Cycle Crash

[wolfen]

axolotls have a habit of gulping air then holding it for a while then releasing it, this isn't normally a problem unless they are doing it frequently, as they get older they tend to do this less, unless they are struggling to get to the bottom or are hanging tail up (also belly up) floating isn't much of an issue and most axolotls do it at some point or another.

 

[Pebble6852]

axolotls have a habit of gulping air then holding it for a while then releasing it, this isn't normally a problem unless they are doing it frequently, as they get older they tend to do this less, unless they are struggling to get to the bottom or are hanging tail up (also belly up) floating isn't much of an issue and most axolotls do it at some point or another.

small update, I added two ppm of ammonia bc nitrites weren’t being eaten fully. Ammonia is at zero but nitrites are STILL at somewhere around .5 and not being fully eaten up. Should I keep doing 2ppm and just give it more time or is something not right?

 

[wolfen]

the bacteria that break down nitrites are very reliant on oxygen, also make sure the water flows over the bio-media, 0.5ppm is only the equivalent of 0.2ppm ammonia so a lot of nitrites are being removed.
a more powerful air-pump with finer air-stones may be required, although an air stone may produce plenty of medium to large bubbles they don't dissolve very well in the water compared to smaller finer bubbles, unfortunately finer air-stone require more pressure hence more powerful pump required.

 

[Pebble6852]

the bacteria that break down nitrites are very reliant on oxygen, also make sure the water flows over the bio-media, 0.5ppm is only the equivalent of 0.2ppm ammonia so a lot of nitrites are being removed.
a more powerful air-pump with finer air-stones may be required, although an air stone may produce plenty of medium to large bubbles they don't dissolve very well in the water compared to smaller finer bubbles, unfortunately finer air-stone require more pressure hence more powerful pump required.

I have my pump split between two stones, the one in his tub and the one in his tank. I could remove the one in his tub but to me it looks like the one in his tank is producing a large amount of small bubbles. It’s also a long stone. Idk if I can attach videos here but I could try that or a picture if it would help to see, to me it looks like a good amount of bubbles.

 

[wolfen]

what is the nitrate level?
stir/turn the sand over with a fork, wait a couple of hours then test, what are the levels?
is your water hard or soft water?

 

[Pebble6852]

what is the nitrate level?
stir/turn the sand over with a fork, wait a couple of hours then test, what are the levels?
is your water hard or soft water?

How do I know if the water is hard or soft I’m not sure about that. Nitrates are around 80. Maybe more, 40-80 are hard to differentiate until it gets to 160. And ammonia and nitrites are both at zero!! I stirred the sand and I’ll update the levels in a couple hours.

Edit: all levels are the same. pH is down to 7.4 but I was going to do a water change tomorrow anyway so it will go back up.

 

[wolfen]

not sure if I've said before but read Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity on how to make holtfreters solution and use 50% holtfreters solution with 0.1gl magnesium sulphate in the aquarium, this will help to protect your axolotl from numerous issues such as fungus as well as any nitrogen compound spikes as well as making the water more suitable for axolotls, the solution will need to be made weekly and added during a water change.
I know it seems a bit of a hassle to do but axolotls aren't freshwater animals and require salts and minerals to remain healthy.
don't forget to remove the heater and let the water cool down before putting your axolotl in the tank (tank does seem to be ready)
do water changes weekly 20% - 50%, dechlorinate water before adding, if adding bottled bacteria after water change do so 24hrs after to ensure all chlorine is removed, when testing water do so 24hrs after a water change so as not to get erroneous results.
lights can be used but ensure that your axolotl has a dark cave/hide to go into, they are mostly nocturnal.
plants can be used but some don't like slight salinity, java, duck weed, some grass types such as sagittaria.
although worms are fine try feeding a varied diet which includes some aquatic based food such as bloodworm, brine shrimp, mysis, krill, this will ensure that your axolotl is getting all the right vitamins and protein.
live fish are fine as food but stick to live bearers such as guppies, mollies and platties, don't use clean fish such as plecos, ottos, corries, as they have spikes and coarse skin which can become harmful if swallowed, any fish require 30 days quarantining.
shrimps, snails, blackworm can be used as cleaner crew.

