Need help starting with a fresh start

[MiracleFish]

Hey Aquariests, Im 18 years of age, and I've been into this hobby for approximately 7 months now, and I'm just really questioning it now If what I'm doing is correct, safe, and healthy for the fish.

I'm right now using a 20 Gallon long fish tank, fairly new, bought it in the middle of November and Have been using a Fluval 204 since my previous 10 Gallon tank I had. It really has been making me contradict what I've been doing since a few of the comments I got in my Chocolate Chip Starfish post on reddit where it seems like he's decaying, yet it could also be my ******* emerald crabs picking at him since thats when I noticed a change in my starfish. I also read in one of the comments of that post, reef aquariests use "such and such" and I'm using simple Filters and a make shift powerheads, I really feel I should step up my game.

Now Before I get into stronger detail, Ill give you some more of my Tank Perimeters..

My pH levels are at 7.8

My Nitrates are at about 20mg/l

I don't have any ammonia in my tank

And my temperature is at steady 78 degrees

Asides all that stuff, I don't do frequent water changes Ill tell you now. Maybe ill change about 2 gallons every other week.. Horrible I know, I cant imagine how my clownfish still likes me if he still does.. I have several different types of corals, and it worries me how long they will live since I don't have large amounts of purple algae, yet I can tell you that I do have Purple and Green Coraline algae growing in my tank along with very little amounts of diatoms. I have a little clean up crew that consists of 2 hermits, 2 emeralds, 5 snails (not sure which), 1 trochus, and 1 cleaner shrimp. Other then them, I have 1 Clownfish, 1 Feather Duster, 1 baseball size goniopora(closed), 1 small frag carnation, 1 small frag of starburst polyp, 1 small frogspawn, and 2 anemones. I honestly Have no idea what kind of light fixture I use. It does have leds and a fan on it, and the bulbs are half blue? and white. There is no name of this light whatsoever. I recently bought an aquaticlife 115 skimmer, but i might just return it and buy this http://glassbox-design.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/slim-skim.jpg

I also plan on buying 2 new powerheads, typically the ones I see in everyones tanks to replace the 1 I have. Like this i believe http://www.amazon.com/1300-Coral-Aq...TF8&qid=1362080935&sr=1-2&keywords=powerheads
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My plan of starting fresh is to let my LFS hold onto my corals, fish, and shrimp until I get my new even more livelier rock that I will be ordering from www.liverocknreef.com (Cherry Primo to be exact), and purchase some of that pre-ready saltwater in the jugs that contain 4.5g each jug.

Once I acquire all these things I need, Im ready to put it all together.. Im just not certain what order I should be putting it in. My idea is once I take everything out of my tank, most live rock I previously had that was basically dry rock, Ill be donating to my LFS as for watching my stuff and helping me out. Of course I will wait till the water clears up from moving the rock out of the tank. Ill remove about 85% of my water to replace it with the new pre-made water(not sure if I should cycle for a day with old water and change water afterwords with new water), place the live rock in, give it a day to let things settle, pick everything back up at the store and acclimate.


If anyone else has anything to addor change, please speak up and tell me. I feel horrible making conditions in my tank hard for the creatures inside to live upon, so please help me out at all costs, I really need your help and advice.

 

[MiracleFish]

Bump, really need assistance..

 

[Carlwilliams]

I think you are making a step in the right direction by starting over and doing it right. There is nothing wrong with having the lfs or a friend hold onto your livestock while the tank cycles. When you do get the new tank set-up don't rush things, it takes a while to get the tanks parameters stable and get the ammonia to a safe level. Also using that Fluval is fine for a light bioload tank, but they do require cleaning on a VERY regular basis. Like I said, you are doing the right thing by doing it right with the right equipment.

 

[MiracleFish]

I think you are making a step in the right direction by starting over and doing it right. There is nothing wrong with having the lfs or a friend hold onto your livestock while the tank cycles. When you do get the new tank set-up don't rush things, it takes a while to get the tanks parameters stable and get the ammonia to a safe level. Also using that Fluval is fine for a light bioload tank, but they do require cleaning on a VERY regular basis. Like I said, you are doing the right thing by doing it right with the right equipment.

I was hoping this would be a good idea, glad you understand. My earlier stages I thought I was taking things slow, until I realized I wasn't at all. Now's my chance to change that and do things right. So taking things slow at this point is a must. Nothing will be added till the parameters are perfect (or close to perfect).

As for the fluval, I feel like I should just return it to the friend who gave it to me or just put it off to the side as ill be using a HOB Refugium. However I'm not sure if replacing the Fluval with an AquaClear 300 modded refugium is enough, as I can also use an AquaClear 500 also I could mod into a Refugium.

Would I be fine with just a refugium and skimmer?

 

[SGT_York]

steer clear of starfish and other inverts until you get the hang of reefing. get some kenya tree, green star polyps, or xenia corals they are difficult to kill. 20 nitrates is too high, need to work on that, also how about your phosphates? how often do you top off the tank. in small tanks like a 20 you almost need an ATO.

another buzkill, small aquariums don't stay stead on temperature check it more often prior to lights coming on, lights on heat of day, and lights off. There will be some swing with few exceptions.

You could be fine with just a refugium and skimmer if they are the right size for your bioload. If you nitrates are >5 and phosphates >.1 you are good. If they are not you are either feeding too much or have external issues.

Reef tanks are complicated and there is a lot of chemical information you need to watch out for. Keep reading and you'll do fine probably after a few tank failures like most of us did when starting out. Just don't buy anything rare or expensive best guidance is to find a local club and get a few friends there.

 

[MiracleFish]

steer clear of starfish and other inverts until you get the hang of reefing. get some kenya tree, green star polyps, or xenia corals they are difficult to kill. 20 nitrates is too high, need to work on that, also how about your phosphates? how often do you top off the tank. in small tanks like a 20 you almost need an ATO.

another buzkill, small aquariums don't stay stead on temperature check it more often prior to lights coming on, lights on heat of day, and lights off. There will be some swing with few exceptions.

You could be fine with just a refugium and skimmer if they are the right size for your bioload. If you nitrates are >5 and phosphates >.1 you are good. If they are not you are either feeding too much or have external issues.

Reef tanks are complicated and there is a lot of chemical information you need to watch out for. Keep reading and you'll do fine probably after a few tank failures like most of us did when starting out. Just don't buy anything rare or expensive best guidance is to find a local club and get a few friends there.

I know nitrates are too high, and that's why I plan on using these jugs of sea water that's supposedly very good for your tank. The old water will help with the cycling of the new rocks Ill be purchasing in another tank where there will be a skimmer and powerhead hooked up.

As for an ATO, One would be great! However Im not exactly sure how to build one on my own without proper instructions. Im not sure if this was what I was suppose to be doing, but I topped off using tap water mixed with Prime in gallon jugs.

Thanks for the positive assistance!