Looking for cycling advice for new Axie!

[treatsnsnoozin]

Hey everyone!

I just got my first Axolotl about a week ago, but unfortunately didn't realize tank cycling was a "thing" when I put him in. So I have a few questions/concerns:

His water parameters haven't been un-livable according to my research, but I know they're not great. I've been tracking them over the past few days and they are as follows:

August 24th-26th
GH: 60
KH: 40
PH: 6.5-7
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20-30
Ammonia: .5
Temperature: 66 degrees Fahrenheit

None of the parameters have changed over the course of my tracking and I've been doing 20-25% water changes daily. I'm assuming from my research that there's no possible way my tank is cycled. It seems weird to have Ammonia but no Nitrites. Are these parameters deadly considering he'll be exposed to them for a few weeks? Should I be doing higher percentage water changes?

My plan is to take him out and run a fish less cycle. I'm also planning a move within the next month. Should I just continue my water changes until we move? That way when he's in temporary storage I can just leave him there until the tank is finished? Also what type of storage would he do best in considering the cycle may take a few weeks? I already have a storage tub, but what's the safest way to clean it if that'll work?

I guess I'm just seeking overall advice on have to save this little guy from getting sick. We were feeding him twice a day, but in order to keep everything under control we're going down to every other. He seems to be acting normal, typically gobbling up any food source immediately, swimming around more in the evening and just hanging out during the day.

 

[pittbulldogva]

What type of water are you using? If it's tap water, have you tested it? It could be the parameters of the water you are using? 30 for the Nitrates seems a little high to me for doing 25% daily water changes. What size tank do you have? Are you over feeding or leaving food in the tank? You could theoretically get those numbers if you have a very high source of ammonia and are cycled. What type of filtration?

 

[treatsnsnoozin]

What type of water are you using? If it's tap water, have you tested it? It could be the parameters of the water you are using? 30 for the Nitrates seems a little high to me for doing 25% daily water changes. What size tank do you have? Are you over feeding or leaving food in the tank? You could theoretically get those numbers if you have a very high source of ammonia and are cycled. What type of filtration?

I did use tap water, but I tested everything before hand and had 0 nitrates and nitrites as well as 0 ammonia. I've read a few things about the water conditioner prompting weird readings based on the brand? So I don't know if that has an effect of anything.

I have him in a 20 gallon and use a 20 gallon Aquaclear filter. At first I was worried about running it at full blast because of their sensitivity to water movement, but I've gradually increased it over time and it doesn't seem to bother him.

We've been using live black worms because they tend to be less messy and typically easy to keep corralled. I've been trying to be diligent about keeping the bottom of the tank clean with a baster and have even lifted up the river rocks to check under and around them for stuff.

I did a 50% change late last night to see what affect that would have and when I tested it today I had 0 nitrites & nitrates and only .25 ammonia.

I'm not objected to taking him out and trying to figure out this cycling thing, I'm just more concerned about him being okay for the next two weeks while we try to move. I want to limit transferring him in and out of a temporary container multiple times in such a short period.

I'm just a little anxious and being new to caring for an Axolotl I just want everything to go well.

 

[tipnatee]

New filter is the only thing that's the problem , to break the new filter in you might need to do it with out your axolotl and it might take time. But if you don't have time or old filter. You need to get liquid treatment , I personally use API ammo lock ( ammonia reducer) and API stress zyme ( it's adding good bacteria for your filter and keep aquarium clean) . That would help your filter get started on to the right tracks. Then you need to add oxygen to your tank. My personal tricks is that bubble stone can help you reduce water current problem by position your bubblur stone under your filter ( right where's the water coming down) bubbles push water upward against the water downward . No more strong water movement problem. Oxygen will also help building good bacteria in to your filter. Which bring it to the question of which model filter you're using? Is your media contain ammonia remover? ( mostly canister filter has ceramic rings media that woks wonder) axolotl need good canister filters. I always try to encourage my buyer to get canister filter if they can. Axolotl produce loads of ammonia like turtles . Heavy duty filter is needed. Which's sadly most people mistaken the idea that axolotl hates Water moment and goes with small cheap filter. If no budget then I would tell them to get bio sponge filter and keep on more than 60% chang of water daily. Maintain ph you can also use API proper ph ( this also act like black worm chaser if you want to remove black worms from somewhere just sprinkle API proper ph on that spot and they will spring out and it wont kill them) Black worms is my all time favorite food for axolotl ever. I hope you have substrate sand in your aquarium cause they love to stuck their bottom in it with sand+bubble stone = lots of bubble air traps in the bottom sand which benefit both axolotl and any aquatic worms to thrive in naturally environment. Another fast tricks to build good bacteria in to your tank. ( air trap sand can even keep earth worm alive inside the tank for months)

