New to aquarium keeping.

[FreshyFresh]

Jim, I know it's been mentioned, but I wouldn't be concerned with measuring water parameters like alkalinity, hardness, pH, etc.. at this point. There's really no need to IMO. All I'd be concerned with is ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

I'd get an API master test kit for your water params. They can be had reasonably by mail-order and last years.

Like said, I'd do water changes daily until you're sure the tank produces nothing but nitrates.

 

[ustabefast]

Speaking of Omega One color flakes, my new order of these arrived at my doorstep as I was reading fishorama's recommendation of them!
That's not to say you need to throw away your tetra flakes, they're fine, but Omega One is my favorite flake food as well. As fishoraman noted, the first listed ingredient should be animal protein of some sort rather than filler.

The powerhead is probably a bit much for the Neons but I imagine the active swimming danios appreciate it.

It sounds like your tank may be nearly completing its cycle.
Once the nitrites read zero, you are good to go, assuming your ammonia is zero, of course.

Also, what brand of heater do you use? All that I have used had a dial of some sort to adjust the temperature...

 

[fishorama]

That's funny Gregg!

Jim, it sounds like the fish are doing better. The tetras might be affected by the nitrite more than the danios. Keep up the water changes (as we all said)! You want 0 nitrite, 0 ammonia & 10-20ppm nitrate...then you can slack off to 1 big 50% WC/week.

The power head is fairly small. You might try to aim it so there's a calm area the fish can rest in. You can always remove it & see how the fish act & if detritus is taken up by your filter. There will always be some stuff to vacuum out during WCs. Look for where waste collects & either vac there or aim the PH so it goes into the filter.

 

[Jim Adams]

Well I missed a 50% WC today and the Nitrite level is in the stress category. Plan on another 50% WC tomorrow. Also I'm hoping to go on a spending spree in the next day or two. What are your recommendations for supplies. I know I need an ammonia test kit and a better way of testing my levels. Should I buy some live plants also? and if so how do you plant them.

The PowerHead when I turn it off the fish actually swim and use the full tank area. When its going they seem to group and huddle in what I believe is the calmest part of the tank. So I'm thinking maybe turn it off? Hey but the waters clear.

 

[Jim Adams]

Speaking of Omega One color flakes, my new order of these arrived at my doorstep as I was reading fishorama's recommendation of them!
That's not to say you need to throw away your tetra flakes, they're fine, but Omega One is my favorite flake food as well. As fishoraman noted, the first listed ingredient should be animal protein of some sort rather than filler.

The powerhead is probably a bit much for the Neons but I imagine the active swimming danios appreciate it.

It sounds like your tank may be nearly completing its cycle.
Once the nitrites read zero, you are good to go, assuming your ammonia is zero, of course.

Also, what brand of heater do you use? All that I have used had a dial of some sort to adjust the temperature...

The heater is a Tetra brand heater and that's about all I can tell you. But I think in re-reading the papers that came with it, I'm going to relocate it to a different part of the tank. Right now its right below the powerhead and I don't think it is getting a chance to warm the water. although the water temp. is about 79 degrees

 

[fishorama]

Many of us use an API Master test kit for freshwater. It takes more time to test than the strips, each parameter is measured separately but is more accurate. It's usually significantly cheaper online than at lfs.

Both neons & danios are better at lower 70F temps (say 72-ish) than 79F. I know it's summer & there may be nothing you can do but if you have a knob or dial on you heater you can adjust it lower. I think it's like plumbing & screws righty tighty, higher, lefty loosey, lower; but I don't use any heaters ATM & might be wrong.

Like I & Gregg said, if the fish seem happier without the PH, take it out. You don't probably need it in a small tank.

Plants are nice in any tank (said the woman that belongs to a plant club, lol). Easy 1s include Java fern & anubias. Neither are planted, rather tied with thread or gel super glued to wood or rocks. Both are fine at almost any light level & don't need fertilizers. Moss is easy but spreads everywhere (slowly) & traps debris. I'm on a major moss hate the last several years, it's more of a PITA than I want to deal with anymore.

