Desperately needing advice!!

[Francine Smith]

Does API Aqua Detox work? HELP!

Cut a long story short - i keep having amonia spikes. I remove the axolotl and the amonia reads 0, nitrite is 0, PH a nice 7, and nitrate also very low. But as soon as the axolotl goes back in, BOOM! Amonia goes so high in just 24 hours. I basically conclude the problem to be not enough good bacteria to cope with the axolotl. Its a 100ltr tank with rocks and plants etc. I am forever doing water changes and was about to give up tonight.
I have just read about a poduct called API Aqua Detox. It claims to remove ALL amonia, nitrates and nitrites when put in the biological filter. Does this stuff actually work? I have taken the axolotl out of the tank and it now lives in a plastic tub and i just change the water every 24 hours. It has less amonia this way and i am over dealing with the "tank" now

 

[JessKB]

Hi Francine. I would highly reccomend against using any product that removes ammonia. With no ammonia to feed your bacteria, your cycle will never be complete. Also, removing your axolotl will take away the ammonia source for your bacteria, and your cycle will crash if it goes without ammonia for too long. How big is your axolotl and how often/much do you feed it? How long has your tank been set up for?

When cycling a tank with animals in it, it is advised to feed sparsely and clean up waste as soon as you see it. I know cycling can be very frustrating, I remember when I cycled my first fish tank a few years ago and almost pulled out all my hair. It feels like it will never end, but it does and it's smooth sailing after that. Once it's cycled, you will only have to do one water change a week, instead of doing one everyday like you are now. Also, adding live plants will really help you out. elodea and duckweed really suck up the extra nutrients in the tank.

read this article if you haven't already Caudata Culture Articles - Cycling

 

[carsona246]

The amount of ammonia your axolotl produces is exactly the same. So the ammonia buildup should actually be taking less time in your tank than in the tub. The difference is the tub is easier to do a waterchange.
the product your talking about sounds like beneficial bacteria in a bottle(except I doubt it removes nitrate). I have little faith in these products, but they work for some.
Like Jess said, without your axolotl in the tank there is no ammonia source for your bb. If you want to cycle your tank with the axolotl in a tub thats fine, just make sure you provide an ammonia source for the bb in the tank. Doing daily waterchanges in your tank should keep the ammonia in check.

 

[xxianxx]

I never cycle my tanks prior to adding my pets, a 50% daily water change and an old filter running will give you a cycled tank in a month or so, regular water tests are essential, just be patient.

 

[Francine Smith]

i appreciate all your advice I just dont understand why its taking SO long. The tank has been running for months. I took the axolotl out (a while back) and threw in 3 gold fish and had it running for a long time. I beleive it was fully cycled as i only did a 10% a week water change and the amonia and nitrate levels were at a constant reading of 0. But once that axolotl went back in, the amonia just kept rising. I have a lot of plant life in there too. I fed him on worms as the meat makes a mess and he refuses to eat pellets. Sadly, one passed away over the weekend and now i only have 1. I changed 50% of his tank water and the next day was shocked that the amonia level was at 2! With a 50% water change, one would assume it would lower it. Its like i need to do a 100% water change a day to keep it low, but its killing my back carring in bucket after bucket of water. I really can't see what i am foing wrong. I must be the only person who cry's over a fish tank

 

[carsona246]

how large is your fish tank? If doing daily waterchanges is the problem, then maybe keeping your axolotl in a smaller container till the tank has cycled is the way to go. Just make sure to provide enough ammonia for the beneficial bacteria to survive. Keeping the tank at 4 ppm's of ammonia(granted there being nothing alive in there) will be the optimal level of ammonia to cycle the tank quickly. Just make sure to keep adding an ammonia source once the ammonia level goes down

 

[danchristopher]

When my tank was cycling the ammonia somewhat randomly shot up to 4 and then 8ppm within about 24-48 hours. I removed my axolotls when I realised it was climbing and then did water changes to bring it down to around 3-4ppm but it wouldn't get any lower than that. Over the next few days what I soon realised was that doing the water changes was actually hindering my cycle (as I had nitrites/nitrates present but they stayed at the same levels) so I stopped them. Within a couple of days I saw the ammonia levels drop and nitrites rise, then they dropped and nitrates rose - and now my tank is perfectly cycled
So as Carson said, you should maybe let it cycle without your axolotl in it. I believe one of the main sources of my massive ammonia spike was my messy axolotls getting blackworms getting all over the tank which then died. I managed to remove most of them but am pretty sure the 'leftovers' in there was what was feeding my beneficial bacteria when I took my axies out. So my accident actually turned out to be useful and helped my tank cycle, haha.

I gave my axies a holiday in the fridge while this was happening and they loved it. And I'm sure you're not the only one who has ever shed a tear over a tank before!
Good luck

 

[blackdog]

Its taking a long time 'cos you keep taking the ammonia source out - the axie

If you are keeping the ammonia source in a tub and changing the water eveyrday, whats the difference between that and leaving the ammonia source in the tank and changing the water out of that everyday?

100 ltrs is heaps to dilute the daily ammonia build up from one axie.

Should be no reason you cant keep the axie in there and change 20-30% water everyday to keep the ammonia reading below 0.25

I'd try that, trouble is, i think every time you take the axie out, you have to practically start again.

My first cycle took about 6 weeks, and i used some of that "magic bacteria" liquid stuff you can get to kick start the cycle (waste of money by the way, still took 6 weeks to cycle)

I'd say you still might have to wait 4-8 weeks for the cycle to establish from now if you put the axie in full time.

Bren

 

[xxianxx]

Dont get too disheartened with the trouble you have cycling your tank. Tank cycling is probally the main reason you see so many six month old aquariums on ebay. Just keep following the advice on this forum and your problem will be sorted out sooner or latter.

 

[Francine Smith]

Dont get too disheartened with the trouble you have cycling your tank. Tank cycling is probally the main reason you see so many six month old aquariums on ebay. Just keep following the advice on this forum and your problem will be sorted out sooner or latter.

you have amused me because i ALWAYS see this on e-bay now i know why!!!!

I have put my axolotle in a 13 litre tub in the bathroom with a live plant, air stone and his favorite hiding log. After 24 hours i did an ammonia test and it read 0.25, which is hell of a lot lower than the tank he came from! So i did a 100% water change with dechlorinated water and he looked hapy. If he is happy in there, am i ok to do this till the day he dies? Or is this something that wont help him in the future? I worry that he is constantly living in dechlorinator products.

 

[xxianxx]

you have amused me because i ALWAYS see this on e-bay now i know why!!!!

I have put my axolotle in a 13 litre tub in the bathroom with a live plant, air stone and his favorite hiding log. After 24 hours i did an ammonia test and it read 0.25, which is hell of a lot lower than the tank he came from! So i did a 100% water change with dechlorinated water and he looked hapy. If he is happy in there, am i ok to do this till the day he dies? Or is this something that wont help him in the future? I worry that he is constantly living in dechlorinator products.

Yes you can spend the next fifteen years doing 100% daily water changes and looking at your axolotl when your brushing your teeth, however every new year he will run the risk of being vomited on! The other option is to cycle your tank, its a short term hassle , for long term gain as daily water changes will be converted to weekly ones. You will also get more enjoyment from watching your pet in a nice tank. Just reread the cycling thread so you are 100% certain on what to do, put it into practice and the problem will be sorted in the near future. Good luck.

 

[iChris]

have you tried keeping a few goldfish in the tank to let it cycle and re-homing them after and keeping your axie in a tub?