Okay, my greatest concern was that you had not finished cycling the system. The information was still split between two different threads (thank you for fixing that, Jim?) and I was trying to read the timeline then go back and respond on a different thread, etc. Glad to hear your ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are all within "normal limits," but did you ever see a spike in ammonia, followed by the spike in nitrites, followed by the rise in nitrates? That's what indicates that you have completed the cycle.

Other than that, yes, I would think the powerhead and skimmer issue is one you might want to ask around for more opinions about, because no one else is going to recommend going without the two of those on your setup. You need the flow in the water to keep detritus from building up and you need to oxygenate the water with some movement. The skimmer will help remove excess proteins and waste.

Still think that 8 damsels is a heavy bioload for a new 29g system, but it's also too many damsels in other ways. Most end up regretting the damsels purchase because they won't be able to add any other of the beautiful and gentle reefsafe fishes appropriate for this tank because the damsels are mean and territorial and will harass and kill whatever new you might want to add later on.

Welcome to MAAST! Coming here seems to be the best piece of advice that you were given! We all made lots of beginner mistakes and will be the first ones to admit it, so please ask away if you have any questions or need anything explained. All the good and very knowledgeable folks here will be happy to offer their best insight to further this hobby we all love.