Did I just kill my good bacteria?

[nel621]

Here is what I have: #30gal,25lbs lr,10lbs ls, AC70 filter,AC50 ph with filter.
I was mixing some new water and used the power head to airrate but I forgot to remove the filter.So will the fw kill any of the good bacteria in the filter and will I have to recycle the tank
And here is my to do list.
week #1 2 ocellaris clown fish
week #2 2 green chromis
week #3 2 pajama cardinals
week #4 2 neon gobie
week #5 1 jawfish or a bleeny
Also do mini crabs and snails count as to the bio load[you know 1 inch of fish per X gals].
Also I would like at least one featherduster.
I know the tank is small but these are small fish. I can also add another filter if need be.
I will also be adding askimmer soon.
I 'd like to hear from all of you on this set up and about my screw up,
Thanks,Nelson

 

[darth tang]

Did you add freshwater, as in, no salt?

 

[danedodger]

The easiest way to calculate how many fish to fit in total is to find out about how large they can get when full grown (and that's only if you don't want to add any species later on that will need more pristine water conditions like some of the corals and such). Going by that rule of thumb you're planning on too many fish already so see what you can do to trim it down just a bit.
Crabs and snails do not count towards the bioload as much as a fish would but they'll still count somewhat so again, trim down your list a bit.
Also don't count on adding something each week. That's a sure way to get into trouble and have to come here saying "my fish are dying, what gives?" First get your tank set up, filters/heaters/everything, running, and get everything ready. Wait at least 24-48 hours to adjust your heaters and such to make sure you have the right temp set and steady. Then you can add one or two fish then WAIT! Test your water to see how the cycle is progressing. Once it's gone through ammonia going up then back down as nitrites go up then back down as the nitrates go up, do a partial water change, and only then consider adding another fish or two.
As to the question of your bacteria I don't quite understand what you did so can't say exactly. You can't cycle a tank without adding something to it that will introduce ammonia to the system and start the bacteria multiplying though (either a fish, ghost feeding, or raw shrimp)

 

[airforceb2]

Nelson, is the tank already set up? If so, have you cycled yet?
The fish list is very long for that size tank. I woudn't even put that many in my 90. They will grow to be big fish and then they will stress out and die. Also, add one fish per month at the most. In that small of tank, any little thing can set off a spike.
As for the above poster...don't cycle with fish. It will hurt the fish and make it very aggressive. If you haven't cycled yet, don't add any fish till the cycle is over. Typically a cycle will take anywhere from 2-6 weeks. Just have to have patience.

 

[acekjd83]

was this in a separate bucket, in the tank, with the sand and rock or without, how long did you leave the fw before adding the salt, was it tapwater or processed, was it dechlorinated... all of these things will determine how much harm was actually done.
btw, you'll be hard-pressed to fit 4 or 5 small fish in a 29g...

 

[nel621]

Originally Posted by Darth Tang
Did you add freshwater, as in, no salt?
Yes first fw then salt.

 

[nel621]

The tank has cycled. I used tap water [ I know not good] with a little bit of aqua plus.Acekjd83 I used a separate bucket of water that I had set out about 4 days ago.I then added the salt and about 5 min. later the power head.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by Nel621
Yes first fw then salt.
The bacteria on the filter are dead. There are probably plenty of bacteria in your tank already so there's no need to recycle. Do you have any live sand?

 

[nel621]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
The bacteria on the filter are dead. There are probably plenty of bacteria in your tank already so there's no need to recycle? Do you have any live sand?
10lbs ls and about 25lbs lr.

 

[bang guy]

You have no real need for that filter then as long as you have good waterflow.
Sorry, I just noticed that you already stated that in your initial post... whoops :happyfish