 

[Pebble6852]

not sure if I've said before but read Axolotls - Requirements & Water Conditions in Captivity on how to make holtfreters solution and use 50% holtfreters solution with 0.1gl magnesium sulphate in the aquarium, this will help to protect your axolotl from numerous issues such as fungus as well as any nitrogen compound spikes as well as making the water more suitable for axolotls, the solution will need to be made weekly and added during a water change.
I know it seems a bit of a hassle to do but axolotls aren't freshwater animals and require salts and minerals to remain healthy.
don't forget to remove the heater and let the water cool down before putting your axolotl in the tank (tank does seem to be ready)
do water changes weekly 20% - 50%, dechlorinate water before adding, if adding bottled bacteria after water change do so 24hrs after to ensure all chlorine is removed, when testing water do so 24hrs after a water change so as not to get erroneous results.
lights can be used but ensure that your axolotl has a dark cave/hide to go into, they are mostly nocturnal.
plants can be used but some don't like slight salinity, java, duck weed, some grass types such as sagittaria.
although worms are fine try feeding a varied diet which includes some aquatic based food such as bloodworm, brine shrimp, mysis, krill, this will ensure that your axolotl is getting all the right vitamins and protein.
live fish are fine as food but stick to live bearers such as guppies, mollies and platties, don't use clean fish such as plecos, ottos, corries, as they have spikes and coarse skin which can become harmful if swallowed, any fish require 30 days quarantining.
shrimps, snails, blackworm can be used as cleaner crew.

Okay I will look into that solution, but should I test my tap water first to see how hard it is already? I skimmed through the article and saw that hard water has a more alkaline pH, mine is at 7.6. Or should I just do the 50% solution anyway. Also would the aquarium salt work for now? Im not sure exactly where to get those chemicals I’ll have to search for them and I still have some of the salt left. As for putting him back in the tank, do I not need to cycle back up to 4ppm? I added 4 ppm again last night just because I wasn’t sure after 2ppm went to zero. As for the nitrates can I just do a water change each day to lower it down to 20 before I add him? I’m very excited to get him back into his home!!

 

[wolfen]

aquarium salt will be fine to use, it can also be used as part of the formula for holtfreters, the tank can be increased back to 4ppm but it has already shown that it can convert that amount of ammonia so it should be fine once your axolotl is larger (right now the amount of ammonia your axolotl will produce in the tank is less than 2ppm and more near to 1ppm)
because your ph dropped it shows that your kh is low, as part of the nitrogen cycle the water gets slightly acidic, rather than dropping the ph the kh is reduced and buffers the ph, if the ph drops then it means that the kh isn't high enough to buffer it, normally hard water contains minerals such as calcium carbonate which increase the kh and gh, soft water has low levels of minerals.
the ingredients for 50% holtfreters are..
1.75g/l salt (aquarium salt is fine, I tend to make it at 2g/l rather than 1.75g/l) salt helps protect against fungal issues as well as osmotic problems, it also protects against ammonia spikes.
0.025g/l potassium chloride, potassium is an essential mineral.
0.05g/l calcium chloride, calcium is an essential mineral
0.1g/l bicarbonate of soda, buffers the kh, prevents fluctuations in ph
the chloride in the salt/potassium chloride/calcium chloride has been found to protect axolotls from nitrite/nitrate absorption when levels spike or are high, salt has also been linked with gill growth and also over all growth, it has also been found that the hatch rate increase whilst the deformity level decreases compared to plain freshwater.
I also add 0.1g/l magnesium sulphate (epsom salt) as an essential mineral.
it is easiest to dissolve salt/calcium/potassium and magnesium into a 1ltr bottle of hot water and allow to cool down, this is added to the dechlorinated water before adding to the tank, bicarbonate of soda is dissolve into dechlorinated water before adding to the tank, the reason for the bicarbonate of soda being added separately is because it will combine with calcium chloride making calcium carbonate which will leave deposits if made together in the bottle, it isn't unusual for the water to be cloudy after a water change, this is due to calcium and carbonate combining and does clear after a few hours, it also isn't unusual to have dust on the bottom of the tank, this will clear as the kh is used.

