New setup (first time preparing for axolotls need help

[erin24]

Hi!

I am in the process of researching and setting up a proper enclosure for a couple of axolotls. I do not wish to breed, however I have a 20 gallon aquarium at the moment. I live in Connecticut so it is only REALLY warm during 1-2 months of the summer. I was wondering which chiller people recommend me to have just in case for the summer? Also I have trouble finding a filter than doesn't create currents ,and that is not going to aggravate the animal. I have found several plants and hiding caves, and I will be using aquarium sand and LARGE rocks. Bigger than their head for sure.
Thank you! I just want to know what other people use and recommend, I've been going from petstore to petstore and nobody knows about them (shocker right? ) and the internet has very few places with SPECIFIC filters..

 

[iSuzie]

ok firstly the filter, most people with serious set ups use external filters the really expensive ones like $150.. but u don't need to do that, if you buy a filter that's to powerful there's lot of different things you can do to help your axies, firstly placing one of ur hides in front of your filter current, facing the other way, with some plants and some decorations around it, sorta building a wall, but without completely blocking ur filter, otherwise it wont filter as much as it needs to, another thing you can do is cut a plastic bottle in half, and smooth the edges {nail file, sand paper} and then place that as a little wall type blocker in front of the current. if you buy a water fall/flow down filter, you can buy a turtle dock for it to hit and evenly spread the water again with some plants where the water hits... i think you get the idea lol also the best type of filter other than the really expensive ones are the one internal filters that have a small arm on top that acts almost like a water fall arm type thing
like this one
http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/stocklot_one/A329_33.jpg
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-Way-20...t_Supplies&hash=item3a66fa2bb9#ht_6169wt_1125

about the chiller, i have no idea about them sorry, my tanks don't get to hot here in summer despite the extreme heat as i have air con going all summer lol
al i know about cooling tanks is u can buy clip on aquarium fans, or use ice water bottles to cool the water down
id like to mention you are doing everything right as for doing so much research into the tank set up, very well done it seems like you know everything else but incase you need a little more help or have more questions please do ask, people are so good on this site! also i have a care sheet for beginners if you's like to read over it

Axolotl Care Sheet For Beginners - Home

good luck with the plans, set up and of course the new axies when you get them!!
also you might want to look into cycling your tank before you get your axolotls
Caudata Culture Articles - Cycling

:wacko::wacko:

 

[Jennistophales]

So, I'm a poor college kid who can't afford anything. I went with the cheapest hang-over-the-edge filter that I could find and rigged up my fish net underneath the output of the filter. I'll attach a picture of it. Its ok if you laugh, its super ridiculous looking. But, hey, I have my filter on full-blast, my water is crystal clear, and I have no current in my tank. I also like that I only have the one cord to plug in for my tank. I have always felt that the many hoses and wires and plugs involved with certain filters or bubblers to be super obnoxious.

I can't give any advice regarding chillers, they are just so expensive and I find frozen water bottles to be pretty effective. I also have a box fan over my tank that lowers the temperature in the tank a solid 5 or 6 degrees celcius by itself.

 

[carsona246]

if you are going to be keeping them inside, and your house has ac I don't think you need to worry about a chiller. Sponge filters will work if you are worried about currents, but they won't offer any mechanical filtration. The only form of filtration you really need to keep the axies happy though is biological filtration.
Also just wanted to add that you said you were not interested in breeding, but does that mean you plan on getting 2 axolotls? Because a 20 gallon is really only big enough for 1

 

[danchristopher]

Suzi mentioned about the plastic bottle, I use a hang-on filter like Jen's but have a plastic bottle with the ends cut off and then it's sliced down the middle. It's just taped to the top of my filter and the bottle curls down over the water flow, it works pretty well

I got the idea from this thread here:
http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...views/63332-decreased-water-current-idea.html

 

[erin24]

Thank everyone for the great replies. I only need a 20 gallon for the moment because they will more than likely be juvenile or small to begin with. Id rather not overwhelm them and me with a bigger tank until I get adjusted to their simple needs

I am also a poor college kid LOL, but I have no problem throwing down 150 bucks if it gets me the BEST of the best filter. I really only want the chiller as a backup plan, just in case. My dad's 75 gallon aquarium has a chiller, but its freaking huge, andi think the micro chillers are just fans anyways -_- . and that filter you recommended looks great actually! I have ADD so I probably forgot to answer something you asked but I'll re read everything,

 

[MereB]

If you're thinking about a chiller I need to point out that you WILL require an external cannister filter to use it, it's just the way they work. The chillers don't have pumps/filter in them so you need the cannister and all it's tubing to get the water to move through it and back to the tank.

The good news is they DO make external cannisters and chillers, proper ones with refridgerant not just a fan, for tanks that size and for tanks that are much much smaller now that nano tanks and shrimp are the latest craze.
You should find plenty of them if you google something like 'External cannister filter + 20 Gallons' and a spray bar for the return pipe in the tank does wonders for dispersing the flow. They all should come with a spray bar.

You're doing it all right so far and it sounds like you have a good grasp of the basics but if you think you are going to need a chiller you'll need to get the expensive cannister filter too.

Mere.

 

[erin24]

Thank you! I honestly don't think I will need one, but its merely a precaution. Its a cool room away from the sun so I don't see it ever getting over 68 degrees. I just dont want them to die because one day we have a heat wave or something crazy like that. I've heard mixed thoughts on the waterbottle method, but I've yet to fully look into that. my dad's HUGE tank has a canister, and he also had a chiller for his cold water tank, so im probably better off trying to rip off his setup,.

 

[MereB]

Personally I never had much luck with the water bottle method and I suspect it would work much better on smaller tanks. I even rigged up the bottles so the returning water was pumped straight over the frozen bottle but with almost not change in the water temp but we do get some hot weather here for weeks on end. Some of us will give our axies a few weeks holiday in the fridge too if it gets really bad.

Hopefully you won't ever need to but it's good that you have access to your dad's gear that you can 'borrow' if you really need it.

 

[Blaze]

You do not need a canister filter for a chiller. The piping can simply attach to an internal filter.

 

[MereB]

You do not need a canister filter for a chiller. The piping can simply attach to an internal filter.

You could but I wouldn't for several reasons but the 2 primary ones are because internal power filters are not made to work under the kinds of pressures and stresses that making it pump water out of the aquarium to the chiller, which is more than likely on the floor, through the resistance of a chiller and then back up again would put on it. They are designed with very small motors to very simply pull water in through the bottom and out the top. The added stress would cause the filter to work much harder and in turn heat the water to a greater degree which rather defeats the purpose.
AND 2nd one is with such a weak pump doing the work you run the risk of the water flowing too slowly through the chiller which can lead to the lines freezing which not only can damage the very expensive chiller but also the other equipment you have attached to it.

To overcome either of these to any degree would require a filter that is much larger than required for the tank which depending on the brand can cost you the best part of $100 anyway and you would still need to replace it sooner than you would expect too under normal circumstances because it's working so hard all the time.

Yes an external would still work harder than it normally would with a chiller inline but they are built to cope with it much better.

 

[Blaze]

Or you buy one thats got a fast litreage per hour. Mine goes down a metre, through the chiller and back up a metre and I have to buffer it with a sponge. There are ways around it, theres no standard way to do it.