HEY! EVERYONE! im new new to this.... only 2 months into this

[fishsticks]

im 19, born an raised in LA. southcentral to be exact.
i do air conditioning for aliving. and im trying to make this aquarium thing happen.

every1 this is my first time joining an online group i need some help.

i have a 30 gallon tank, i have 35pounds of live rock the tank is a oceanic bio cube it has a filter in the back and has bio-balls the water falls into in the back also it is a curved glass tank with the back being a solid wall. it has 3 lights white light, a blue light, and a moon light. the tank pretty much came complete an its all covered on top it has a little opening in the corner where water is pushed through with a power-head into the tank from the back and i bought a small power-head to push more water on the other side

i mix my own water, i use a 5gallon jug and get my salinity to 1.023 and i add prime and just a little purple up im doing everything as directed on the bottles so im using the right amounts. i use filtered water from our kitchen, i do a water change every week.

i bought a damsel he died 4 days after buying him, could he have been sick.
i also medicated my tank for red slime, i had just a lil coming in the day when i turned my lights on, but all of that stuff in my sand stop showing up the bottle said it wont harm anything in the tank. and today i noticed a dark dark burgundy color on my rock is that red slime?

i have been cycling for 1 1/2 months. with 3 red hermit crabs, 2 blue legged hermits, 3 snails. and they all seem to be doing fine.

i take test
ammonia = 0, nitrites = 0, nitrates = 12.5 mg/l ph = 8.1
the pet-store said im ready for fish. all my water seems good.

i bought 2 clown-fishes they seem to be swimming in one spot and their mouth openin an closing i was wondering is that normal are they gasping for air? what should i do am i over medicating my water or adding too much prime or purple up.

to be honest i spent alot of money and im completely lost so now im turning for help online. please help me.

[RyanG]

Welcome to the reef fishsticks. Have fun and learn lots

[Bifferwine]

Hi and welcome! Please see the other thread you started for advice about your situation.

[Altohombre]

welcome to the online addiction.

[Piggy]

Welcome to the reef. Post any questions you may have someone is always willing to help.

[reeffreak]

Welcome to Living Reefs!

[yote]

Welcome to the reef.
You've come to the right place for help.

[Keaton]

Welcome to the forum. That's strange about the damsel seeing as how they are very hardy fish. You didn't mention one way or the other but did you de-chlorinate your water? Don't know much yet but it's just a thought.

[Doc]

Hello and Welcome

-Doc

[bubbasfishinco]

nice to see you found the site look around and if you have anything to ask.........ask Bifferwine she knows it all