FYI: 6ft x 2ft x 2.5ft tank setup from scratch! MiniBlog :)

[jeneral]

I love your tank. My girls would love it.

You could go for some large river rocks instead of sand. Ive seen large bags in cheap as chips for about $8 and they are about 5cm+ long so far too big for an axie to swallow. I don't know how many bags it would take to fill such a big tank or how much it will cost but you may even be able to find a river somewhere that you could get a few buckets for free.

 

[Minniechild]

I can help there-Thomson's Landscaping supplies in Mt. Kuringai! That's where I got the river rocks (All well over 20cm) for my tank from- quite cheap, very nice people and a wide variety of rocks They also have heaps of different sands at bulk prices.

 

[jeneral]

These are the sort of rocks I mean...

 

[CJ1981]

I was going to go for sand in my tank but am now leaning toward slate. I was going to get a pack of slate floor tiles and cut them to size them stick them to the floor of my tank with aquarium silicone.

Maybe you could do a mix of surfaces? You certainly have the floor space!

 

[FX1C]

I was going to go for sand in my tank but am now leaning toward slate. I was going to get a pack of slate floor tiles and cut them to size them stick them to the floor of my tank with aquarium silicone.

Maybe you could do a mix of surfaces? You certainly have the floor space!

I wanted to do slate or a nice ceramic tile - but it would've added another 25kg to the tank weight >_< at least!

I've been reading about laying slate or tiles like pavers with sand compacted around the edges - so they don't have to be glued & thanks to the sand in the cracks & edges waste doesn't slip or wash under the tiles.... I think you'd still have to lift & clean under if it wasn't permanently stuck down - just maybe not so often..





<3 >o_o< <3

 

[FX1C]

These are the sort of rocks I mean...

Unless those rocks are all much larger than the head of the axolotl then those types of stones can be very dangerous as they can be swallowed. Over 5cm large stones / rocks are the best size - but such a pain to clean under.



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[FX1C]

I can help there-Thomson's Landscaping supplies in Mt. Kuringai! That's where I got the river rocks (All well over 20cm) for my tank from- quite cheap, very nice people and a wide variety of rocks They also have heaps of different sands at bulk prices.

Thank you again always know the best places to go!

I might go & touch n feel the sand there before deciding & pick up a few large rocks (I hate putting rocks in with the bare bottom! Paranoid of cracks 0.0)

I can't wait to get something on the floor of the tank - I agree with the sand, it really seems like they enjoy it when running or bashing around the place





<3 >o_o< <3

 

[Minniechild]

You'll end up adding weight regardless- Mine's set up on the ground (more for the degree temperature difference), but to give you an idea of total weight, there's 60kg of rock, 20kg of sand, 30kg of soil, 20kg of bagged pebbles in the soil, a kg of plants, and 4kg of axies. So that's another 135kg of stuff on top of the 130kg of tank and 600kg of water...Nearly 900kg with my setup, and it isn't overly complicated. The stand SHOULD be able to take it, especially if it was built for the tank, so I'd say definitely go for the tiles if you want them.

Also, thank you for the compliment

 

[Bellabelloo]

Looking good
Through out the post I was thinking that sand would be good, but now I have seen it with the plants I would go without. I started out with sand and my axies would trundle around and move the sand out of the way..looked like a race track When we moved I ended up taking it all out. Any gunk tends to settle in one spot and it makes cleaning easier for me.

 

[Kerry M]

I have bare bottoms at the moment and have got used to it. I agree that it is easy to keep. I have put slate in and that helps camouflage any gritty looking bits. Just need to lift it up when siphoning.
Love your tank. Think this weekend I might start hunting for one too, but not that large. Although I wish I could... I think my floor would collapse from the tonne of water!

 

[tigmades]

I still vote silica PFS! XD

P.S. Looks gorgeous so far!!!

 

[FX1C]

I still vote silica PFS! XD

P.S. Looks gorgeous so far!!!

