Tank setup advice?

[DeCypher]

I am getting all ready for my juvenile leucistic Axolotl, which will be here in a week. I am probably stressing out about this tank more than I should, but I want to do a good job with this. I've got a water Wisteria and a Giant Hygrophila in there, along with a couple small rocks. I got a Duetto 100 filter going, and the tank is all cycled. The tank is bare-bottomed.

~Any good ideas for little hiding spots for the Axie?

~Any tips on making a good setup? (I looked at all the aquatic setups on Caudata Culture and I just don't understand how you can make it look so beautiful, yet keep it so clean!)

 

[dragonlady]

Small rocks? How small? Keep in mind that if the rock is not larger than the axie's head, he could attempt to swallow it.

Hides - I use pvc pipes camouflaged by fake plants. Some put silicone on these pipes and roll them in sand too. Fake logs or caves found online or in most aquatic/reptile sections of pet shops are nice too. Just make sure whatever you choose to use does not have any jagged edges.

You mentioned having plants - if these plants are in pots, you may want to check them for plant fertilizer in the packing - this can damage your water chemistry and potentially your axolotl.

Spot cleaning at least semi daily with weekly vacuuming keeps a tank looking pretty decent. Check out some members' albums on their profile pages to get more ideas...

Good luck! Of course, we all look forward to seeing your pics!

 

[DeCypher]

The rocks are not small enough to be ingested. I am unsure about the plants and whether they use fertilizer or not. When I bought them, they had the plants with a group of fish and the fish looked alright. I will most certainly check out some photo albums.

~I will post pics once I get it all set up~