Question: When is my tank ok?

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JealousVixy

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Hi :) I'm just wondering about a few things such as optimum tank perimeters. A little while ago (say 2 moths?) my new 4 ft tank with two 15cm axolotls in it had an accident and the biofilter completely collapsed. i was away for a weekend and there was a blackout and the filters weren't on for two days. the nitrites and ammonia shot up and i had to move them into plastic tubs doing 100% water changes daily. since then they are still in the tubs, and i have been doing 30% weekly changes on the big tank. the axys are starting to get a bit restless in the tubs as they like their big spaces in the tank and i was just wondering when it's safe to put them back in. the readings are:
ammonia - 0.25
nitrite - 0.00
nitrate - 15
pH - around 8
as well as the other levels, im concerned about the pH, which i know is a bit high. so if i purchased some driftwood would that bring it down? and what would it do to the other levels? and if i wanted to add some plants is now an appropriate time?
thanks and i appreciate your time :)
 
JealousVixy said:
Hi :) I'm just wondering about a few things such as optimum tank perimeters. A little while ago (say 2 moths?) my new 4 ft tank with two 15cm axolotls in it had an accident and the biofilter completely collapsed. i was away for a weekend and there was a blackout and the filters weren't on for two days. the nitrites and ammonia shot up and i had to move them into plastic tubs doing 100% water changes daily. since then they are still in the tubs, and i have been doing 30% weekly changes on the big tank. the axys are starting to get a bit restless in the tubs as they like their big spaces in the tank and i was just wondering when it's safe to put them back in. the readings are:
ammonia - 0.25
nitrite - 0.00
nitrate - 15
pH - around 8
as well as the other levels, im concerned about the pH, which i know is a bit high. so if i purchased some driftwood would that bring it down? and what would it do to the other levels? and if i wanted to add some plants is now an appropriate time?
thanks and i appreciate your time :)
Click to expand...

With a reading of ammonia and no nitrites it doesn't look like its started to cycleyet. What are you using as an ammonia source? Poop? Straight ammonia?

Driftwood will lower it slightly, try to avoid using any chemicals to bring pH down. Driftwood doesn't afect ammonia, nitrites or nitrates anyway. You can add plants in if you like but I would recommend adding them AFTER your cycle has completed so they don't get damaged or absorb too many of the chemicals (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates) you need to help your tank get along.
 
my ammonia source is poop ;P so how long do you think at an estimate are we looking at until the tank is cycled? if it hasnt even started yet it sounds like it's got a long while to go :/

cool. i might go and add some driftwood then :)
and thanks for the reply
 
If there's nothing living in the tank you can add straight ammonia at higher dosages to help it.
 
If you're doing 30% water changes and still have a nitrate reading of 15 I'd say your tank is well on its way on getting the cycle ready. You just need to get a bit more of the bacteria that gets rid of the ammonia. Especially if you used the old filter media it's possible that some of the bacteria managed to stay alive and you might not see a nitrite spike. You can add some ammonia to check your cycle as long as there aren't any animals in your tank.

Btw keep in mind that drift wood also affects the water hardness.
 
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