cleaning tank..etc.

hi,
i'm new here and i've posted a couple other threads. i should be getting my axies in a few days. i was just wondering a few more things:

1. right now i have large gravel but i've read on here several times that i should replace it with sand. i'm hesitant to do so because for one i paid $18 for the bag of gravel. for two, i'm not sure how i would go about doing that. i have the tank filled, flowing and set up. what would i have to do to exchange the gravel for the sand? would i fish out the gravel and pour the sand in the tank with water in?

2. for doing the 20% water exchange, how often do i do it? and do i do it while the axies are in the tank?

thanks!

Re: cleaning tank..ect.

Hello Brella,
I know it's a real pain to have to change your gravel for sand, but it is really the best option, other than a bare bottomed tank. Even if you have large size gravel, sand is a lot easier to keep clean as all the muck sits on top of the sand, with gravel it all creeps underneath. I assume you have already read the cheapest and easiest option is to buy children's play sand. This needs to be washed well in a bucket, or similar, until the water runs clear and yes, the only way to really change your gravel is to scoop it all out and replace with the sand. You can leave the water in your tank to do this but I assume your tank is still cycling so it wouldn't really make a lot of difference if you took the majority of the water out to make it easier to work in your tank (correct me if I'm wrong someone).
Talking of the water, you mentioned about 20% water changes, is this because you're cycling the tank? If so, the 20% change needs to be done every day, this is to dilute the ammonia in the tank and it will be no problem to do this with your axies in the tank, just make sure it's dechlorinated water you are putting back in.
There are lots of details involved with looking after axolotls especially with water quality, I haven't gone into much detail here but there is loads of information on the axolotl forum and here on the boards.
Welcome to the world of axolotls! Kerry.

Hi Brella,

I would probably remove the water (or at least, most of it) and put it in buckets, then take out the gravel and replace with sand. If your tank is cycling, it will probably slow down the process to do it this way but either way I think cycling will be disrupted due to the replacement of the substrate. But yea, it is good you are removing the gravel as it can be quite harmful to axolotls.

Your other alternative is to use a bare floor, and that way you'd just have to remove the gravel and not have to worry about the sand.

The 20% water changes are done each day that the ammonia or nitrite reads above 0. Here is an article that explains the cycling process http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/cyclingEDK.shtml. Once your tank is cycled you can do 20% water changes each week.

Anyway, welcome to the forum and good luck with your axies

Wouldn't it be ok to put the sand over the gravel?

ryan3640 said:

Wouldn't it be ok to put the sand over the gravel?

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I would say no. This would be a nightmare for cleaning. When cleaning the sand the gravel can work it's way to the top and find its way into an axolotl's stomach.

Also, axolotl's are the masters at snuffling through substrate to see what they can find and they could find the gravel.

Yea what Havelock said 100%. My axolotl has dug up everything in the tank, and there are even little bare patches in the sand where he has been digging holes Also when he is hunting pellets on the ground he will gulp up a lot of sand too, so it is possible that when eating your axolotl will accidentally eat some.

The other reason is, is that when you have sand, you need to stir it up a bit each week you clean so that it exposes any hidden waste and also stops gas pockets building up underneath. If you have gravel under it, you will always be stirring up the gravel.

I know it is a pain to change substrates so I can sympathise! But your axie will be a lot happier with sand or a bare floor