Help with water conditions please

[Jennadenny]

If I put defrosted food in I take it out after 40 mins if not eaten, I take all food and poo out every night when doing water change, I have just put in a secound filter that was in my tropical fish hoping that it will help but not going to hold my breath, my axols seem fine at the min but don't want to risk their Health for too much longer I would take them back to the pet shop if I thought they would be in better conditions (Which will break my heart ) I love my axolotls but don't want to make them ill

 

[wandering]

I agree with your husband. Your cycle is started. You have added another filter to help the process, I think?
The amount (of food) going into the tank is related to how much you will have to remove (nitrate). You have a backlog because your bacteria have just got working on what you have been putting in for some time.
How often are you doing your water changes? I would up the frequency (and maybe the amount?) until your ammonia and nitrite readings are zero and nitrate levels are down.
You might still consider feeding less for a short while to decrease the front end loading?

Looks like you are getting there. How are the axies coping?




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[Jennadenny]

Yes two filters but I had to turn the one I put in off as the axols where hiding alot think it was too strong but its still in there, they seem ok still swimming around biting my fingers if I go in with no food, I'm giving them 2 medium worms each a day nothing else as think the blood worms don't help with the water condition, my husband is now smug as ever because he was right lol, doing 2 water changes a day I'm taking about 40% out, should I be cleaning the glass inside the tank or leave it to help good Bactria grow

 

[wandering]

I think you're right about the bloodworm.
Is there any way you can diffuse the flow on your filter so you can turn it on again ( some foam around the outlet perhaps?) Seems a shame to lose the benefit of the bacteria already established in there.
I would not bother scraping the glass yet for the reason you gave, but if you do (so you can see your axies?) I would syphon the scrapings.
Think you are well on the way to a balanced system now.
Please keep us all posted.

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[Cole Grover]

I'm giving them 2 medium worms each a day nothing else as think the blood worms don't help with the water condition,

I think you're heavily over feeding. Cut back on the food. Feeding that heavily will only serve to make your tank dirty and your axolotls fat. Ambystomatids don't have a high metabolism - they don't need to be, nor should they, fed every day.

As for your "cycle", I'd suggest that the process has started, but certainly hasn't finished. It can take 6-8 weeks for a tank to "cycle" even with the relatively low bio-load of fish when compared to the waste excreted by amphibians.

It sounds as if you are on the right track. Keep up what you're doing, but CUT BACK on the food.

-Cole