BUELLER said:
What is cycling? - OK, just kidding. I started off with an existing tank of community fish. Took them all out and donated them. Emptied tank, changed out gravel, decorations. Added 12 (Yes I know NOW) 12 cichlids to the tank. 3 days later. Changed my mind about the gravel color, emptied everything out. Again. Twice in the same week, yes, I know this NOW is a bad idea. Lost 8 fish. Down to 4. Let those 4 be alone for about 3 weeks. Monitored water conditions. Bought some more fish, added them about 2 weeks ago. Now I have 10 and have had 10 in there for about 2 weeks.
Well from the sounds of it you've disturbed what biological filtration you had, and then overpowered it, i would consider you're pretty much at square one. By changing all the tank decor and gravel you got rid of most of the beneficial bacteria you'd established with your community tank.
BUELLER said:
2. PPM 3.0 - 4.0. Not sure if that is mg/liter or ppm. Its on the side of the bottle on a little color chart. I use those test strips (is there a better way?)
For all intents and purposes in a freshwater tank mg/L is equivalent to parts per million, so 3.0-4.0 is really high for ammonia. As
PfunMo suggest you're going to want to start changing water as soon as possible with the goal of getting you ammonia below 1.0 ppm as quickly as you can. Even small amounts of ammonia can cause permanent damage to a fish's gills and internal organs. I'd recommend a big water change of around 75% ASAP and then daily water changes to keep that ammonia level below 1.0 ppm. Also,
PfunMo's site recommendation is an excellent one that i used myself when learning.
BUELLER said:
3. PPM .5 Not sure if that is mg/liter or ppm. Its on the side of the bottle on a little color chart. I use those test strips (is there a better way?)
Nitrites let you know that you have at least some denitrifying bacteria present, so you didn't start a completely new cycle, but a high ammonia level prevents your bacteria that break down nitrites (just as harmful to your fish as ammonia) from forming at a normal rate, so a high ammonia level will impede your cycle from moving as quickly as you need. Nitrites will spike at the next part of your cycle and it will happen almost overnight, so keep an eye on it..it will be your clue that your cycle is getting very close to completion.
As to your question on the best way to test i think it comes down to what works best for you. I personally have used both the strips and the liquid reagent kits like API. I prefer the liquid kits, as in my experience they seem to be a little more consistent. However, strips work and they're much better than not testing at all.
BUELLER said:
4. PPM between 0-20. Not sure if that is mg/liter or ppm. Its on the side of the bottle on a little color chart. I use those test strips (is there a better way?)
If you have nitrites present, then your nitrates are far less of a concern. Nitrates are toxic to your fish in large amounts which is why we do weekly water changes to keep them at a reasonable level (less than 20ppm). Right now I'd focus on ammonia and nitrite issues, as doing those water changes will keep your nitrates down really low.
BUELLER said:
5. I have no clue. I can't find a picture chart online anywhere that has the fish names. As I said, VERY new to this hobby. So new its downright embarrassing. My apologies. I will make an attempt to list them, looking them up one by one based on their appearance:
2 Pseudotropheus demasoni
2 yellow labs, but one of them looks more orange honestly
2 red zebras (they are orange)
2 Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei"
1 MELANOCHROMIS AURATUS
1 Pseudotropeus saulosi (Male)
Ah, sounds like the old petsmart grab bag. I'd probably guess your demasoni are Metriaclima Lombardoi, commonly refered to as Kenyi as they're a far more common fish. Look at their barring and their head shape to be sure. If the bars are triangular and a little bit irregular in shape, then you've got a Kenyi.
Zebras, Labs, and Acei, Auratus are all readily available so i'd guess you're spot on with those guesses. And you may have a male/female pair of saulosi, although they're a much rarer find in a big box store.
The fish you've got are all Lake Malawi Mbuna, who are aggressive, intelligent, mouth breeding cichlids who need a lot of territory in order to get along well. Unfortunately, all those fish in a 20 gallon tank probably is not a recipe for success. Acei and Labs are docile enough, but will outgrow most 20 gallon tanks quickly. Kenyi and Auratus are pound for pound some of the most aggressive mbuna you can own and usually are recommended in larger groups in a 75 gallon tank or more.
You've got two issues with your tank size. First of all, mbuna are little poop factories who require lots of extra filtration and a good amount of water. In a 20 gallon i don't know that with that stocking, even as juveniles, that you're going to be able to keep up with their waste production. Most of those fish will grow to be at least 4-5 inches long. The Acei more than 6 inches...your tank is just too small for a long term home for these guys.
Secondly each of your male fish is going to want to establish a territory of roughly a square foot of substrate for breeding and defense purposes. Without that space to claim, once your boy fish hit puberty, all **** is going to break loose in that tank. You might be able to get away with a small group of labs or saulosi in a 20 breeder, but as a neophyte it's going to put you in a tough position. With your current bioload, even when your biological filter is established, you're going to have to do 3-4 water changes a week, of around 50%. A tool i found useful when researching was the freshwater aquarium advisor
which can be found here. While it isn't perfect it will give you an idea about the species you're keeping and the tank size and filtration you might need.
For as a little idea of what you're looking at:
using aqadvsior (which isn't perfect but will put you in the ball park of what to look at
This is your tank as of today
This is your tank in 4-8 months
Also, with tight quarters and aggressive species you're going to have to keep an eye out for stressed and damaged fish. Look at tail fins and see if they looked damaged or frayed. Look to see if any of the fish stay near the top of the aquarium, wedged vertically in corners, or behind filter or heater equipment. Also, look out for distended or shrunken bellies, a fish that doesn't eat, and any white or mucousy poop as this is a sign of a Malawi Bloat problem, which can and will kill fish.
BUELLER said:
6. There is a Penguin brand filter hanging on the side of the tank. I believe it is large enough for a 30 gallon tank. It takes two carbon tray type cartridges. It has a bio wheel.
Penguin makes a good (albeit noisy) product. If you were keeping 10 neon tetras in that tank, you'd have plenty of filtration...but if you're going to keep the fish you've got and try to make it work you're going to need another filter with your stocking level...and even then you may not be able to catch up with waste produced.
BUELLER said:
7. Once per day. One pinch of cichlid flakes.
Perfect, just remember that mbuna need a day a week with no food whatsoever, to give them a chance to clear out their long digestive tracks
BUELLER said:
8. I do use prime. Love the way it smells and use it as cologne too.
Ha! Prime is going to be a life saver for you and your fish. Prime will help to detoxify your ammonia into the less toxic ammonium. Read the directions on the side of the bottle and don't hesitate to follow it's recommendations for emergency ammonia and nitrite control.
BUELLER said:
Any help you can give is very much appreciated. As I said, I am VERY new to the hobby, but am quickly falling in love with it. Just want to have a healthy tank I can be proud of.
Thanks all,
Bueller
HOnestly, everyone makes a few mistakes on their first tank. What matters now is you're doing the research and headed into the right direction. Do some big water changes, double dose your tank with prime to help keep the toxicity down and do everything you can to keep nitrite and ammonia under 1 ppm. Also, sadly, you may want to reconcile yourself into looking into a different type of cichlid or fish for a 20 gallon tank. There are plenty of Tanganyikan and Western Hemisphere fish like Shellies and Convicts that are great to keep and won't outgrow a 20 gallon tank. Good luck to my friend, and don't hesitate to ask for any further assistance!