Need Help Getting Back Into The Hobby

I sort of left fishkeeping for a few months, 4-5 and my fish are sill somehow alive. I feel really bad, because the filter didn't even work because the water was about 4-5 inches away from the rim. I just got a water refill done, and I want to restart the hobby. I just wanted some help/advice

 

This hobby might not be for you. You are dealing with live animals, not a computer game that you can put aside for a few months.
I feel horrible for your fish, please rehome them.

 

2 questions. Were have you been? And how do you forget you have fish? I do miss some of your wacky ideas though.

 

Dont do any drastic waterchanges or you will shock your fish. I would do 20% every day or 2 until you get your nitrated down and use a water conditioner that will make the ammonia harmless until you recycle your filter, if it satyed wet it hopefully shouldnt take too long.

 

I kind of forgot bout them, since I got super busy. I got more homework, and started physics classes and debate on saturdays, and I sort of forgot about them.

 

how do you.... forget about your fish............
if you think you're too busy, wait until you're not. rehome your fish to avoid that happening again. like it or not, that's still neglect, and you need to get your head in the game or just not have fish.

 

Can you take pics of the setup and info on fish, tank size, etc? What sort of advice are you looking for? I’m a little confused. As a student too, I understand getting pretty busy with school, extracurriculars, etc.

 

I can be pretty busy too. I put new fish into a years old tank, but the tank previously had such a small bioload that it caused a mini-cycle. Working ten hour days did not stop me from doing daily water changes and emergency runs to petco. I may have been completely exhausted, but that didn’t matter because I have complete responsibility for my fish.
Being busy is not an excuse for neglect. If you can forget about the living creatures under your care for months, sounds like you shouldn’t have fish.