I cannot find silica sand like you have - its driving me & the few companies I've harassed for info

Fear not though - I will find it



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[tigmades]

If you're desperate I'm totally willing to buy some and ship it to you if you compensate me... But I can only imagine what it would cost to ship 50 or 100lbs of sand from Canada to Australia!! o_o

 

[FX1C]

If you're desperate I'm totally willing to buy some and ship it to you if you compensate me... But I can only imagine what it would cost to ship 50 or 100lbs of sand from Canada to Australia!! o_o

That is a legendary offer

I'm hoping its available here
I will continue annoying until I find it!!!

To continue the sand dilemma....
Here are pics of the pool filter sand over top of the Playsand we get here at hardware stores. The very top fine white is one I used for my original axolotl in his little tank - it's super fine & ridonkulously expensive! Upside was the fine sand was no good & was gone (into the stinking filter... more snow!) by morning!




From above the small gravelly bits in the pool sand are obvious.. They don't seem so big compared to the axolotls.. But I don't want any risk of impaction so I'm still looking & leaning towards the Playsand & spending the whole day rinsing it



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[FX1C]

Tested the tank today & am now confused (ok more confused lol)

I've just seen my first nitrites - after I've had nitrate readings for 2 weeks with zero nitrite..

Up till now the readings have been

ammonia 0.50
Ph 7.4
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5.0

I've changed 100-150 litres of water a couple of times so far..

Today's readings were
Ammonia 0.50
Ph 7.4
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 20



So I changed 150litres again & will retest tomorrow to see where it's gone.

I also picked up some frogbit floating plants today & they're fabulous



Going sand hunting tomorrow



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[CJ1981]

I think you should save that fine white sand for Christmas, make a Little Lotl Lapland!

 

[Martin21114]

very nice tank. your frogbit looks great too, I've tried it twice and it doesn't seem to like me.

 

[FX1C]

I have made another post to admit to my problem -AAS Acquired Aquarium Syndrome which has caused me to buy 2 new tanks today (both for $60 = bargain!) & bonus they came with a free ice cream container of gorgeous guppies - which came from a lovely pristine tank FULL of guppies!

So I returned home & the first job was to home the guppies - poured out 95% of the water then scooped them out & into the 6 foot tank - only to create a FEEDING FRENZY from the 9 bronze comets in the tank

It took me 7.5 minutes & inhad to utilise the dog to keep herding the comets into my corner so I could catch them all! They're all very fat from a gut full of guppy fry & are now in a temp tank until I return them to the shop on Monday.
So I've probably lost about 100+ guppies (never occurred to me that goldfish eat other fish... derrrrr!!) & the rest of the guppies are enjoying the new oasis - if they breed & thrive in the tank terrific, if not they'll just make a nice axolotl snack.



As for the other 2 tanks I picked up -
They've been filled with axolotls & I've finally gotten rid of my bow fronted aquarium.

The 48" x 12" x 20" has the big kids
Splat, Squishy & Sunbeam & my Endlers guppy colony in it - I've mounted the built in filter from my AquaOne tank over the centre support so I'm using a very established filter & used most of their tank water to add to the new tank.

^^^the dogs side ^^^


The view from the kitchen counter


From the side

The 30" x 12" x 18" has the 4 kids in it
Squirt, Sparkles, Snork & Sputnik & they are all loving the extra space.



Shhhhh don't tell my husband, but the guy I picked up the tanks from is getting rid of another 4foot tank in a couple of weeks... & I've told him I'll take it lol
[I've always wanted an Oscar & I've been offered a little guy who's been rehabilitated after loosing all his fins being attacked!... His name is Kenny & he gives kisses! I'm such a sucker]



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[Rubes]

You have a dream tank! A tank of that volume, densely planted! It would be a wonderful sight. Keep on updating!

 

[FX1C]

Sorry there's been no updates for a while - tank cycling = boring waiting

I've been happy with the tanks progress - the water settled nicely with parameters eventually leveling out & now
PH 7.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0.5
Phos - off the scale!!
(Caused from me using biphosphate to lower PH - grrrrr! Apparently the drops don't add phosphate to the water! We live & learn!)

I've added an envelope to remove phosphates a week ago & since then levels are getting lower..

I've had trouble containing the frogbit & found it gets damaged when tumbled in the waterfall from filter. To solve this I've tied ropes across the tanks attached to suction cups - the rope sits at water level & retains the frogbit very well





<3 >o_o< <3