I Think I Made A Beginner Mistake

[hostelsteve]

I did a lot of research before I even went out and bought anything too.
 
I got a 20 gallon fishtank ( cleaned it, decorations and whatnot) put it all in with water. I used seachem prime, a water conditioner and nutrafin cycle for two days before I bought 2 mollies from petsmart.
 
I'm going to follow the bottle and continue the nutrafin cycle as directed and if it doesn't work and the fish die the product doesn't work i guess.
 
This is depressing as I've probably condemned these fish to an uncomfortable death... No way to take them back as the store is an hour away and I'm not home enough during the day to test, change the water constantly.
 
The girl in the store seemed knowledgeable and could have taken me for more money as I was willing to buy more fish but she talked me into just the two. She said (knowing I didn't cycle or anything) that the only thing I needed to worry about was ammonia http/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11147371&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInCA%2FNo that product is what she told me to buy. Again she could have taken me for a fool and had me buy a bunch of fish and other crap but she didn't so...

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Whenever you can, do a big as possible water change. Minimum of 50% daily. Remember to dechlorinate the water and temperature match.

Unfortunately, nutrafin cycle isn't very effective, in some cases it works but, in most it doesn't

If you can get ahold of some mature filter media or Tetras Safe Start or Dr. Tims One and Only then they will help your cycle alot.
The other option is to return the fish and do a fish in cycle.

Don't use that ammonia stuff unless you absolutely have to. It only temporarily detoxifies the ammonia and it starves your ammonia eating bacteria in your filter of ammonia.

You will need to get a test kit that at least measures Ammonia and Nitrite (Nitrate and pH is also preferable).

The best option IMO is to return the fish and do a fishless cycle (details found in my signature under "cycling - all beginners read this".

 

[the_lock_man]

I'd agree with a few bits of what Blondie says, and disagree with a few bits.
 
I understand about not taking the fish back, that's fair enough, but you are stuck in a fish-in cycle. The good news is that you've only got 2 fish in 20gallons, so ammonia levels won't rise too much, therefore your water changes shouldn't be too onerous.
 
As Blondie says, you need a decent, liquid-based test kit for ammonia and nitrite, you need to test for these once per day - it doesn't have to be during the day, it could be in the evening, whenever you are free. If you see a reading of up to 0.5ppm for either, then change 50% of the water. If you see over 0.5ppm for either, change 90% of the water. If you see 0ppm for both, don't change any water.
 
When doing water changes, you must use the Prime water conditioner. First it removes chlorine and chloramine from you tap water which will kill your fledgling bacteria. Secondly, it will neutralise the ammonia and nitrite in the water, stopping it from harming your fish, whilst still allowing the bacteria to feed. (Please make sure the test kits you get are not salicylate tests, as the Prime will induce false readings).
 
At the start, you'll be chainging water every day. Hopefully, as per my comment above, you'll only be doing 50% changes.
 
As you go on, you'll start being able to miss a day's water change. Then 3 days, and 4, 5, etc. Once you can go for 7 days without changing water, you can consider your filter "cycled". However, remember that once you add further fish, you'll need to do the same process whilst the bacteria colonies catch up with the additional bioload.
 
Have a read of the green link in my signature area, it'll give a bit more detail.