 

[Pebble6852]

aquarium salt will be fine to use, it can also be used as part of the formula for holtfreters, the tank can be increased back to 4ppm but it has already shown that it can convert that amount of ammonia so it should be fine once your axolotl is larger (right now the amount of ammonia your axolotl will produce in the tank is less than 2ppm and more near to 1ppm)
because your ph dropped it shows that your kh is low, as part of the nitrogen cycle the water gets slightly acidic, rather than dropping the ph the kh is reduced and buffers the ph, if the ph drops then it means that the kh isn't high enough to buffer it, normally hard water contains minerals such as calcium carbonate which increase the kh and gh, soft water has low levels of minerals.
the ingredients for 50% holtfreters are..
1.75g/l salt (aquarium salt is fine, I tend to make it at 2g/l rather than 1.75g/l) salt helps protect against fungal issues as well as osmotic problems, it also protects against ammonia spikes.
0.025g/l potassium chloride, potassium is an essential mineral.
0.05g/l calcium chloride, calcium is an essential mineral
0.1g/l bicarbonate of soda, buffers the kh, prevents fluctuations in ph
the chloride in the salt/potassium chloride/calcium chloride has been found to protect axolotls from nitrite/nitrate absorption when levels spike or are high, salt has also been linked with gill growth and also over all growth, it has also been found that the hatch rate increase whilst the deformity level decreases compared to plain freshwater.
I also add 0.1g/l magnesium sulphate (epsom salt) as an essential mineral.
it is easiest to dissolve salt/calcium/potassium and magnesium into a 1ltr bottle of hot water and allow to cool down, this is added to the dechlorinated water before adding to the tank, bicarbonate of soda is dissolve into dechlorinated water before adding to the tank, the reason for the bicarbonate of soda being added separately is because it will combine with calcium chloride making calcium carbonate which will leave deposits if made together in the bottle, it isn't unusual for the water to be cloudy after a water change, this is due to calcium and carbonate combining and does clear after a few hours, it also isn't unusual to have dust on the bottom of the tank, this will clear as the kh is used.

Okay thank you so much!! I’ll try to get the ingredients soon and I’ll add the salt in the meantime. Should I still use the 2g/l for just the salt? Hopefully the kH will be okay until I get the solution since I wont be adding SO much ammonia. I will say I checked pH every day and it didn’t go under 7.6 for a long time it has been stable since my last water change. As for adding him back in do I just wait until ammonia and nitrite reach zero and he’s good to go? And with the nitrates since I can only do 50% water changes can I do 50% daily to get nitrates down or is that too much. Is 20ppm nitrates the target? And one last thing when I do his water change can I take all his decorations and plants out and rinse them in the old water I took out? Everything is still a little gross from the process

 

[wolfen]

once the ammonia and nitrites are zero the tank will be fine, 20ppm is the ideal but the tolerant level for nitrates is 110ppm (hence the water change if the nitrates get to 110ppm or higher, so that the nitrates are never higher than tolerant levels) multiple 50% water changes can be done but make sure to dechlorinate before hand, use bottled bacteria to top up each 50% change.
high levels of kh gh doesn't seem to affect axolotls although ph over 8 isn't desirable, monitor the ph (although 50% holtfreters is around 7.5 - 7.6) when it comes to aquariums low ph causes more issues than high due to nitrogen cycle stalling.
when/if possible change filter floss for medium/fine foam (filter floss will clog very quickly and will need cleaning regularly, foam doesn't need cleaning so often) make sure the top of any foam/floss is above water level so the water has to travel through/under (once you get used to the filter you'll be able to experiment with it to find the best configuration) the bio-media.
don't scrub the decorations etc.. just rinse any debris off with old tank water, the slime is bacteria that contribute to the bacteria colony.
until you use holtfreters continue using salt, always house an axolotl with salt if holtfreters isn't possible.
also monitor plants as most don't like slight salinity, although ascorbic acid (vitamin c) can be used as a dechlorinator which can help plants resist the effects of salt.

