Deadly ammonia levels in tank...

[Star]

What to do next? Firstly, I am very spot on with all my little critters but being away for 10 days with no one to look after them they have been left to their own devices. Last time I was away for 14 days their ammonia reading was only 1ppm but they were a bit smaller then. Having grown and finally getting them to look like proper, healthy axies they are now in the same state as when I got them I've popped them in the fridge for now but what is my next step?

Ammonia - 8ppm
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0

Now, obviously a water change is the next step but how much do I change? A full change will completely throw my water chemistry out of whack and I will need to cycle again but I don't know how to get that ammonia level down to a safe level without needing to recycle. At the moment I'm doing supervisor training, uni assignments and over time in work so daily water changes are going to be very difficult. Any suggestions? Doing any form of change tomorrow isn't a possibility at all but I should be able to do one sat, sun, mon and tues without fail. I've never had readings like this so a tad worried and out of my depth!

 

[Shizeric]

Assuming this hasn't already thrown your cycle out of whack, just do water changes as frequently as you can and monitor the parameters closely.

How large is the tank and what type of filtration do you use?

 

[Star]

Looking at the readings I don't think it has, just stupidly high ammonia. The tank is 2ft x 1ft x 1.5ft (LxWxH) I have a fluval one in there, it's just a little sponge one. I'm guessing that by having a larger, more effective filter it should solve this issue in the future? Although once they are a bit larger I will be moving them into my 4ft with my wild type

 

[Kaysie]

A larger filter may or may not help. Live plants would help for sure.

You can change a pretty significant amount of water without killing your cycle. The bacteria live on all the surfaces of the tank, not in the water. I'd start with at least 50%.

 

[Star]

I've got plants in there, put loads in before I went away to help but the little turds have eaten a lot of them and ripped the rest up I'll siphon all the gunk up then, do a 50% change and see where to go from there then. Thanks Would changing the type of filter, if not the size help? It's just a bog standard fluval1 with a little white sponge that goes in it. It gets clogged up very quickly from them though

 

[Shizeric]

How many Axolotls are in there?

 

[Star]

2 sub adults

 

[laalflaach]

This is one more case in need of a babysitting service, if I lived closer I would have loved to help you out. I am going away overnight next week and was panicking over that, but 10 days away, you must have been going out of your mind with worry, you poor thing!! Big Hug!

 

[Shizeric]

In that size tank, the Axolotls are going to produce ammonia so fast that the levels will become high fairly quickly. A larger filter wouldn't have much impact....more water volume is really the best solution.

 

[Star]

They're normally fine in there, it seems the filter got clogged with sand I'm getting a tank divider on pay day though so I can finally move them in with my wild again so three in a 4ft should be fine I hope

 

[Oz]

Give plant filtration a go. I had troubles with ammonia spikes that took weeks to settle only for it to start up again in a few days later.
I've had a plant filter for 5 months and it works great. Took 3 days for a considerable drop in ammonia levels and in 2 weeks to 0 or barely detectable levels.
http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=75767

 

[scooty16]

Sorry to butt in about something totally irrelevent to the question asked, but I have a question for Star:

Where are you going to get your tank divider? I thought you had to make them youself lol

 

[memojo1979]

Sorry to butt in about something totally irrelevent to the question asked, but I have a question for Star:

Where are you going to get your tank divider? I thought you had to make them youself lol

Me too, but Star already told me (on Facebook, I think) that a pet shop near her actually sells them.
Photos please, when you have it! I'm intrigued

 

[Star]

I can't get it until pay day There's some on ebay as well and Kaysie suggested if you want to make your own then craft mesh is a good thing to use but I will put a pic up when I get it.

Thanks for the link Oz, I love the idea but I need to keep the lids on my tanks as I have a cat who is fascinated with water so I don't think I could manage it

 

[scooty16]

Oooh yeah those tank dividers are quite pricey aren't they? I don't think I have the money to get one this month!

 

[Oz]

You still can have the lid on just have an external plastic container for the plants.

 

[Aimzs Lotties]

Star,

my cat is a trouble maker too.. I have a hood on my axie tank but the bf doesn't have a hood for his turtle tank so the kitty is always playing in there LOL..

 

[scooty16]

Haha! My partner has 9 cats that all used to drink his fish's water. Poor guy!

 

[Star]

There is a hole in the lid if my 4ft as it used to be a viv. I've seen him with his paw through there batting the water, then I noticed a black thing lurking just below the paw ready to strike, slowly rising... Ever since then I've kept an eye on him! Could be an interesting turn of events but it could also end in disaster!

 

[Oz]

Lol... the cat disappears one day a u have a well fed axolotl.