Cycle Crash

[Pebble6852]

seven inches is quite small although nine to ten inches does seem to be average size, axolotls do continue to grow throughout their lives although at a slower pace than the first few years.
nitrosomas convert/consume ammonia to produce nitrites, nitrobacter convert/consume nitrites to produce nitrates, you have nitrates so you have some nitrobacter, you said that the air output was low, it is possible that there isn't enough oxygenated water, also if there is substrate ie.. sand etc.. go through it with a fork every couple of days to release any gas and remove any dead zones (areas where the oxygen is low)
for optimum nitrobacter growth ph 7.6 - 7.8, temperature of 28°c/82°f, oxygen is very important.
to speed up growth a form of carbon can be provided ie.. tablespoon sugar dissolved into mug of tank water then poured into the tank or filter.

Hello, pebble update. Honestly I’m feeling kind of disheartened, I removed a single filter pad (of three) that was floating from his old filter setup last night and today my ammonia is reading at almost 2ppm instead of zero like it has been. Nitrites are also still so high I don’t even think the color is on the scale. It’s almost a fluorescent purple. Either way it’s at the max. Is this normal? I even tried squeezing out the old filters directly onto my new bio rings when I got them to transfer the bacteria. Could I have made the filter wrong? If this is normal then I’ll just keep going but I feel like I’m getting one step forward and three back

Also side note, my tank looks has this like powder or Something covering all my plants and rocks is that just algae or whatever and do I need to remove it? It just floats off if I move the water too much. Also some of the sand is turning yellow? I’ve been assuming it’s just because of the high ammonia levels

 

[wolfen]

remove the remaining pads, this may cause elevated levels for a few days but will lower, only top the ammonia to 2ppm until nitrites lower, the ammonia can be increase once they have settled.
the powder is probably just calcium carbonate (limescale) dust, what is your ph?
filter floss is a pain for blocking water flow, pull the two big bits of floss in the second chamber up so that there is a gap at the bottom and the top is above water level, this will make sure that the water is directed and flows over the bio-media, to be honest the design for the marine s15 isn't that good because it fills from the top rather than bottom (would have been better for an extension pipe fitted internally so the water fills from the bottom), you may need to experiment a bit to get the best flow through the media.

 

[Pebble6852]

remove the remaining pads, this may cause elevated levels for a few days but will lower, only top the ammonia to 2ppm until nitrites lower, the ammonia can be increase once they have settled.
the powder is probably just calcium carbonate (limescale) dust, what is your ph?
filter floss is a pain for blocking water flow, pull the two big bits of floss in the second chamber up so that there is a gap at the bottom and the top is above water level, this will make sure that the water is directed and flows over the bio-media, to be honest the design for the marine s15 isn't that good because it fills from the top rather than bottom (would have been better for an extension pipe fitted internally so the water fills from the bottom), you may need to experiment a bit to get the best flow through the media.

Okay thank you, I will do that when I get home. I’ll also try to get some sponge instead of just floss. I’ll have to test pH when I get home but it’s been around 7.4-7.6 or 7.8 I think. Should I let the water flow over the rings after I move the floss for a bit before I take out the pads? I’ll update pH when I get home.

 

[wolfen]

the water needs to flow around the rings rather than just over.

 

[Pebble6852]

the water needs to flow around the rings rather than just over.

This is what I did for his filter. I also have a few rings wrapped in the pad in the first slot. As for the pH, it has been reading at 7.4 minimum every time I have checked it. I don’t check every day but I check often. Today it is reading at 6ph?? I have no idea how it could even be so low. Do the bacteria lower ph or something? or is my test kit faulty. I’m still suspicious after my nitrate test went from 80 to 20 overnight then back to 80.

Edit: small update, I tested the water. Ammonia went from 4 to 2 again and my nitrites are still very high. However my nitrate test actually looks like it has gotten darker so I’m doing a water change.

