Fungus and cycling tank

[Phoebe]

I tested it again today. Its higher now ammonia is 0.3 rather than about 0.2. aaaahhh.

x p x

[kapo]

Phoebe, I've moved your posts to a separate thread so it makes it easier to deal with any problems you may be having.

As for your ammonia, that does sound normal in your tank. You haven't mentioned nitrites? This is important to test for as well. In a cycling tank the ammonia increases (which yours is doing) and then reaches a peak and nitrites start to develop (so you need to test for that); ammonia will then start to drop as nitrites increase - all entirely normal. Nitrites will continue to increase until it too peaks, ammonia will by then have dropped back to 0, then you should notice that NitrAtes will appear and start increasing as NitrItes starts dropping back towards 0.

It takes a lot of time and patience, as you may have noticed, - as long as you're testing and waterchanging same day it will keep things relatively safe for your axies!

If it's easier for you to maintain - maybe just remove your axolotls from the tank and let it cycle - no waterchanges and just monitor the tank. Place your axolotls in one of those large plastic storage containers on wheels and do daily waterchanges. Either way you'll be doing testing and waterchanges so it's up to you whatever works easiest.

[Phoebe]

Yea I did have them in one of those tubs but they seemed like they always wanted out so i popped them back in the main tank. Thanks for the info, its good to know that eventually ammonia and nitrites will decrease and, thanks for moving the posts :) I'll test for nitrites too today, will pop down the shop. Is there anything I can do to speed up the cycling process or is it best left to it? also I'm giving the axies salt baths for a fungal infection, most of it has gone apart from a couple of dots of it on their gills and bodies that wont seem to shift. Do you think I should slightly increase the salt? I'm currently doing 4 teaspoons for 2 litres.

x p x

[kapo]

No you can't speed the cycling any more than what you are doing, so don't buy anything if the petshop gives you advice on it - they invariably don't work and cause more problems .

As for saltbaths just continue what you're doing. Though, are you sure the dots aren't part of their colour (what type do you have); or are you able to post a picture of them?