Water won't siphon out?

Mintee · Jun 4, 2010

Okay, so...
After my last full water change I forgot to cycle the tank (oops.) and went on vacation for about a week. I come back, the guppies were gone, and my axolotl tank just smells absolutely putrid. I have a normal water siphon (big bell attached to a tube), and no matter how many times I dip it in and out of the water, it won't suck it out! I'm not ready to start using my mouth yet, either.

I'm assuming my axolotl is probably sick, after sitting in that water for a week, and after feeding him a red worm today he dashed around his tank probably hitting his head on the rock. So should I fridge him for a few days?

Thanks,
- Rob

Shizeric · Jun 4, 2010

I think you would need to provide more informaiton to determine if friding is needed.

I use my mouth to start the siphon, just take your mouth off well before the water gets to the end.
If you really are against that method:
You have to ensure the entire bell and tube is full of water, plug the end where the water will come out with your finger, and once that plugged end is below the height of the bell, you are good to go.

Mintee · Jun 4, 2010

Thanks, the water is coming out now. And as another option, I have a second axolotl in another tank cycled and the other is healthy. Problem is, the other axolotl is about an inch or two smaller then the possibly sick one. Could I move the larger one in with it? Or is the other lotl too small?

ttamra · Jun 4, 2010

Another option for stubborn siphons, though kind of a hassle, is to plug the output end with your thumb and (if your siphon is small enough and your tank is big enough) submerge the whole thing in the tank. Wiggle it about a bit to get the air bubbles out and and then bring the plugged end out, put it in the bucket, and release your thumb. That's always been my fail-safe way of getting siphons started when they're not cooperating.

blueberlin · Jun 4, 2010

First, why would you put a possibly sick axolotl with a healthy one? The possibly sck one shoul be isolated until you know it is healthy.

Second, size difference can pose a problem. If the smaller one is roughly 1/3 smaller (not 1/3 the size of but one third smaller) than the larger one, you should not put them together.

-Eva

ted22 · Jun 4, 2010

If the siphons like mine that jams eveytime i use it there should be a small plastic valve at the bit where the hose meets the siphon that gets stuck! you either need to give it a whack or get something long n thin n poke it in the end of the siphon and try and un-jam the little plastic slidy bit it might be jammed open or closed but a nice firm knock on the table usually works. this is all providing ur siphon is like mine tho haha!

Mac Myers · Jun 4, 2010

I like that Ed.... That's what I do. If it doesn't work... try banging it on something.

ted22 · Jun 4, 2010

I have to use the same "give it a whack" technique to get my cd player working ive got that one nailed! sometimes its the only solution!

shoegal · Jun 4, 2010

Hi Rob,
How does your axie look? Have been able to set him up in a tank with fresh dechlorinated water? I really hope he recovers.

Leaving an uncycled tank untouched for a week with a living ceature inside is a disaster waiting to happen. I would imagine that the ammonia levels in that tank are through the roof. I hope the ammonia spike did not have a seriously detrimental effect on your axie's health.

Keep us posted on the situation, and best of luck!

Kaysie · Jun 4, 2010

Mac Myers said:
I like that Ed.... That's what I do. If it doesn't work... try banging it on something.

"Percussive Maintenance"

ttamra · Jun 4, 2010

ted22 said:
If the siphons like mine that jams eveytime i use it there should be a small plastic valve at the bit where the hose meets the siphon that gets stuck! you either need to give it a whack or get something long n thin n poke it in the end of the siphon and try and un-jam the little plastic slidy bit it might be jammed open or closed but a nice firm knock on the table usually works. this is all providing ur siphon is like mine tho haha!

Ah, mine are pretty basic/small so the submerging method works as a last resort. I've never had luck with the valve ones. For some reason, I could never shake them vigorously enough to get the them going. Maybe I should have tried whacking them like you!

Mintee · Jun 6, 2010

shoegal said:
Hi Rob,
How does your axie look? Have been able to set him up in a tank with fresh dechlorinated water? I really hope he recovers.

Leaving an uncycled tank untouched for a week with a living ceature inside is a disaster waiting to happen. I would imagine that the ammonia levels in that tank are through the roof. I hope the ammonia spike did not have a seriously detrimental effect on your axie's health.

Keep us posted on the situation, and best of luck!

Thanks for your concern,
The axolotl is doing well and the water doesn't smell now. I did another full water change and put the following into the tank:

Water Conditioner - Remove any chlorine/chloramines/heavy metals that could be in the water
BioBoost - Boosts nitrogen cylce
Easy Balance - Balance nitrate levels

If I should not use these the next time I do a water change, let me know. I use what the pet shop told me to, and I think we all know they can't be very trusting...

PS. I think it's obvious I finally got my siphon working. Thanks, Eric.

dragonlady · Jun 6, 2010

Personally, I would only use the water conditioner.

Bottled bacteria such as BioBoost and Easy Balance cannot really be trusted. Good bacteria needs oxygen and food in order to thrive. Sitting in a bottle for who knows how long cannot guarantee those two elements. So what you actually end up adding is anaerobic bacteria or bad bacteria. This bacteria will die when added to your well-oxygenated tank and what you effectively have is another ammonia source - totally unnecessary.

There can be short term benefits gained from using this stuff during the initial cycle, but you seriously run the risk of causing your cycle to crash later. The best way to jump start a cycle is to use filter media, ornaments, substrate, etc. from an established tank.

Keep your tank wastes managed and for water changes, just use clean, dechlorinated water and you should be fine. Glad you got your siphon working.

ted22 · Jun 6, 2010

Dragonlady is right if u even have to use that bottled stuff at all you should only use it on your first fill of the tank or so just to get the cycle kick started but like many people i have my doubts about the stuff cant figure out why a load of what is essentially just dead bacteria will help your water?

My flat mate used the bottled cycling bacteria with every weekly water change for about 6months and kept suffering major ammonia spikes killing all his fish and had problems with constantly hazy water (im guessin bacterial bloom) like a constant state of new tank syndrome, he stopped using it n a few water changes later it cleared up and parameters settled down so i definately think the bottled stuff was causing it, id say its completely unecessary in a cycled tank and maybe even unecessary at all!

Just water conditioner to remove the nasties should be all you need for an axolotl!

shoegal · Jun 6, 2010

I agree with Dragonlady and Ed. Water conditioner is all you need.

I take the advice of the employees at my local fish store with a giant grain of salt (ie. I ignore their typically ill-advised advice). The folks on this forum are a much more credible source of information.

I'm glad your little guy is resilient and survived your vacation. : )

Bellabelloo · Jun 7, 2010

Mintee said:
Okay, so...
After my last full water change I forgot to cycle the tank (oops.) and went on vacation for about a week. I come back, the guppies were gone, and my axolotl tank just smells absolutely putrid.

- Rob

Do you often do a full water change? If so your tank will not cycle. Have a look at the article below.

Caudata Culture Articles - Cycling

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