Setting up first sand tank - is the kicked up sand a problem?

[DZhessika]

Hi guys,

I'm in the process of cycling my first sand tank for my two baby axies. The water is pretty much as healthy as possible now, and I've done all my decorating!

The problem I have is - Every thing I go to alter something in the tank, ie their food bowl or some of the decorative rocks, it keeps up a load of the sand in the tank and causes the water to become unsettled and filled with sand once again, and it takes a while to settle down. I was just curious as to whether this is dangerous for axolotls when they're in the tank? Because I don't want to be causing them any stress every time i need to clean out their food bowl or whatever!

thanks in advance!

 

[Swag]

At most it will mildly perturb them due to lack of vision.

 

[LSuzuki]

The sand won't bother the axolotls, but might bother the filter if it gets sucked in. (I ruined a HOB filter that way, I believe.)

How big are the babies? Usually, sand isn't recommended until they are, like, 5".

 

[keiko]

I agree with everything that LSuzuki said.

Just wanted to make sure you really know what cycling the tank means? When you say you're in the process of cycling your tank and next you say the water is pretty much as healthy as possible, it just sounded a bit off so I thought I'd ask. Don't mean to be rude, but a lot of people don't really know and end up in trouble because of that.

 

[DZhessika]

I agree with everything that LSuzuki said.

Just wanted to make sure you really know what cycling the tank means? When you say you're in the process of cycling your tank and next you say the water is pretty much as healthy as possible, it just sounded a bit off so I thought I'd ask. Don't mean to be rude, but a lot of people don't really know and end up in trouble because of that.

Have had it running for about 4 weeks now, and have done regular ammonia and nitrate tests! I followed the best instructions I could find and have been regularly adding small amounts of fish food as well as bacteria starter and I have some live plants in there in the hope they'd help as well. I have basically been testing and waiting for nitrates, and now when I test there's very small amounts and it's only dropping so I'm assuming that's a good thing and that it's nearly ready and should be in the next couple of weeks??

The babies are about 3-4" long at the moment and they're in a bare bottom tank!