Just leave the tank running and every day feed the tank a bit of fish food
take your water to a fish shop every week or so and get them to test it for
ammonia and nitrite
when the ammonia and nitrite readings go up and then down to 0ppm your tank
is cycled
50% water change to lower nitrates and then get your first fish
disease is always present, it just only has a chance against fish when the
environment favours it.






"El Roberto" wrote in message
...
Thank you all for your feedback and help, the FAQs I've been pointed
towards are very helpful.

Unfortunately as expected, all of the fish are dead bar one, who will be
joining the big bio-orb in the sky very soon by the looks of things.

Now, should I clean out the tank completely: the gravel, castle, and glass
before I start again? I don't want any new fish to catch the disease that
killed these guys, so I'm assuming I need to start the whole thing again
and let the tank mature for 3 weeks from scratch.

Ideas? The water quality is good, all the tests are fine, but I don't want
any nasty germs and bugs to still be attached to the gravel, plants and
glass...

thanks!

Robbie