No substrate?

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NaterPotater

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I know that it's an option, but is it a GOOD option to just have no substrate in an axolotl tank? I don't have an axolotl, at least not yet, but if I got one I think I would go with no substrate other than a few very large rocks. Does that tend to work out ok? I imagine it would be easier to stay clean and balanced in terms of pH, ammonia, etc.
 
YES! NO SUBSTRATE IS PERFECT. I started with river rocks and it was the worst substrate I can imagine, everything would get stuck under them and required intense cleaning all the time. I have sand now which is nice...but still if you don't get the poop right away they break it up and it all mixes together along with anything other than poop. No substrate just seems like the easiest and safest option as they do still ingest sand (even if they have a feeding bowl).
 
I personally think that sand makes for a much better looking tank, and is very much worth the extra upkeep as long as you stay on top of it and turn the sand over frequently. It can actually make your pH more stable but slightly higher since the sand can have ions that dissolve and buffer the water and make it incredibly difficult to change the pH safely. It is also easier to have live plants with a sand bottom which can help your tank be healthier. That being said, there are some great tanks that have been done without substrate, it just isn't my personal taste.
 
I have no plans for live plants, and I don't necessarily need fake plants either if I find some decent rocks/decorations to make it not just an empty tank. Ultimately, I want to have a simple setup that's pretty low maintenance. If I could I would use gravel with some aragonite (what I use for my fish), but I know that's not an option.
 
Three of my four aquatic setups are bare bottom. The reason the one isn't is because I wanted it to add a really natural look on that tank, which it does add in my opinion.
Bare bottom is simply so much easier to clean, and if you don't mind having a tank that doesn't look exactly like nature, it is the way to go.
 
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