. Hard to be patient, but it is worth it to keep your fish alive and healthy. As a matter of fact, the bacteria cannot develop without fish in the tank. You can let that tank sit forever without fish in it, but as soon as the first fish goes in the process begins. Feed your new fish VERY lightly. Any excess food will cause additional waste your system cannot afford to have right now. If you see food floating around or lying on the plants and gravel after five minutes, too much food is going into the tank. Cut back a little each time you feed until it is ALL gone 5 minutes after you feed them.

During this "break-in period" your tank will become cloudy and milky looking. You may have to tolerate this for the entire break-in period but it is only temporary. Changing 25% of the water three times a week until the break-in period is over helps a great deal. Changing water reduces the ammonia and nitrites that rise while the bacteria continues to multiply. If ammonia and/or nitrites become too high, your fish will become stressed and possibly die. Use a good water conditioner when you replace the water and make sure it is the right temperature to avoid shocking your fish.

When the break-in period is over, do regular water changes and vacuum the gravel at the same time. A change of 25% every one to two weeks is a good rule of thumb. It simply needs to be done for healthy fish.

Following these guidelines will help you get your new tank on the right track.
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Followups welcome.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins