lefty o

how much other stuff is in the tank (filters, ornaments etc) that good bacteria is on, and how many fish?

a little dumb, and a little brave, but they know the hand that feeds them.

oof, that sucks.

bloodfins last a long time. im down to one from the group i got many years ago. my last one is 10+ years old, and still looking good.

guppies and endler most certainly crossbreed.

pretty much everybody that keeps fish has killed some off due to errors. all you can do is not make the same error again.

if everything is good, you do not have to change water.

i see 1 of 2 possibilities. 1 your tap water changed. test it, just to make sure they havent added a ton of chlorine/chloramines. 2, the new fish were sick, and brought something with them. seeing your above test results, i lean towards the fish werent healthy.

i dont think its very toxic, i would be most concerned with several hundred degree glue touching the plants. i figure it would cook the section of root that its applied to. really hard to say, but might be something to try with a trimming or at least a plant you dont worry about losing.

i myself would not be overly concerned with that. as long as the surface the tanks sits on is flat, and somewhat level, its all good.

the bacteria is on every surface in the tank, including in the filter, but here's the kicker there is a set amount based on how much waste there is for the bacteria to feed on. if there isnt enough waste for the bacteria to feed on it dies off to a level where there is sufficient waste for it to feed on. where the bulk of the waste is, is where the majority of the bacteria will be found. so you will likely find the substrate has a good portion of the bacteria, inside a canister, or hob will likely be next in line, then everything else will have some. bacteria multiplies very fast, so if you want more bacteria, lightly over feed.

they make these kits in all kinds of sizes, but its just a clear plastic film you stick around the window, and take a hair dryer, and shrink it tight, and clear. makes a big difference on modern windows, huge difference on old windows. https://www.amazon.com/3M-Indoor-Window-Insulator-5-Window/dp/B00002NCJI/ref=rvi_sccl_1/130-2953092-5881650?pd_rd_w=iN2cG&content-id=amzn1.sym.f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_p=f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_r=ZJW9S65M4X4CN96EWCZQ&pd_rd_wg=OoHTP&pd_rd_r=128fc226-c5c5-44b3-bb7d-f375994d9aca&pd_rd_i=B00002NCJI&th=1

3 days is a good start. cant go wrong with longer, but if in a hurry, give it 3.

you could definately put some kind of foamboard insulation against the tank. best bet long term is to work on the house insulation. plastic window film is a fast easy, and inexpensive first step. particularily in the room you keep your fish tanks.

mine run from 68-72 year round, and as long as they can find a place to hide, they breed.

id suggest waiting on the shrimp. they truly need a fairly well established tank to survive.

yes, you can get your bacteria colony established with just 1 fish. id be most concerned with your ammonia level at this point.

not bad at all.

hard to go wrong with either option. they both work just fine.

it depends on the construction of the building.

you're doing fine, dont panic.

i believe theres some form of mini val, but the standard val's are way too tall for a 20 long imo.