A little advice

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Tommo

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Hey. I'm probably posting in the wrong place (me and forums dont mix), but i was hoping to get a little advice on my tank setup. I'm not the most artistic of people at the best of times, so any thoughts are more than welcome. First off, excuse the bits of gravel here and there, I'm slowly picking them out, it's just taking yonks. Back side of the tank coulda done with a scrub too.
Anyway, this is all a bit new to me and would appreciate any advice on ways to improve my tank. Aristotle seems happy enough in there, and I'll add a tunnel here and there for him when i have the time. He seems to loathe his little cave though, i've seen him have a ganders in there once and thats it. Is there something a bit wrong with it (too spacious/tight, etc)? The tank has lights, and I'd like to leave them on during the day whilst in work so my plants can have a bit of light, but i can see the light agitates him and i'd like him to use his cave for shelter. He just sits under the large plant in the middle, just behind the largest of the 2 heads. He's only been with me 4 days, so maybe he'll move in at a later date. I just wanna make sure the little chap is happy.
 

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Looks pretty good. What type of filter do you have? And yes, make sure to remove the pebbles, anything that is not twice the size of their head they will swallow.

As for not using the cave yet, I have one as well and it took a little over a week for them to use it. Now they hide in there all the time. He is beautiful!! Be sure to keep a eye on your water test level.
 
I'm hoping to get some rocks and a few more hiding places sorted in the near future, and yeah, I'm sorry about the gravel. I tried to take as much out as I could when i changed to sand, I thought I'd be ok with what was left, but It's managed to get everywhere, and it is taking me ages to pick out by hand.
Um, the filter came with the tank (The tanks a 'Vision 180', and I believe the filter is called a 'Compact H'). Any possible problems? I've pointed the outlet pipe against the glass as I'm a little paranoid about water flow stressing him. There is bit of a current on the top of the water, but from what I can tell feeding him, and from plant movement, there is basically none at the bottom of the tank. Still, when he is sat still in the open he tends to arc his gills up and forwards. I've heard this can be a sign of stress. I turn the filter off when i feed, and leave it off for a bit afterwards whilst i clean up. When it is off is about the only time I have seen him swim about the tank, and to the surface. Is the current limiting his movements, or am i just being paranoid? In all honesty I think the stress will kill me before it does him.
 
You could try building something like I have. Recently redid my tank and built a slate hideout.

My axies do use it and it has 4 different places they can hide so they aren't restricted to only using one and not liking it. They also hide in the base of the plants sometimes as you can see here, my leucistic is hiding on the left, you can just see her rear lol. I think your tank looks fine but no doubt you will change it now and then. At least I do :wacko:
 
Yeah, that's nice. What kind of bulb('s) does that tank use? I find the ones that came with mine are far too harsh for him. Yours looks a lot softer.
 
One is a normal aquarium fluorescent bulb, standard type for basic lighting and the other is a sunlight bulb which is designed to give a more natural light i.e. sunlight. I don't keep them on all the time though as I don't need the light for plants as mine are silk and plastic. My wildtype axie will quite happily wander round the tank with the lights on but the leucistic is more sensitive to it and prefers to explore when the lights are off. I usually switch them on late afternoon.
 
Well that's the same as these (35W?), I guess I'm just lacking something to soften and break the light as those plants do. Something a bit darker than a white wall behind the tank might help as well I guess. Nightmare trying to buy anything for a aquarium where I live, I have to drive miles :mad:. Well thanks for the link, I'll have to get some bits and pieces together and see what I can manage. May I just ask what type of stones/rocks you use in your tank? I like the one on the very top, looks nice and natural.
 
Hey guys,
I am kind of thinking about the lights as well. I think I need them for the plants...
Anyway. I don't know about your experiences with filters but, in my experience, when you turn them on and off, they crash soon.
My axolotls don't seem distressed due to the water flow, at least not for now... before getting them, I asked a friend about it and he told me he uses a large airstone to soften the flow.... but, if your water is hard, it might not last for a long time and it might also force the filter motor and make it crash.
I don't know, but--personally--I think using a large tube or a plain surface will make it softer without affecting the filter.
Any ideas?
 
