My water readings.

Ammonia = 0.25
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0
pH = 7.6
High pH = 7.8

Is this okay for a freshwater tank? If not, how to I make them better.. Thanks.

Hi Stef,

The tank looks as if it is still cycling.

Partial daily water changes will bring the ammonia levels down to acceptable levels until the tank completes the cycle which can take one to three months.

When Ammonia and Nitrite read at a consistant '0' and the Nitrate reads from 10-60 - this will give you an indication that the cycle is complete.

Axies are perfectly happy in a PH range of 6.5 to 9. Your PH range of 7.6-7.8 is ideal for axolotls and needs no improvement.

Cheers Jacq.

I recently removed a plastic fern from the tank, if that has anything to do with it?
Is my level of Nitrate bad? You said 10-60, but mine reads as 0...
Thanks for the other help Jacqy.

inkozana said:

I recently removed a plastic fern from the tank, if that has anything to do with it?
Is my level of Nitrate bad? You said 10-60, but mine reads as 0...
Thanks for the other help Jacqy.

Click to expand...

No, it's not bad at all.

The process of cycling has two sets of bacteria. The first group breaks the highly toxic Ammonia to the less toxic (but still dangerous) Nitrite. The second group of bacterias break the toxic Nitrite to the non toxic form Nitrate.

When the nitrate is between 10-60 this means the beneficial bacterias are doing their job of breaking down the Ammonia and Nitrite to Nitrate. It will take a while for the Nitrate to start to climb - it tends to occur more toward the end of the cycle.

While the tank is cycling, you need to be doing daily partial water changes to make the Ammonia and Nitrite levels acceptable for the axolotls living in the water while the tank is cycling.

When cycle is complete, these water changes need only be done about once a week.

If the Nitrate ever climbs above 60 (it may actually be 80 - but I'll plug for 60 ) then this is toxic and will need more frequent water changes to bring down to the safe levels 10 - 60.

Okay, so 20% daily water changes until the ammonia is down?

inkozana said:

Okay, so 20% daily water changes until the ammonia is down?

Click to expand...

That's right!

Throughout the cycling process the Ammonia and Nitrite are going to spike - this is unavoidable and necessary for the cycling to happen.

The axolotls are releasing the wastes (ammonia) that is needed to feed the bacterias. The idea of partial daily water changes is to keep these toxic levels down to acceptable levels for the axolotls that are living in this water while the tank is cycling.

I can't find Colin's poop in the tank - is he a ninja or something..

It disintegrates pretty quickly into a little pile of dust.