Other easy plants are cryptocorynes (almost any species or color, I love them all!); corkscrew vallisneria & dwarf sagittaria are both kind of tall grass like. All of those are planted in the substrate with the "crown" (where roots & leaves meet) ever so slightly above the substrate. All might appreciate root tab ferts every few months.

Beware sword plants, while pretty, most will be too big for your 20g & need a little bit more care & light, skip them for now. Stem plants can be "over happy" in small tanks, do not bother trying anacharis, it just won't be pretty in most tanks, that's also how I feel about hornwort. Ask before buying most stem plants, there are a few that might work for you but mostly not.

Don't think you can grow a "carpet plant" well, they're harder to grow than people say. If they eventually become something you want to try (after the easy plants) there are a couple slow growers I'd recommend, but NOT dwarf baby's tears or dwarf hairgrass.

OK, sorry to go on & on about plants, but next to loaches & catfish they're my "thing". But my tanks are jungles, thanks to my enabling plant club & a couple AC friends.

Where do you live generally? Clubs can be awesome even if you only go a few times a year!

 

[Jim Adams]

Dang fishorama. Your giving me info overload lol. I really to appreciate al the info. Printed this off so I could take it with me to the pet store. probably Petco since the have a larger aquarium supply section than PetSmart here in the home of the Pony express and Jessy James met his fate. (Shameless plug) Anyway have a great day in the land of the sun. It's going to be 95 degrees here today with a heat index of 102. That's what u get when they combined the actual temp. with the amount of humidity in the air.(like it's not hot enough with just the temp.)

 

[Jim Adams]

WC, WC,WC. 50%

 

[fishorama]

MO water changes! (lol, I got it). Take a water sample with you & have the lfs test it, at least for ammonia. Get an actual number or at least a range, not just "ok".

Sorry for the info overload, you asked for it! Write down or take a pic & post if you're unsure about any plants, equipment etc before you buy. Common names can be confusing & the "help" might not have much experience either. Look online before you shop to get an idea of what you might want; when in doubt, wait. I've gotten really good at gratification postponement from early childhood

I'm from the Midwest & spent many years on the east coast, so I get the humidity thing too, yuck, lol. Actually we have that & rain for our winter. Summer days can get HOT for a few hours but almost always cools down at night with a nice bedtime breeze, ahhh!

 

[Jim Adams]

MO water changes! (lol, I got it). Take a water sample with you & have the lfs test it, at least for ammonia. Get an actual number or at least a range, not just "ok".

Sorry for the info overload, you asked for it! Write down or take a pic & post if you're unsure about any plants, equipment etc before you buy. Common names can be confusing & the "help" might not have much experience either. Look online before you shop to get an idea of what you might want; when in doubt, wait. I've gotten really good at gratification postponement from early childhood

I'm from the Midwest & spent many years on the east coast, so I get the humidity thing too, yuck, lol. Actually we have that & rain for our winter. Summer days can get HOT for a few hours but almost always cools down at night with a nice bedtime breeze, ahhh!

Its all good. I really appreciate info. Unfortunately I have bad news. In doing my 50% WC today I did something wrong and lost 3 of the 4 glofish. I honestly don't know what happened but after I finished the change I noticed one of them was acting weird even for the glofish. It was swimming erratically and then would stop moving like it was dead. then i noticed 2 others acting in the same manner. Then no life in them at all. I did something but Idk what. Maybe the water temp. was a little lower than the tank water but if it was it couldn't have been much. So now I'm in mourning and waiting for the police to show up and arrest me for murder.
anyway I was looking to do something different with them. They were hard on the tetras and I didn't realize just how much until feeding time and the tetras actually were feeding at the top instead of being afraid to eat. I did purchase a master test kit yesterday and tested this morning. pH - 7.8 or higher / High Range pH - 7.8 / ammonia - 1.0 ppm / nitrite 5.0 ppm or higher / nitrate - around 40 ppm. Also purchased Omega One Flakes, freeze dried brine shrimp, an adjustable heater, and 2 Java Ferns. when I get ready to replace the glofish what do you suggest for replacement fish that would get along with the neon and glo-light tetras? Yes I can hear you right now from 2000 miles away. " NOTHING" . Don't replace right now. I'm just saying in the near future.