Hello Tommo,

Seeing as you have live plants, you will have to prune them because the leaves/roots that are dying off will contribute towards the organic matter, which can bring about problems with water quality.

Have you considered getting plants that require less light that way you won't stress your axolotl out? Java moss and Java fern are very compatible with axolotls. I do not know what plants you have in your tank because I have the gardening skills of a mushroom. If it were up to me, I'd concrete my whole backyard :p

Jay.
 
If you are asking me Tommo, then the rocks I have used are just pieces of slate I found in my garden. Scrubbed them off well and assembled them into the structure you see. Just made sure they are stable and won't topple over. There are also a few large pebbles that are just starting to grow moss and a small piece of brick I found with moss growing out of it. I prefer to find things naturally lying around outside rather then buying them. Of course I'm careful about where I get them from, making sure chemicals etc haven't been used near by.
 
to soften the light comming from the top. you can add floting plants.
i find if you go to a pond section in the garden center you can get different types. or you can get cheep plastic or fern type plants (wilko's do some) and take the weights off, and let them float of the top.

if you have the live plants like elodea (sp?) then they float on top. i do find that afer a couple of weeks they start to die back. (mine only have whatever light is from the room. as i have the tanks open toped, and dont bother with lights.)
i then oik them out and put them in a bucket in the conservotory or garden to get a bit lush again.

or i have tried the watercress. didnt seem to do too well in my tanks. (but my goldfish love it, oh and they have there own tank. not with the axies)

hope that inspires a little
 
I have a Daylight lamp as well.
The first light I had was a GRO lamp, which is a standard tank lamp designed to bring out the colour in pretty fishes. It also immediately made my axies stick their heads under anything they could find. It also made algae grow like you won't believe.

The Daylight is a yellowish light and it's mild to the axies eyes. It looks more natural and I think it's prettier. It's also milder to your own eyes if you have the tank in your living room. It's a long lamp of about 70 centimeters, 35 Watt I believe. My tank is one meter in length.

I have the light on a timer, it switches on at about 11am so the axies have time to wake up to daylight from outside. It switches off at about 11pm telling me to stop staring at my axies and go to bed :rolleyes:
 
Thats a really nice set up tommo!, Love the tiki masks!! Where did you get them and for how much :D also what plants do you have in that tank?
 
I have the light on a timer, it switches on at about 11am so the axies have time to wake up to daylight from outside. It switches off at about 11pm...
Click to expand...

This is an extensive period of light, and it can result in stressing your axolotl. Bare in mind that axolotls do not have eyelids. Such a long peiod of light can also bring about unwanted guests, namely algae.

Jay.
 
Do you really need light in the tank? Just a question for my own knowledge.. does the light aid in the axos growth in any way? or is it just for the plants and visual appeal?
 
Axolotls don't need light. However, supplemental light is usually needed when live plants are used.
 
Yes, you only need light other than ambient light if you have live plants in your tank. And my gardening skills are only slightly more developed than Jay's, particularly with respect to aquatic plants. However, I have recently set up a 4 foot tank and included some giant vallis, and I have to say it's the most successful attempt I've had yet. Doesn't seem to require much light (I aim to only have the light on about 6 hours a day) and sends out little runners that pop up into another plant with roots, so creating more cover, assisting in lowering nitrate levels and utilising axie poo quite nicely. Also, it floats on the water surface thereby softening the light the axies are exposed too. I've also got some Java fern and some red-ish plant I've got no idea what it is....
 
even with live plants you don't need the light on for 12 hours, as Jay said thats really excessive, it will not only cost you a fortune in electricity but it will raise the water temperature (which is also a no no for axies).
we don't have a light at all in the axie tank (plastic plants) but we do in our many fish tanks that are heavily planted with live plants, the lights go on when hubby gets in from work, so about 7pm and go off when we go to bed, so they are usually only on for about 4 hours and that is more thank enough for the plants.
 
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