Question: Setting up queries...

[Craigy]

My partner and I are setting up our tank for an axolotl. The tank has been set up for 3 and a bit days and we have our old filter and an ornament from our cold water tank in there to help grow bacteria etc. we have bought an api liquid test kit but it has not arrived yet (ebay) so we have been using the tetra 6 in 1 test strips....

Every time we test it says the nitrate is excessively high, done a 25% water change and a 50% one earlier today. But also our tropical tank has tested high for nitrate and that has been set up for almost 6 months with no deaths or health issues with the fish, so I don't know if it is the strips not working properly?

Few questions...

Could I use a bit of water from the tropical tank to help with bacterial growth in axolotl tank? I was just concerned with the treatments etc that are in the tropical tank being harmful to the axolotl.

We were planning to have the tank set up 6 weeks ago but family issues have prevented this so was only able to do it this week, only thing is a pet shop locally was holding a juvenile for us as cant find the, very often near us and we were meant to pick it up tomorrow!...can we still pick it up if we do a water change daily and then when the api test kit comes; test daily with that etc. or would it be too risky and dangerous?

Sorry for the long post!

 

[rdoyle225]

test strips are not really good they do go bad ect. They are hard to read and not tell you the right reading.

 

[Craigy]

Oh yeah I know that is why we have bought the Api master kit coming. The strips were just in the meantime. But thanks for reply.


Anyone any thoughts on getting the axolotl tomorrow?

 

[pookiewn]

If you have the same reading in an established tank, have you tried testing your tap water? If the tap water has high nitrates, put some fast growing floating plants into the tank (elodea, water lettuce, duckweed etc) they will help suck up the excess and look nice
Water from an established tank does little to encourage the cycle, but the old filter will help speed things up.
You can keep your axie in a tub with fresh water changes every day until you know their tank is ready for them. You should bring your axie home