 

[Pebble6852]

once the ammonia and nitrites are zero the tank will be fine, 20ppm is the ideal but the tolerant level for nitrates is 110ppm (hence the water change if the nitrates get to 110ppm or higher, so that the nitrates are never higher than tolerant levels) multiple 50% water changes can be done but make sure to dechlorinate before hand, use bottled bacteria to top up each 50% change.
high levels of kh gh doesn't seem to affect axolotls although ph over 8 isn't desirable, monitor the ph (although 50% holtfreters is around 7.5 - 7.6) when it comes to aquariums low ph causes more issues than high due to nitrogen cycle stalling.
when/if possible change filter floss for medium/fine foam (filter floss will clog very quickly and will need cleaning regularly, foam doesn't need cleaning so often) make sure the top of any foam/floss is above water level so the water has to travel through/under (once you get used to the filter you'll be able to experiment with it to find the best configuration) the bio-media.
don't scrub the decorations etc.. just rinse any debris off with old tank water, the slime is bacteria that contribute to the bacteria colony.
until you use holtfreters continue using salt, always house an axolotl with salt if holtfreters isn't possible.
also monitor plants as most don't like slight salinity, although ascorbic acid (vitamin c) can be used as a dechlorinator which can help plants resist the effects of salt.

I actually just picked up some fluval bio foam that I’m going to add into the filter along with the pad I used last time. I’m going to do a water change right now and then hopefully get him back in his tank!! As for the salt is it still the same measurement you gave me before with teaspoons? At least until I get the solution. Also for future reference when I am changing water should I add dechlorinator to the volume of the tank or the volume thst im replacing? Same for salt I assume you would add for the volume you’re replacing but I saw someone say they add for the volume of the whole tank if that makes sense

 

[wolfen]

only use enough dechlorinator for the water that is going into the tank not the whole tank.
most dechlorinators use oxygen in the water so too much can deplete the water of oxygen.
1 teaspoon salt per 3 litres = 2g/l, only add enough for the replacement water, dissolve before adding to tank.

 

[Pebble6852]

only use enough dechlorinator for the water that is going into the tank not the whole tank.
most dechlorinators use oxygen in the water so too much can deplete the water of oxygen.
1 teaspoon salt per 3 litres = 2g/l, only add enough for the replacement water, dissolve before adding to tank.

Okay, I am doing a water change now. I don’t have quite enough salt and the store was closed today but I will add what I have and start adding it in over time with my regular water changes. I also added the foam and I attached a picture of his filter to make sure it’s all okay

I just filled his water change water with 17 teaspoons of salt. It’s 20 gallons, 75 liters, so 25 teaspoons was my math. I dillosved it all into the water I’m going to use to do the water change since there isn’t any salt in his tank already. Just adding this here to make sure my salt math is right before I add him lol

 

[Pebble6852]

only use enough dechlorinator for the water that is going into the tank not the whole tank.
most dechlorinators use oxygen in the water so too much can deplete the water of oxygen.
1 teaspoon salt per 3 litres = 2g/l, only add enough for the replacement water, dissolve before adding to tank.

Okay I rinsed and re added all of his stuff, and didn’t add any ammonia last night so I think I’m going to put him back in today!! Nitrates were at 40 last night will they go down over time with water changes? Also I forgot to add the picture of the filter so I’ll put it here but other than that I’ll update when he’s in!

 

[wolfen]

provided the water changes are removing more nitrates then are being produced they will reduce, make sure to regularly test so you know how much water to change.

 

[Pebble6852]

provided the water changes are removing more nitrates then are being produced they will reduce, make sure to regularly test so you know how much water to change.

So if nitrates go up from the last water change I need to change more and if they go down I’m good?

 

[wolfen]

So if nitrates go up from the last water change I need to change more and if they go down I’m good?

yes

 

[Pebble6852]

yes

Perfect! I’m in class rn but I’ll be adding him in when I get home and I’ll update. General question though if I buy some of that algae remover stuff from the fish store would it make my plants green again or should I just get new ones. all my money wort is super brown and I think it might be coated in algae lol

 

[wolfen]

if your plants are deteriorating removing algae wont improve them unless the parts are removed, don't use any chemicals unless you are sure they are safe as some algaecide can affect young axolotls.