Sand settling

[shanna1010]

I am currently in the process of upgrading my axolotls tank(and looking for a tank mate for him)...I bought fine sand, washed it, put it in the tank and filled it last night and I'm just wondering how long I should wait before adding my axolotl(aka Mudkip.) and how long it will take for the sand to settle..
heres a picture of the new tank..pre water being added

 

[lollypop]

Did they have a cycled filter in the old tank? If so you can move it into the new tank, (running alongside any new filter) and it should cope as it will be dealing with the same amount of waste, then you can either leave it running so you always have one ( ie for a qt tank for the new axi, or for use in a hospital tank.
As any new comers should be qt,ed away from yours for at least a month, (I have made that mistake before, and ended up loosing, both the new axi, and one that I had had for a while

 

[shanna1010]

i feel like a tool but i'm fairly new to this whole cycling thing..we just put in some of the rocks from his old tank and some plants will be put in too but they've only been in the old tank a few hours...I'll probly also add some of the old water...but as for a cycled filter....i have the filter we've been using on the old tank thats what I was going to use for this one...is that sufficient? and how long should I wait to add him

 

[lollypop]

So, I presume it's all newish, in witch case you won't have a cycled filter? So you either will need a liquid test for ammonia (pref a master test kit so you can really see what's going on, but you can get them in bits, more expensive in the long run though, oh and the strips are next to useless ) and be prepared to test and water change everyday, as although you want no ammonia, you (if you have animals in your tank) want to keep it under 1 ppm. That will cycle with pet in. If you have plenty of time (ie not getting any pet for a month or so) you can fish less cycle.

I am (again presuming, ) that you have one axi already, but not for that long, so it will be the first option. Ie, having him cycle your tank,? In witch case, still use old and new filter (as the process would at least be a little more advanced in the filter it has now) put them in the larger tank as soon as the Sand settles. (can be any where from a couple of hours to a couple of days depending on how well you washed it first)
As a larger volume of water will dilute more waste.

(if any of that makes no sense you will have to excuse me, dosed on pain meds )

 

[shanna1010]

soooo I can put him in as soon as it settles and just use the old filter? i read that as long as i change some of the water daily as well it should be all right?

 

[lollypop]

Yep ::happy: you want to probably aim to change 20% a day, and like I said test daily if possible. As you will get a large ammonia spike at some point and will want to increase the amount you change. You also want to keep an eye on the nitrite and nitrate.
There are plenty of old posts that will give you all the info you need.
Good luck

 

[shanna1010]

ok thanks for the help. we got him in today..As for testing for amonia...we never did that with the old tank and he seemed to be fine...we don't have any live plants..i don't know if that makes a difference?

 

[lollypop]

The problem is with not testing (and there are people who never have) you have to be religious with a daily water change, and then when you get a large spike of ammonia (as is the nature usually of the cycling process) by testing, you know when it happens and can do larger water changes to compensate, otherwise, the only way you know your having a spike is because your pet either starts acting funny, or dies, the process can take weeks to months to acutely happen. So for the price of £10 for a single ammonia test that will test the water every day for months ( or there is an ammonia alert thing you can get to stick inside your tank, but I'm not sure if it works after its alerted once) it seems like a easy solution to me.

I have had to start some new filters from scratch, and as there little I have only been able to add a little media from established filters, so I got new tests, just in case mine didn't work any more (had had them about a year) it also helps you know that you have done your best for your pets.

But like I say,that's my opinion.