Sand v's bare bottom

[racheljritchie]

Hi I currently have my Axys in a 3.5ft tank (barebottom) with plants and moss balls and hides etc. I don't use a filter in my tank as the several I have used have just upset my axy's. I do water changes obviously and have had water checked (no problems)

I have been looking at other peoples tanks with sand as substrate and they just look nicer. can you use sand substrate without using a filter or will I be best off sticking with bare bottom that I have had for 2.5 years??

Thanks in advance

 

[layna]

Have you tried a sponge filter? ive used a sponge and internal filter although my internal one has a rubber tube thing so the water flow only comes out the end of the little tube
I much prefer sand over no substrate, i find its easier to clean and looks nicer

 

[HowToAxolotl]

I am new to Axies and had the same question... I am leaning towards sand substrate, but I might use some sort of slate/tile bottom!

 

[layna]

The only thing with a slate/tile bottom is you should silicone it in place with no gaps as waste can very easily get stuck between/underneath it and then you have to take it all out to clean :O

 

[racheljritchie]

Have you tried a sponge filter? ive used a sponge and internal filter although my internal one has a rubber tube thing so the water flow only comes out the end of the little tube
I much prefer sand over no substrate, i find its easier to clean and looks nicer

Hi i have googled it and i can see images and people selling them but how does it work? is there no water flow?

 

[layna]

On a sponge filter?
You need an air pump and you just put the air pump in it and the bubbles pull it through the filter and when they bubble out the top, it goes back into the water and oxygenates the water
I can take a picture of mine if you would like?

 

[racheljritchie]

On a sponge filter?
You need an air pump and you just put the air pump in it and the bubbles pull it through the filter and when they bubble out the top, it goes back into the water and oxygenates the water
I can take a picture of mine if you would like?

yes please. just an air pump like you would use for an air stone? (i have one of these already)

 

[layna]

Yes just one for an air stone
The pictures arent great but you can see the air pump goes down the little tube and then your set.
The only problem with them is there a bit noisy if your a light sleeper, however the last pic shows an internal filter and mine doesnt make a sound so they are another option. I know you have said youve tried and it upset your axies but did you have a spray bar or a rubber tube to direct the water flow? mine just aims at the water surface and they sit under it

 

[racheljritchie]

Yes just one for an air stone
The pictures arent great but you can see the air pump goes down the little tube and then your set.
The only problem with them is there a bit noisy if your a light sleeper, however the last pic shows an internal filter and mine doesnt make a sound so they are another option. I know you have said youve tried and it upset your axies but did you have a spray bar or a rubber tube to direct the water flow? mine just aims at the water surface and they sit under it
View attachment 30204 View attachment 30205 View attachment 30206

Yes i tried spray bar, i had a small filter thinking it would be less powerful, i had one with a moveable spray head so i tried it in all directions, i also positioned it so it bounced off rock caves etc they just seem to get upset with it? i had axolotls years ago who i had to rehome and they had a small 'elite stingray' pump i think it was called and they were fine with that.. tried the same filer with my two i have now and they just become really erratic and stop eating.

how do you clean your tank with the sand in? currently i have a hand pump which i use which sucks everything up (i use a turkey baster for random poop clean up between cleanouts) i am assuming my hand pump woulod just suck up the sand? my two tend to make a mess with their poo unless i catch it straight away :errr:

Thanks

 

[layna]

Well with the sand you can see bits of dirt better so i just use a turkey baster and suck it up, i know people use a sort of hoover thing they run over the top of the sand, you could look into that?
Ive noticed though if you dont put the turkey baster in/too near the sand and more sort of hover over the top of the dirt, it just sucks the dirt up and not the sand
I had problems with bare bottom as the floor was always slimy and got dirty very easily :/
as for water flow ect, i tried a spray bar but it was still too powerful so i got a bit of rubber tubing, like the pic, and cut it about 4" and stuck it in the outflow hole (where the spray bar goes) and tucked the tube behind some plants pointing towards the water surface and it creates VERY little water flow, you could try this?