Much needed help with new tank

[jmestayer1]

O.k., so I need some advice on a new tank. We have a 20 gal. tank with cruched coral and 10 lbs of live rock. I know we need to add 10 more lbs of live rock, but going slow b/c of $(have learned that this is a very $$$$$ hobby!) The tank was set-up with live rock, cc, and undergravel filter attached to power head for about a week. Then added the cleaner shrimp and a PS (horrible visi jet, but will have to do for a few more weeks until we can get a new one, should have read about them before I purchased!) A week later we added a starfish. Yesterday we added 2 damsels and a green spiny starfish. Does this sound ok? I know we need to wait a while to add more fish, but is there anything else we should do for now? I have attached 2 pictures to get some advice! Please help! And also, any advice of what type of protein skimmer to buy? Thanks!

 

[1journeyman]

Welcome to the boards!
First off, it sounds like your tank is very new and didn't cycle. Is that correct?
Do a search on this forum for CC (crushed coral) and UGF (undergravel filters). Both, imho, are throw backs to freshwater tanks and not good for SW tanks. I think you;ll find a lot of good info on those topics and why removing them might make you happier in the long run.
What kind of starfish? Many, many stars are ill-suited for aquarium life; espeically in a small tank.
Sounds to me like you are going way to fast. Most tanks need to "cycle" for 4-6 weeks before you add any livestock to them. Inverts like starfish need to be added to more established tanks.
What are your water parameters:
ph?
Salinity? (and how are you testing for this)
Ammonia?
Nitrite?
Nitrate?

 

[jmestayer1]

I am very confused as to what a cycle is! I have read so many different things on here! I thought I understood it, but now I am not sure!

 

[1journeyman]

a "cycle" is a term used to describe the establishment of the Nitrogen cycle in your tank.
Fish, decomposing food, etc. produce ammonia. Ammonia is highly toxic. A particular form of bacteria feeds on ammonia and breaks it down into Nitrite. Another bacteria feeds on this and produces nitrate. A third form of bacteria (provided you have anearobic "oxygen poor" locations in your tank such as deep in the crevices of live rock, deep sand bed, etc.) further breaks down nitrate into nitrogen and oxygen gasses. Most aquariums have a gradual build up of nitrate as there is not enough anearobic bacteria present.
To cycle a tank you simply set it up life less. You then add a source of ammonia (fish food, cocktail shrimp, uncured live rock) and wait. In several days you will see the ammonia in your tank rise. As it spikes you'll see the nitrite begin to rise. As Nitrite spikes you Ammonia will be dropping. As Nitrite drops Nitrate will begin to rise. When your Ammonia reaches 0.0 start to add a bit of fish food to the tank to feed the ammonia eating bacteria and watch your water levels. At this point you should not see any ammonia as the bacteria has grown a large enough population to eat it.
A typical "cycled" tank looks like this:
Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrate greater than 0