Edit 2: I finished the water change, nitrites still very high and so are nitrates but they look to be closer to 80 and not quite as dark on the scale. I will say, today my nitrite test turned purple a lot slower, before and after the water change. Before it would turn dark purple as soon as I added the chemical. The test I had done at pet smart said they were around 10 and the api scale only reads to 5 so I’m hoping that’s indicating they’re being converted! Along with the darker nitrate readings. The water change also got the pH back to 7.6-7.8

 

[wolfen]

the little bit of floss in the first chamber (the piece under the filter outlet) push it right down or remove it, if you look at the water flow the floss is still restricting it as the water goes to the height of the second chambers floss over and then down.
keep an eye on the ph if possible test kh.

 

[Pebble6852]

the little bit of floss in the first chamber (the piece under the filter outlet) push it right down or remove it, if you look at the water flow the floss is still restricting it as the water goes to the height of the second chambers floss over and then down.
keep an eye on the ph if possible test kh.

Okay I fixed it and it’s even now. btw How long until I should do another water change? Nitrates are still around 80-100. also I’m getting a little concerned, ever since I started adding salt to pebble’s tub he’s been floating around. He seems perfectly fine and he eats and it doesn’t seem like he is upset but he has been floating for a few days. I thought maybe he was constipated but I haven’t fed him since Wednesday and he also had pooped Wednesday. I feed him half a night crawler every three days (ex feed skip skip feed). Is that too much? A half can be kinda long, but not longer than he is. But he’s small so I was wondering if maybe he should be getting even less. I used to feed him every other day when I first got him but it made him really constipated so I stopped.

 

[wolfen]

what's his water temperature?
a water change can be done 50% max, make sure to dechlorinate first.
if his torso is the same width as his head then the feeding routine is fine, if his torso is skinnier then he can be fed either more food or more often, if his torso is wider then feed less often.

 

[Pebble6852]

what's his water temperature?
a water change can be done 50% max, make sure to dechlorinate first.
if his torso is the same width as his head then the feeding routine is fine, if his torso is skinnier then he can be fed either more food or more often, if his torso is wider then feed less often.

His water is at 66 degrees. His torso looks about the same width to me but I put a couple pictures just in case. He is still active and comes to see me when I walk up. Today is his feeding day

 

[wolfen]

His water is at 66 degrees. His torso looks about the same width to me but I put a couple pictures just in case. He is still active and comes to see me when I walk up. Today is his feeding day

well he's not under or over fed and looks to be in lovely condition.
66°f is just on the tip of ideal temperature which is good.

 

[Pebble6852]

well he's not under or over fed and looks to be in lovely condition.
66°f is just on the tip of ideal temperature which is good.

Thank you that’s awesome to hear! I’m glad to know he looks good I guess he has just been into floating lately haha, I will keep an eye on him and feed him tonight as usual and make sure he still has an appetite

Edit: he was very hungry haha he ate with no problem. Also, nitrites are down to 1ppm!! And ammonia went from 2-0 so I removed one more of the pads. I know you had said to remove them all before but with the sudden drop in ph and everything I was nervous to remove them just in case. pH is still 7.6 too. Also, his fungus has cleared up!! Very thankful for that. So I was just wondering how long I should keep adding salt or is that a permanent thing. I looked it up but I saw some very strong and contrasting results lol.

 

[wolfen]

the salt level is best kept as a permanent feature as slight salinity is beneficial to an axolotls health and over all well being.

 

[Pebble6852]

the salt level is best kept as a permanent feature as slight salinity is beneficial to an axolotls health and over all well being.

Okay! I’ll keep adding it. Also I have good news, his nitrites are finally lower. I also did another water change last night. Afterwards I added up to 2ppm of ammonia and I just checked his levels for tonight. His ammonia is zero but his nitrites are at .5. They’re way lower but they’re higher than they were after his water change yesterday so I’m assuming the bacteria hasn’t built up enough. But hopefully it’s getting there!

 

[Pebble6852]

the salt level is best kept as a permanent feature as slight salinity is beneficial to an axolotls health and over all well being.

