Question: 64 litre tank cycling

[StormWolf]

Today's results. Also I will be doing a water change later today

 

[Hayleyy]

If you're adding bottled ammonia I think it's one dosage at the beginning, as opposed to the fish food method which is every day. I've never done it this way though so am not 100% sure.
You don't really need to do any water changes unless there are living things in the water, you can just let it do it's thing. That is, unless ammonia and nitrite get really high (say above 4ppm), I think I heard somewhere that it can affect the cycle.
It's still saying you have no ammonia, which isn't right since you added some. If it's the API master test kit the low colours on the ammonia test can be hard to distinguish, make sure you're checking the chart in really good lighting.

 

[StormWolf]

Would you say that it's nearly cycled?

 

[StormWolf]

Here is a picture of my set up (I'm aware of the water level being a bit low atm. It will be filled properly when the cycle is completed)

 

[Hayleyy]

Really cool hiding place in that back corner. You probably wont need the airstone because the filter should provide enough oxgyen. The water level is fine actually, you don't need it all the way to the rim like you usually would with fish. The axolotl will go up for air so you don't want it too high. Watch the internal filter that it doesn't raise the temperature of the water too much, they're known to do that.
It's cycled once you have 0 ammonia and nitrite, and levels of nitrate. Once these levels are stable you should be good to go. The only thing is the ammonia not showing up at all, it's weird :/ Once it is cycled (as above) let it run for another week and check it again to see if it's stable.

 

[StormWolf]

I'll leave it a week before I do another test and see what the results are.

 

[StormWolf]

I just tested the water to see how it was doing and here are the results. Should I do a water change or let it do its thing?

 

[Hayleyy]

Great! Maybe do a small water change (20%) since the nitrite is fairly high and nitrate is building up.

 

[StormWolf]

Okay, I'll do a 20%water change today

 

[StormWolf]

Here are today results 48 hrs after water change

 

[StormWolf]

Do i need to do another water change?

 

[StormWolf]

I've just done a 25% water change

 

[StormWolf]

I've just done a 25% water change

The picture didn't work so here it is again

 

[Hayleyy]

You're almost there! Keep doing what you're doing.

 

[StormWolf]

You're almost there! Keep doing what you're doing.

Am I correct in thinking that it's now fully cycled?

 

[Hayleyy]

A cycled tank will have some nitrates, but 0 ammonia and nitrites. I don't think they should have dropped to 0 after the results yesterday so test it again tomorrow in case there was an error in these readings.

 

[StormWolf]

A cycled tank will have some nitrates, but 0 ammonia and nitrites. I don't think they should have dropped to 0 after the results yesterday so test it again tomorrow in case there was an error in these readings.

Just retested the water

 

[Hayleyy]

That's better! I'd run it for a few days to a week to make sure it's all running properly before adding anything. Let the nitrates build up a bit then you're done!