New/First Aquarium

Question
Hello David, I recently started an aquarium, And here are the facts;

20 Gallon,
Filter: Manufacturer's clip on,
Lights,
Live plants: (Onion, Water lilly),
subtrate: Gravel, And various river rocks positioned on bottom,
Residents:2 Snails.

Okay, Now here are my questions, How Long should I wait to put fish in? Would it be a wise choice to put in some cheap feeder fish (3-4) to Build the bacteria levels before I put something expensive in (to avoid the new tank syndrome). What are some Good critters to have in the bottom of the tank (Are crabs, or shrip better? And can certain frogs live underwater full time?) And how long would a snail usualy take to come out of the shell and move (I think my two may of died, They have not moved other than once since I put them in 3-4 hours ago.).
Also, How much light is recomended for the tank for one day? And do aquarium plants ever need to be 'pruned' or do they adjust to the tank?

Sorry for all the questions, I just want to be thorough and not make a big mistake because being 17, Not many jobs pay quite well and I do not want to waste it chasing something that will fail miserably.

Many thanks in advance,
Patrick Tuttle

Answer
Hello Patrick:  Congratulations on the new tank... this has been a hobby I have truly enjoyed and I hope that you do as well.  I am not a fan of using fish to cycle the tank... the same results can be made using dirty water which is usually free from the local aquarium store. Dirty water is water that is squeezed from a a sponge filter and the dirtier it is the better... it is full of beneficial bacteria.  I would add the dirty water to your tank and then wait about 2-3 days to add fish.  Feed the tank every morning a pinch of fish food and then take a sample of your tank water to the local aquarium and they should test it for you without charging you.  If the leaves are good then get a few fish...fish that you want not feeder fish.

Snails are interesting creatures... they may take some time to settle into their tank before they start to move.  Hiding in their shell is a defensive maneuver so they may just be hiding... on the other hand if they have not moved by tomorrow morning then they have probably died.  What kind of snails did you get????   

Lighting for a normal aquarium is 8-9 hours per day... if you have a lot of plants I would get a plant bulb at some point.  Aquatic plants like gardens need to be tended to.. anything that is turning brown should be snipped off and removed from the tank.  If it is a new tank I would suggest a few plant fertilizer tablets... you might be able to find them individually... one or two per plant is good on a monthly basis.  Right now there is NOTHING in your tank for the plants to eat... plants are great too for cycling your tank because they absorb nitrogen... ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are all forms of nitrogen and those are the dangerous chemicals during the tank cycling process.  

Some of the best lessons of my life have come from utter failures... it is not so much that we fail as it is what we take from our failures and you have already surpassed many new tank owners in that you have asked questions... please continue to ask questions.... dave