I have good news! I’ve been doing the cycling and his ammonia AND nitrites were at zero when I tested!! So I added three ppm instead of two and if it goes all the way to zero again I’ll do four. I was just wondering since he is (hopefully) getting close to going back home should I do anything before hand? Like a big water change a couple of times to get the nitrates to 20? theyre at like 40rn. Also is there anything I can do about his plants? It honestly looks like this process nearly killed them they are always covered in that powder and they all turned brown . His sand is also looking gross and his pot has lots of algae on it. Should I just take it all out next time I do a water change before I put him in and clean it in the water or something? It’s looking mucky to put it that way lol.

 

[wolfen]

once the cycling is complete then water changes can be done to reduce nitrates, any muck etc.. can be cleaned up, remove any dying/dead plants, turn the sand over with a fork to release any gas/debris before removing water for a water change, don't remove more than 50% water doing a water change, test the water 24hrs after a water change to make sure that all levels are correct.
although algae is unsightly is is a sign of a healthy tank.

 

[Pebble6852]

once the cycling is complete then water changes can be done to reduce nitrates, any muck etc.. can be cleaned up, remove any dying/dead plants, turn the sand over with a fork to release any gas/debris before removing water for a water change, don't remove more than 50% water doing a water change, test the water 24hrs after a water change to make sure that all levels are correct.
although algae is unsightly is is a sign of a healthy tank.

Okay I figured as much. I’ll probably just end up getting new plants, they are still growing well but the old parts turned brown lol. Also, pebble is still floating around. He pooped three days ago and floated down but I also fed him that day and he started floating again. I know this is a sign of constipation but I’m only feeding him half of a worm every three days, and he looks healthy in the pictures I sent before. Could that worm still be too big? I feel like he started floating after I started adding salt but idk why it would affect him like that I only add 3 tsp, and I’m pretty sure there’s ~11.5 liters of water in his tub.

Update: I just got home from class and he is now on the floor of the tub but he’s just barely hovering over the bottom lol. But not at the top of the water anymore, so I have no idea lol. He hasn’t pooped either.

 

[wolfen]

salt won't make him float, the reason constipation sometimes make axolotls float is because air sometimes gets trapped along with the fecal matter (worms are terrestrial animals and do contain some air) try feeding aquatic based food ie.. bloodworm, brineshrimp, krill, mysis etc.. as well as terrestrial.

 

[Pebble6852]

salt won't make him float, the reason constipation sometimes make axolotls float is because air sometimes gets trapped along with the fecal matter (worms are terrestrial animals and do contain some air) try feeding aquatic based food ie.. bloodworm, brineshrimp, krill, mysis etc.. as well as terrestrial.

So just feed less worm and more of one of those? Which one would be the least messy. I like the worms because he can eat them and they’re all one piece, I have frozen blood worms and mysis (and I think beef or something) from the old owner but when I tried feeding him the blood worm it went absolutely everywhere every time lol

 

[wolfen]

beefheart is the most solid but most frozen food tend to be messy, when tubbed feed at night clean tub in morning, when used in an aquarium it is always handy to have a clean up crew ie.. snails, shrimp, blackworm etc..

 

[Pebble6852]

beefheart is the most solid but most frozen food tend to be messy, when tubbed feed at night clean tub in morning, when used in an aquarium it is always handy to have a clean up crew ie.. snails, shrimp, blackworm etc..

Oh okay I can do that I didn’t know you could put anything else in the tank, I heard he will eat them lol. I could buy some! what would be the best to put with him

Also idk if this changes anything but he is back on the bottom is it still the food if he goes back and forth between floating and not? He hasn’t pooped but I just walked out to see him and he’s not floating anymore he did that earlier too I just assumed if it was from food it wouldn’t cause him to go back and forth like that lol

So this is a day or so later but I figured it just edit it in here. I added 3ppm instead of 2 of ammonia because it was using up the ammonia and the nitrites were zero. However I just checked his levels and I checked them late so it’s been about 29 hours and the ammonia is at .25 and the nitrites are still at 1ppm. Is there still not enough media? I have two entire bags of bio rings in there which is almost the whole box. Do I just need to wait even longer for them to build up? I’m going to add 2ppm again tonight since the nitrates are high