new to this cycle just ended now what

[hart.thomas]

hi i recently started a 20 gal salt water fish only aquarium. ive tried to read alot about things and still dont understand most of it. we had some fish when we started one month ago but they died so we did the cycle without fish

the lfs has been testing our water for us and he said it is ready for fish now so we bought a black and white damsel to start off and make sure it wont die.

we have a submerged heater, one of those cheap filters u hang on the back, a few dry rocks (i think it is around 7lbs), a normal 20 dollar hood and light.

i want to make sure the fish dont die again so i wont to make sure i understand things and have everything i need. also there is alot of fish food on the bottom on top of the sand and it looks like fish poop possibly too. is that bad for the fish? if so what is the best way to clean that?

i was told it would be a good idea to get a powerhead and a protein skimmer. im trying not to throw to much money into this. i just want a nice working aquarium that i wont have to worry if my fish will die. thanks for the help

 

[ErinCahir]

With a tank that small you should be okay with regular water changes. No need for a skimmer.
Do you have your own test kit? Keep an eye on your parameters and if you see a spike, do a water change.
Why do you have so much fish food on the bottom? How often are you feeding?

 

[hart.thomas]

well when we got it a month ago we had 3 fish they all died. and its all the fish from that week and id say 3 times a day we probably fed them to much. but what do i do about the waste and food at the bottom? should i just get a snail or crab or something?

 

[ErinCahir]

You can. Every tank has a CUC (Clean Up Crew) that consists of snails and crabs. For now you could siphon it out (or if you have a turkey baster laying around you can use that to suck it out).
Three times a day is definitely WAY too much. Once a day at the most.
I remember you... read through your old post again just to remind myself what your issue was before. You're on the right track.

 

[hart.thomas]

turkey baster sounds like a good idea. and id prefer a crab does it matter what i get? and ya it was rough at first but getting the hang of it kinda. so i dont need a powerhead to make a current? i tihnk the filter makes a small one.

 

[ErinCahir]

You should still get a powerhead. The fish like water movement. You should also have one pointed at the surface to help with oxygen exchange.

Hermit crabs are a favorite... red, blue, halloween. Just stay away from the giant ones.

 

[WannaRace]

Ditch the hang on back filter, it's only going to eventually raise your nitrates without a bi-weekly cleaning. Keep it to polish the water every so often.

Definitely get some powerheads as they will help oxygenate the water and keep detritus in the water column.

As far as a protein skimmer, it sounds like you just want to sit back and watch the tank flourish, which with a skimmer it makes it easier to do just that. Don't forget the importance of weekly water changes!

 

[hart.thomas]

weekly? i was hoping for more of bi weekly or monthly. how can i manage that? and i would need more than one powerhead? cheapest i found them is 30 each. how many and can u tell me which ones

 

[Amba]

I use aquaeon 500 powerhead. They work really good and they are slick looking too. I think mine were $45 each.

And you only need one.

 

[steeldoc]

for a tank that small, you should only need one power head. they say that the rule of thumb is you want 10x the water valume to be circulated in the tank. i would also ditch the hang on filter, the rocks and a good power head with a skimmer should be good for your tank. also, the smaller the tank the less expensive the equipment. and the light should be just fine unless you plan on getting corals. good luck

 

[little_fish]

Actually, i wouldnt run any tank with less than 20x turn over. Personally I run my tank at 46x turn over and I can see a clear benefit with the higher flow rate.

As long as your sand isnt flying around, you dont have too much flow.

 

[Burch01]

FWIW I have about 10X turn over through my sump with an added 27X turnover via powerheads.