Shifter died

jay_coward

jay_coward

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Yeppoon QLD
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Jay
Shifter died the other day because I was neglegent, I got lazy. I didn't change his tank water for a long time cause it was hard changing a 3ft tank with a 2L ice-cream container so I thought he'd be alright and i was wrong.

Because i got lazy my most favourite and oldest axie Shifter had to lose his only life. I hope everyone can learn from my mistake and look after your axies properly. Now that I've killed Shifter i'm paying extra attention to Beau to ensure her life is a long one.

I'm really really really sorry Shifter, I really am, I'm an Idiot. :(
 
Jay, sorry to hear that, don't you have a siphon or cut of hose pipe to siphon the water out and a couple of spare buckets? Much easier than the 2l icecream container!
 
I am so sorry to hear of your loss, I know from your previous threads how fond of him you where .
I think we all get complacement at times, I feel life is so busy that I have to allocate set times for some of my tasks. Saturday morning is my allocated time to do water changes, if its not done no one gets lunch ( my family are ruled by there tummies), so its in their interest that i get the job done.
 
Sorry for your loss, Jay.
 
jay_coward said:
I have a gravel cleaner, would that work
Click to expand...

Yes that would work. Keep a couple of buckets close by, our buckets only take 10litres of water, so we always use several buckets when we do siphon/waterchange our large tanks.
 
Thanks for you condolences everyone, I really appreciate it. :D

Kapo: I have a big bucket but it didn't fit into the tank because of the glass in the middle. I don't know how to use my gravel cleaner. I sucked on the hose (sounds disgusting but i didn't know how else to do it) and it sort of worked but I got a mouthfull that tasted really yuck. How do get the damn thing started.
 
The gravel cleaner, I put the large end in the water at first a few inches above the sand, and then suck. Mine has a transparent tube so I watch the waters progress VERY carefully , as soon as the water has reached just over half way I quickly put that end down to wards the bucket and hay preto it flows. Keeping that end in the bucket I then move the larger end at first a cm or so above the gravel and up comes bits of gunk. Alternate weeks a put it closer to the sand and stir it up a bit to get the finer bits out. If the water flows to quickly for you, attach some thing like a clothes peg to the tube ( I had a few!!) and you van use this a bit like valve to slow it down. Hope this makes some sense..haven't had my morning coffee yet.
 
Jay,
Sorry about the loss of Shifter.
Chris.
 
A better way to start a gravel cleaner is to submerge the entire tube in the water, and fill it up completely. Put your thumb over one end, and keep the other end in the water. Put the covered end into the bucket, and let go. Voila, siphon.

If you get a tube with a gravel attachment, you can use this to shift around the substrate and suck up the gunk.
 
Thanks guys, I'll give it ago. And thanks Chris I appreciate it. I'm slowly getting over his death.
 
Hi Jay.

Bummer,

Don't be too hard on yourself. Lifes about making mistakes and learning from them. The upside is you have some cool memories and a really valuable lesson learnt. But still really sad to hear about your loss.

I really like your honesty. Many would have just said their pet had died and not accepted any responsiblity.

Consistency is the key.

Good Luck

Click
 
Hi Jay

I use Kaysies method with our siphon/gravel cleaner, it's really easy. I used to suck the end and hope like hell I didn't get a mouthful, which unfortunately early on in our axolotl tank cleaning I used to get loads full (much to hubby's delight or disgust - ... but that's another matter :D) and probably lucky I have a cast iron gut and didn't get sick. My husband was quite smug when he eventually managed to teach me how to use this method (his words) successfully...
 
Hi Jay

Im sorry to hear that you lost Shifter

Thanks for the honesty, if nothing else, it can be a wake up call for us when we find ourselves feeling that tank cleaning can wait till the next day, or the next.

Sharron
 
Thanks Sharron and Click.
Kapo: My mum showed me how to use it. She puts the siphon part in and starts shaking it up and down and it just starts working like magic. We had the tank empty in no time. :D
 
Yes ours was meant to magically start as soon as you start shaking it up and down. Our axies got stressed/freaked everytime I did try that, hence the sucking method :D (so glad I do not do that anymore!), the other way is quieter and now I have the knack less stressful (to me I think more than the axies!)

Glad to hear you're getting the hang of it though!
 
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