Question: Do you really need to Cycle a Tank

I know how to do it but is actually necessary for axolotls?

I too am wondering. Thank you for bringing this up ChristianV! -Seth

I'm still new to this, but from what I understand axies are pretty sensitive and can get very sick very quickly if you don't keep you tank cycled and the parameters at safe levels. If you're going to have an axolotl, I wouldn't take the risk of not cycling. It just seems like a huge waste of money and time to spend on it for it to die.

Well, in theory, you could keep an axolotl in an uncycled tank rather happily. I believe there was someone on this forum from Japan that managed to keep several happy, healthy axolotls in a 10 gallon tank with water changed daily. However, I don't know how it was managed, and she never left any tutorials on it, as far as I know.

So, basically, if you're willing to put the effort into changing ALL of the water in an axolotl's tank EVERY day, you can go ahead and give it a try. Personally, I don't think it would be worth the hassle. I dunno about you, but I would go crazy having to change 10 gallons of water EVERY day, having to clean the decorations EVERY week, and having to stress the axolotl out EVERY day with tossing it between the tank and a container. In the long run, it would just make the poor axolotl very upset. They're very sensitive animals when it comes to water conditions and things like that.

My local fish lady tried to tell me that I don't have to cycle or even change water daily, just add 'conditioner' and the axie will live forever. It's no wonder my friends axie died - she purchased hers from the same woman and didn't research it first.
I personally believe in cycling - natural treatment over chemical any day :happy:

I believe cycling your tank is better, but I've go uncycled tanks for different kinds of larvae which contain a lot of live plants (most of it Eleodea) and snails. The only thing I have to do is siphon the dirt from the bare bottom and replace the vaporised water. Checking your parameters is something I don't do quite often. The test strips are based on the recuirements of fish. The only thing I find very important to check are the levels of ammonia/nitrates.

Keep in mind that almost everywhere in The Netherlands tap water is won through natural filtering and that it does contain such low quantities of chemicals that it doesn't need to be treated. The hardness is pretty high though.

It´s not strictly necessary but it is advisable. You can keep animals in uncycled tanks, it just means that you need alternative ways to control nitrogen compound production. One of those ways is to change most/all the water frequently enough that no significant build up is allowed (this works if you are consistent, but it is a precarious situation and it can go wrong if mistakes are made). The other is to substitute bacterial activity by plant activity. Plants will control nitrogen compounds if in sufficient quantity relative to compound production and they can be very effective at it too. I have had, because of circumstance, to put my animals in completely new tanks, no cycling, no aging, nothing. It worked because i always have my tanks filled to the brim with plants. It does require frequent, partial water changes and trying to make sure there aren´t too many left overs and such, at least until enough time has passed that the tank becomes fully cycled anyway at which point one can relax a little more.

So in short, not strictly necessary, no, but definitely more stable, far less labour intensive and much less precarious.

Re: Do you really have to need to Cycle a Tank

Hi, I have a tank that isn't cycled

I do a water change every 14 days and I use conditioner. I also have to check the water constantly.

I recommend cycling however if you don't want to that is what I do


Just so you know I have a happy and healthy axe ��

Re: Do you really have to need to Cycle a Tank

narny101 said:

Hi, I have a tank that isn't cycled

I do a water change every 14 days and I use conditioner. I also have to check the water constantly.

I recommend cycling however if you don't want to that is what I do


Just so you know I have a happy and healthy axe ��

Click to expand...

Even when a tank IS cycled you should really be doing a weekly water change, unless you have millions of plants or a super large tank(which most people dont), when your tank isnt cycled, you should be doing partial daily water changes to stop the levels being toxic, unless like ive said you have a really large tank or lots of plants.
Part of the reason we change the water is to replace any minerals that have been lost in the tank, to keep your axie healthy.
Cycling a tank saves a lot of stress and problems when keeping an axie

You don't need a large tank. I've got a few tanks (60x30x30cm) who haven't had a water change for more than two years with T.dobrogicus and T.verrucosus, only a refill of vaporised water. I'm feeding them 5 times a week and the nitrate/ammonia levels remain in check. When your plants are outcompeting the algae it's a good sighn that your tank is starting to get in balance. You need fast growing plants which can filter a lot of nitrates though, like Eleodea. I believe that you really need (a lot of) snails as well.

Niels, but your system (and mine ) works, and it really does, if the tank is cycled. Uncycled tanks can´t be expected to be nearly as stable even with plants filling every square centimetre.
I agree that snails, shrimp and other detritivores/scavengers make a great big difference.