Urgent: Axolotl Tank cycling need help

[WilBor]

I have a 20 Gal tank set up a week ago with Sand Substrate, A Sponge filter, 3 hides, and 6 fake plants. I conidtion the water and added about 35 ml of Nutrafin Cycle yesterday AFTER i saw the readings.

I have recently gotten my hands on a master test kit and I found that the readings were quiet weird.
Ph was normal. 7.6
Ammonia: 1.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25ppm
Notrate: 5.0 ppm

Before I switched over to sand substrate and a sponge filter, I originally had Gravel and a submersible filter that was being cycled with 4 goldfish for a week and a half, it reached a point where there was a huge bacteria bloom. Though, I later found out that axies did not like a lot of current which was what my previous filter was providing and that they could inhale the gravel during feeding, knowing these facts I later switched onto sand and sponge. In this process I took out the gravel and filter and kept %15 of the old water and also relocated the goldfish to one of my spare 5gals.

Oh and I also ran the sponge filter in the old water for 30 minutes or so while I was getting the sand ready.

I have 3 Juvies from axolotl canada that are supposed to be shipped this coming monday, Should I put them on hold to avoid any risks? What is happening in my tank?

(i know 20 gal is not recommended for 3 but I plan to get a bigger tank as they grow. The tank is 30 inches wide and there are a lot of hides)

 

[AxolotlChris]

Looks like you are mid cycle.

Ammonia is converted to Nitrite, Nitrite is converted to Nitrate. As you have a reading of Nitrate there is a full cycle taking place. You need to wait for the cycle to be able to do a full conversion of Ammonia to Nitrate for the tank to be completely cycled. So once 2-4ppm of Ammonia can fully convert to Nitrate you should be good to go.

If you do receive your Axolotls before the cycle is completed, there shouldn't be much of an issue finishing the cycle using the Axolotls as long as you monitor your Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate daily and keep the Ammonia bellow 1ppm. The tank will cycle slower but it will cycle.

 

[WilBor]

What are the water change requirements if I have the axolotls in the tank in mid cycle?

 

[AxolotlChris]

If you had 1ppm of Ammonia in your tank after testing. You would need to figure out how much water you need to remove to drop the 1ppm of Ammonia to say 0.5ppm. So take out maybe 10-20% of the water and then test the water again to see how much lower the ppm of Ammonia is. Once you know how much water you need to take out to lower 1ppm to 0.5ppm your sorted. Though I would still test your water before and after the water change.

 

[WilBor]

Wont the ammonia increase when i introduce 3 juvie axies? Would i need to do water changes everyday?

I was also thinking of getting ghost shrimps to help with uneaten food, would that be okay?

Thank you!

 

[AxolotlChris]

The ammonia may increase, but if you test daily you can again remove enough water to lower the ammonia to a safe level

 

[WilBor]

What is the safe level and what is the deadly level?

 

[WilBor]

I have now one axolotl in the tank and the ammonia is at 0.50 ppm. I will check again tomorrow night if its gone up I will do a 25% water change and test again, If it doesnt go down should I do a much larger water change?