Hi Jackie,
Cycling can be a hard concept to grasp (I think most of us have struggled with it at one point; I certainly did! :happy
.
I have a huge new tank,my 2 adults are in their old tank which is too small,I have had them 3 weeks from a previous owner.
Moving the axolotls to the larger tank will be better for them. The more water volume you have, the more efficiently dangerous toxins such as ammonia will be dilluted.
Cycling in a nutshell is the establishment of beneficial bacteria that breaks Ammonia and Nitrite (highly toxic) down to Nitrate (non toxic). These bacteria will collonise on all surfaces of the tank (the walls, ornaments, rocks, filter, etc). The more surfaces you provide, the more bacteria collonies you will have to break down the wastes.
Cycling with live animals is a balancing act. The beneficial bacteria needs to feed on the Ammonia wastes released by the axolotl, so having ammonia in the tank is necessary for the cycle to happen, but on the other hand the ammonia must be kept to a very low level for the sake of the animals in the water. When cycling with live animals it is imperative that you monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels, and do
daily partial water changes.
Cycling can take any time from one to three months to complete.
At the end of the cycle the Ammonia and Nitrite must read at a
constant '0' and the Nitrate should be between 10-60. When cycle is complete, partial water changes need only be done once a week or so.
I am setting up the 4ft tank this weekend,with a filter from a previus fish tank,I understand it could take up to 3 months to be safe,so I cant add my adults for 3 months is this right?
Any filter media, ornaments, rocks, etc from a previously fully cycled tank will help reduce the cycling time for the new aquarium.
I have also seen another adult I wish to purchase,should I just be patient and not get it yet?
If I did I would have to put it in another tank and do daily water changes is that right??
Any new additions (this includes feeder fish) should be quarantined for at least 30 days before being introduced to your axolotls, to prevent the possible spread of disease should the new arrival/s be carrying anything harmful.
I usually use plastic tubs when quarantining new axolotls. Using the smaller tank is another good option, but yes, you will have to monitor the water quality and do the applicable partial water changes.
If you opt to use tubs for quarantine (icecream container, tupperware, plastic storage tub, etc) - bear in mind that the axolotl will release a lot of wastes in such a confined space, which is not filtered, so more drastic water changes will be needed to be done daily (90-100%) with fresh dechlorinated water.
