Question: Inital tank setup - cycling

[schnappy]

Hey all,
I'm wanting to know a basic run down on how to setup a tank for two axolotls? I've done some reading, but everything is aimed towards having heaps of fish so I'm not sure how much of this applies to axolotls (number wise - they seam to have 1 fish to act as an ammonia source then add more fish later...). I'm wanting to avoid spending mega dollars on dechlorinators, and liquid ammonia etc... I have access to rain water which I'll put in the tank and let run through the filter for a while to clean the dirt out before adding axies.

But on establishing the bio filter... I've been reading a lot of different things. Some say add a fish, others suggest buying ammonia which is costly (Is it costly from a pet store?)... but these are all targeted towards having a lot of fish, not axolotls.

Any advice?

Thanks

 

[Greatwtehunter]

If your impatient like me you can just add the axolotl to the tank before cycling BUT in exchange you have to be very diligent about water changes and keeping an eye on the water parameters. I personally do a 10% water change about every other day and then test the water every 4 days until the tank is fully cycled.

 

[schnappy]

Well I'll have to wait to get some axolotl's anyway, so I'm forced to be patient

Is fishless cycling the only other option than just chucking an axolotl in?

 

[Abrahm]

Greatwtehunter's method of cycling a tank is also mine but along with his caveat of dilligence in water changes and measuring parameters I also keep my tanks understocked by pretty much every standard.

Another popular method is to add some food item (a small amount of pellets, a piece of shrimp) to the tank and let it rot and use that nitrogen source to get the cycle started.

 

[melfly]

You can buy ammonia from hardware stores i bought some for about £9. But you need to make sure its not got other stuff in it. And however tempting do not sniff it!! Lol. I did. Haha. But you can use fish food etc to create an ammonia source to start the cycle. You could give it try while your waiting for your axolotl. Mel

 

[Samyueruchan]

I, too, have been looking at tank cycling recently but I ended up getting impatient and just ordering my axolotl. I have a large tank and I'm only getting one axolotl so I'm just going to go with the aforementioned method of water changes and diligence. In my research, however, I found that you can buy pure ammonia for relatively cheaply, though it's highly important to make sure that it is pure ammonia and contains nothing else. Alternatively, most aquarium shops sell liquids that are meant to help accelerate the cycling process. I think that these are solutions of ammonia and nitrite, though I am not certain. I have no experience with these but I have heard that they can be quite expensive and are very hit-and-miss with regards to their effectiveness.

Another option would be to put some guppies in there for a while. If you were to get a breeding pair you might even have some guppy fry with which to feed your axolotl when you get him/her.

 

[schnappy]

Thanks for the input guys, I have 2 more queries -
-Regarding substrate, would sand from a pet shop be much better than 'play' sand from Bunnings? (Warehouse store akin to Home Depot I think.)
-I can easily get rainwater however filtering it and getting it clear and looking good probably isn't plausible (The 'tanks' are dirty etc.)... I've read about getting tap water and just letting it sit for a while. Is this meant to be in addition to using a dechlorinator or can evaporating tap water alone dechlorinate water?

 

[Darkmaverick]

Freshwater aquarium sand or sand meant for children's play pit are both suitable. In terms of pricing, i think just the usual sand from bunnings will be cheaper. Nontheless, they must all be thoroughly rinsed before putting in your tank.

A good dechlorinator will get rid of chlorine, chloramine and heavy metals and thus highly recommended to be used. Leaving water to stand can allow chlorine to dissipate but not chloramines or heavy metals.

If you want to be super duper careful, you can always leave it to stand overnight but still use a dechlorinator.

 

[schnappy]

Hmmm... rainwater could be the way to go then. How much should I expect to pay for dechlorinator?

 

[Darkmaverick]

Just get a no frills one. I bought a giant bottle for A$12 at a local pet store. I would advise against getting those with fancy additives like aloe vera. Any benefit is negligible and the cost can be double or more. Do make sure you read the label to state that it does rid cholorine, chloramine and heavy metals. Follow the manufacturer's directions carefully when using it.

 

[Abrahm]

-Regarding substrate, would sand from a pet shop be much better than 'play' sand from Bunnings? (Warehouse store akin to Home Depot I think.)

In addition to DarkMaverick's excellent advice I would say be careful when you buy sand from the petstore. Don't buy anything for salt water/marine aquariums as they are made of crushed coral and are not inert like play sand or pool filter sand. They will eventually change your water chemistry.

 

[merk199]

I cycle like Greathunter but I also add a TON of plants. I use java fern, crypts, mosses, duckweed, and bacopa. The plants help keep the levels down. I also change 10% 2-3 times a week till cycled. If you keep on top of it you should never have a loss.

 

[kaylalouise]

i bought sand this weekend for my tank from bunnings.

the play sadn was kept with the plant area and was 9.20 for 20kgs. i ended up using 1 and a half bags.

im have my filter running now as it is a little unclear even though i washed the sand atleast 20 times. than i am going to start cycling using fish food.

at the moment i only have fake plants but am wanting to purchase some live plants