For my 5 year old daughter, I have a 5 gallon tank with a glass lid (the kind that folds in half a little to feed the fish). It was mine and I don’t need it anymore. Now, Every fish we put in there dies. This time it killed a perfectly healthy betta she was excited about that came from a tank, not a cup at the lfs. When I was using it before, I didn’t know much about fish care so I had an air pump only. Then, I found out you need a filter so I got a sponge filter. Then I found out you’re supposed to clean your sponge filter. LOL (I’ve only been fishkeeping for a year so I’m learning a lot.) If I remember correctly, it maybe started smelling stagnant at the end of my using that tank when I opened the lid
I stored the tank for maybe a few months. Now, I have a heater and sponge filter in there again. I did like an 80% water change before getting the betta and someone advised I put a carbon filter in to remove toxins, which I did, but it still killed the new fish. It always smells when I open the lid. So do glass lids make water stagnant and kill fish? I have an unused 10 gallon with a glass lid I plan to set up after my surgery also so I want to avoid this situation. Should I cut out the back and put an HOB in it? I have one
I’ve done water tests. It’s always like 0 nitrites and ammonia, 10 nitrates. Hard water as always. No chlorine ever. Never used bleach or dish soap. Could it be the pet store rocks? I don’t use those in my tanks. I use stuff from hardware stores for my substrate. I can’t remember where I got her rocks, WalMart, Petco, or PetsMart. If WalMart, can that kill fish? I don’t want to keep buying fish and have them die.