 

[Holly12]

If you are still early in the cycle, it's not at all odd to have no nitrites. They take a while to show up and then the ammonia falls. What's odd is there is ammonia, no nitrites but really high nitrates. Have you tested your water source? One place we lived at had 80ppm nitrates from the water source!!

Maybe try a larger filter? But use the old media to seed the new media. They need a lot of filtration. My guy is in a 20 long with an aqua clear 50 as a filter. So he has 2x plus in filtration. I would have put my old ac 70 on, but that may have blasted him out of the tank, lol. If I ever move him to a 30 long, I will use the ac 70.

 

[tipnatee]

If you are still early in the cycle, it's not at all odd to have no nitrites. They take a while to show up and then the ammonia falls. What's odd is there is ammonia, no nitrites but really high nitrates. Have you tested your water source? One place we lived at had 80ppm nitrates from the water source!!

Maybe try a larger filter? But use the old media to seed the new media. They need a lot of filtration. My guy is in a 20 long with an aqua clear 50 as a filter. So he has 2x plus in filtration. I would have put my old ac 70 on, but that may have blasted him out of the tank, lol. If I ever move him to a 30 long, I will use the ac 70.

Poor thing might need to live 24/7 in a bunker Actually I was gonna suggest lots of lucky bamboo plats ( I usually get like 10-20 stocks of tall lucky bamboo) . It works for me when I have to break in new filter. A small kind of aquaponic can help maintain ammonia control.

 

[treatsnsnoozin]

If you are still early in the cycle, it's not at all odd to have no nitrites. They take a while to show up and then the ammonia falls. What's odd is there is ammonia, no nitrites but really high nitrates. Have you tested your water source? One place we lived at had 80ppm nitrates from the water source!!

Maybe try a larger filter? But use the old media to seed the new media. They need a lot of filtration. My guy is in a 20 long with an aqua clear 50 as a filter. So he has 2x plus in filtration. I would have put my old ac 70 on, but that may have blasted him out of the tank, lol. If I ever move him to a 30 long, I will use the ac 70.

Weirdly enough my tap water tested zeros all the way around. I currently use strips for everything except ammonia, so I'm going to transition to liquid for a more accurate test.

He also vomited twice yesterday, and has been doing a bit of heaving with just a little more this morning. He I think was frustrated by not being able to get anything up he was thrashing around a bit, but is just hanging out at the bottom of his tank for now. Could this be from his paramters? We did feed him a lot yesterday...considering we took him down from feeding everyday to only every three days and I felt bad ? His worms were also on their last leg and are getting thrown out today. Could that have an impact as well?

 

[tipnatee]

I don't think you should put him back in the tank that isn't ready for him to live in yet cause that will kill him and that's why he is acting crazy. Just keep him in the tub till your fillter ran a complete cycle and developing enough nitrifying bacteria that convert nitrate and nitrite in to nitrogen gas out of your tank which that's why I kept saying that you need air in your tank to speed things along including starter kid that contain syntactic bacteria to help your filter get moving in the right direction or else your tank will become a death trap for your axolotl. Plants can help good bacteria growth . If your axolotl thrashing he is pretty much screaming for help. If you don't give him better water he will eventually try to jump out of the tank.