Filtering Sand

[Sean1364]

If I wasn't entirely successful in completely rinsing the sand before placing it in the tank, will the power filter do the rest of the work for me, or do I need to just start over?

 

[lea]

the sand should settle in time..........i dont think you would have to start over again.

 

[Sean1364]

Also, do I need to purchase a fish to start the cycling process, or does it just happen as the aquarium sits? How are guppies?

 

[lea]

i dont know to much about cycling but from what i understand.....you need to add an anomnia source.....food is what i thought you put in........you will get a anomnia spike and then as the anomnia goes down the nitrate will come up and your cycle is fiinised......remembering you have to do water changes as well.......i did my tank cycling with my axis in there and kept a very close eye on the water and did 20% daily water changes.........soomeone with more knowledge will chime in soon im sure.....please correct me if im wrong...i would hate to give wrong info

 

[SludgeMunkey]

The sister site/database Caudata Culture has an excellent article on tank cycling. This can be accessed from the Caudata.org Sites pull down menu on this page.

Additional information on cycling and sand can be found by using the forum search function.

 

[Sean1364]

The sister site/database Caudata Culture has an excellent article on tank cycling. This can be accessed from the Caudata.org Sites pull down menu on this page.

Additional information on cycling and sand can be found by using the forum search function.

I promise, I wouldn't ask without doing proper research. I've just either found nothing, or in the case of cycling, simply can't understand the information provided.

 

[dragonlady]

Hi Sean,

Cycling is a bear for everyone. You need to have your filter up and running (don't change any media during the cycle). You can do a cycle with fish or without. Guppies are a good choice as Lea mentions, this will be your ammonia source. Their waste becomes ammonia and as it decomposes, it becomes nitrite (bad bacteria), then nitrate (good bacteria) - otherwise know at the nitrogen cycle. In a new tank, you will first get an ammonia spike (the ammonia level will jump up). You will need to monitor this closely because ammonia can/will kill your fish. To control this, do a 20% water change daily, until the level drops off. At this time, you should see nitrite levels rise. This too can kill your fish, so treat same as ammonia. It is also not uncommon to see your tank form a white murky appearance. You can do daily water changes to handle this as well. Finally, you should see your nitrate levels rise and the others fall off. A cycle can take from 2 weeks up to 2 months!

A fishless cycle means that you will add an artificial ammonia source like fish food. Just add a little fish food to start your cycle, then you will need to add more as described in the fishless cycle. It doesn't take a lot.

As far as your sand, you can also do 20% water changes to help clear the water. Make sure to use a decent dechlorinator for water changes. (Aquasafe, AmQuel+, or Prime are some good ones)

Does this help you? If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask.

 

[Sean1364]

Thanks for the explanation. It was very easy to understand. I have another question. I ruined my first filter when I was doing a water change. Pouring the new water in caused the sand to stir up enough to enter the filter in bulk and ruin it. Do you have any hints on how to add the new water without stirring up the sand and. Ruining a filter? Once I have the fish, do I turn the filter off while adding the water?

 

[dragonlady]

You can turn off the filter while adding water but once you have axolotls in, you will want to add the water very slowly so you don't upset them. I use my siphon to add water so that it is added back in very slowly so it doesn't stir up the sand or the axolotls.

 

[Sean1364]

You can turn off the filter while adding water but once you have axolotls in, you will want to add the water very slowly so you don't upset them. I use my siphon to add water so that it is added back in very slowly so it doesn't stir up the sand or the axolotls.

Good idea.

Completely different topic from the original in this thread, but since you're here...

How many average size Axolotls do you imagine I could comfortably care for in a 40 gallon breeder's tank? Is that a decent size for two juvies?

 

[Sean1364]

And also, back on the original point, does anyone know if unclean sand will be filtered by the power filter over time?

 

[dragonlady]

I would help the sand along with water changes as I mentioned before. Before starting your cycle, you could just take the water down as far as you can and add the water again. I would also rinse that filter out before beginning your cycle because of the sand.

A 40 gallon is definitely big enough for 2 juvies! They'll have all kinds of room! The general rule is a foot or 10 gallons per adult axolotl. Hope to see some pics once you are all set up! Take care.