Preparing the tank

[fuzzymum1]

Hi, I'm new here and investigating the needs of axolotls. I have been fascinated by them for years but only recently realised you could keep them as pets! I have a spare 2ft tank (a fish box 60) at the moment and will be able to upgrade to a 3ft glass tank when my friend upgrades her turtles' tank in a few months

I have ordered some aquarium sand, dechlorinator, ornaments with hiding places in etc. I know the tank needs to establish before introducing axies and I was wondering if it would be a good or bad idea to take out one filter pad from my long-established coldwater fish tank and use that and one clean pad in the axolotl tank to introduce the good bacteria required. I haven't had issues with illness in the fish and haven't introduced any new fish in over a year. The tank has 1 goldfish, 3 danios, a rasbora a weather loach and a couple of white cloud minnows if that makes any difference.

I'm keen to get one/some axies ASAP but want to make sure the tank is properly ready for them and anything that will speed up that process is a bonus

Any tips for a newbie?

 

[ZoeT94]

Yeah you can indeed take the filter pads from the established tank, it should be fine!

Please don't say you ordered calci-sand or something similar, it's not good for axies. Most people use play sand or crazy sand..

Make sure all levels are around 0 when you get them, as nitrates and other levels are risky for them, as they have sensitive gills and organs and nitrates and stuff can burn them

 

[fuzzymum1]

Yeah you can indeed take the filter pads from the established tank, it should be fine!

That's good to know

Please don't say you ordered calci-sand or something similar, it's not good for axies.

I ordered this Sand Mix Aquarium Gravel 8kg by Pets at Home | Pets at Home
is it safe?

Most people use play sand or crazy sand..

Make sure all levels are around 0 when you get them, as nitrates and other levels are risky for them, as they have sensitive gills and organs and nitrates and stuff can burn them

I should have just bought play sand - it's much cheaper!

 

[Aaran]

That is a tad expensive, and i have heard its damn annoying to clean out, i got some playsand from asda for £2.80, really easy to clean and really pale too and you get 10kg instead of 8


be careful with your hides, make sure the axolotls can freely move through them without a problem, if they get stuck they can drown, also make sure there isnt any sharp edges as that can hurt them too,

The filter pads you can swap over and it should speed your cycling up tenfold. Make sure the flow isnt too strong for your axies though!

 

[ZoeT94]

I don't know if that sand is okay.. Check it isn't rough or course as axie's have very sensitive skin.

And yeah, play sand is pretty cheap, in Tesco it's currently reduced!!!

 

[fuzzymum1]

That is a tad expensive, and i have heard its damn annoying to clean out, i got some playsand from asda for £2.80, really easy to clean and really pale too and you get 10kg instead of 8

Maybe I'l take it back and buy play sand instead.

The filter pads you can swap over and it should speed your cycling up tenfold. Make sure the flow isnt too strong for your axies though!

What I plan to do it set it up with a good flow to get everything circulating then before the axies go in I will reduce the flow and/or put some stuff round the outflow from the filter to make a more still environment.

 

[Aaran]

Sounds good to me, and by taking it back your saving like £8,

and yeah that filter idea is fine, thought about a spray bar?

 

[fuzzymum1]

Sounds good to me, and by taking it back your saving like £8,

and yeah that filter idea is fine, thought about a spray bar?

I hadn't but thanks for the idea

 

[iChris]

thats a scandal for sand!

I got a 30KG bag of white play sand for $2.50 AUD from my local garden center. I'm not sure how much that is in your currency though.

 

[Aaran]

around £2.00 chris sterling is so weak atm.

 

[Gilly]

another thing that you may need to consider is how many axies is a max for your tank as you said that you want to introduce an axie/s. for a 2fter i would think 2 juvies would be around max? I am by no means anywhere near any of these guys for experience but having 2 in a small space is hard to control the ammonia levels as the **** so much
and mate 30kg for 2.50 awesome, i got play sand ages ago for another project htat ended up flopping so luckily i have it laying around already washed and been kepy inside and dry so no chance of any yucky fungus growing in it
but at bunnings its like 10 bucks for 25kg im pretty sure for all those guys in AUS