Question: How do you remove the poop?

How do you remove the waste?

  • Siphoning

    Votes: 66 27.4%

  • Chopsticks

    Votes: 4 1.7%

  • Turkey Baster

    Votes: 134 55.6%

  • Hand-picked

    Votes: 5 2.1%

  • You don't

    Votes: 16 6.6%

  • Other methods.

    Votes: 16 6.6%
  • Total voters
    241
My three have great timing and always seem to go the day I change the water, so I use the wide end syphon to clear it aswell as remove water. For the other times when they aren't due a change, we have a giant spoon lol (obviously it's not for human use anymore)
 
I definitely use the siphon hose :) I dont know how others siphon, but I just suck at one end and have a bucket ready (actually use the wet vac bottom lol), I dont use the balloon thing, just easier. Sucks it right up!! I do need to get a turkey baster tho, I never remember while I am out.
 
hello, you should get a little net to scoop out the poop or leave it a get rid of it when you do a water change.
 
Cas said:
I have had a hard time finding a turkey baster which isnt going to cost me $20 here, I guess people in Australia just don't cook turkey's (I have to admit I've never eaten it).

I just use a bit of plastic tube about 10mm diameter and siphon it out. Cost me nothing as my dad had some at his work, but I've seen the same for a couple of dollars at the local hardware shop. You can get the siphons which have the huge head thing to clean gravel, just take off the column and use the tube part otherwise like you said the poop is too heavy as the column reduces suction.
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I have looked in over a dozen shops in my local area and haven't found a turkey baster yet either, I am close to consulting eBay but I would rather find one locally so I don't have to wait 3 weeks for delivery.

In the mean time I use a fish net to clear most of the gunk out. I swirl it around the tank to stir up everything off the floor and catch it with the net (works really well). I then use a gravel vac to clean the bits I have missed and replace the water.
 
Damn Aussie land and our lack of turkey eating folk!

I too have resorted to browsing ebay for a suitable turkey baster but find myself wondering if all of the tips are the same diameter?
 
Cheva said:
Damn Aussie land and our lack of turkey eating folk!

I too have resorted to browsing ebay for a suitable turkey baster but find myself wondering if all of the tips are the same diameter?
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My mum bought me one from a homeware shop at the local shopping centre. It's glass but only cost $5 so they are out there! Although I must admit that I hardly use it haha
 
Lol I can't really work out what they are normally used for and what we use instead. I am hoping to find one tonight in a danoz direct shop. Danoz always sell the little nifty kitchen items. Do you find it easy to use Jessicaanne or is that why you don't use it? I wonder about size of the tip also. It would have to quite wide to suck up their mess.
 
jeneral said:
Do you find it easy to use Jessicaanne or is that why you don't use it? I wonder about size of the tip also. It would have to quite wide to suck up their mess.
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It's okay for picking up leftover bloodworm etc but I would honestly rather use a siphon and do a 10L water change as a result. I agree, the tip on mine is rather small and poo definitely doesn't fit which is why I don't find it that handy. Perhaps in other countries they have different sizes but I have only seen the one size here in Australia.
 
Ahhh I was worried that might be the case. I have a big 4ft tank with an external filter. In theory I don't need to change the water because the filter is suppose to be really effective but Axies have a bigger output then fish so I like to chenge some water ever now and then. I was hoping for something I could do a spot clean with.
 
jeneral said:
Ahhh I was worried that might be the case. I have a big 4ft tank with an external filter. In theory I don't need to change the water because the filter is suppose to be really effective but Axies have a bigger output then fish so I like to chenge some water ever now and then. I was hoping for something I could do a spot clean with.
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You ALWAYS have to do water changes no matter what. All a filter will do is change what kind of wast product is in the water. Ammonia is the most toxic waste, but there's a bacteria that changes it into nitrites. Nitrites are still toxic however and there's another bacteria that changes it into nitrates. Nitrates are not nearly as toxic as the other two hence why its not the worst if you have high levels of nitrates. To get rid of nitrates you do WATER CHANGES. Also axies have a LESS output then fish. Since axolotls are in cold water they don't digest food nearly as fast as fish do which also means that fish excrete waste more often then axolotls do. If you use a turkey baster it would mean you would not have to do water changes as often, but you still have to do them!
 
Bdyoung said:
You ALWAYS have to do water changes no matter what. All a filter will do is change what kind of wast product is in the water. Ammonia is the most toxic waste, but there's a bacteria that changes it into nitrites. Nitrites are still toxic however and there's another bacteria that changes it into nitrates. Nitrates are not nearly as toxic as the other two hence why its not the worst if you have high levels of nitrates. To get rid of nitrates you do WATER CHANGES. Also axies have a LESS output then fish. Since axolotls are in cold water they don't digest food nearly as fast as fish do which also means that fish excrete waste more often then axolotls do. If you use a turkey baster it would mean you would not have to do water changes as often, but you still have to do them!
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I'm sorry if you misunderstood my post to mean that I bought the filter with the intention of never changing my water. When I bought the filter I was given the impression that the water would only need changing every 6 months. Perhaps the sales lady meant the filter material, not the water. Either way, I do a 30% water change every fortnight and clean any debris from the tank floor with my fish net at least twice a week. This is what I wanted a turkey baster for, so it is easier to clean the bits from the floor without moving the ornaments. As for the biological filtration, I test my water every week to ensure that the ammonia and nitrite are nil and the nitrate is less than 40ppm.

I didn't realise axolotls output was less. I know they poop less often but my 4 adults dirty the tank floor much quicker then my 20 goldfish do so that is what I was going by. Mind you mine have a habit of spitting their food back out a few hours after I have fed them so that is the main contributor to the waste in their tanks.
 
Just wanting to quietly thank this thread for motivating me to buy a turkey baster... BEST THING EVER!!


thank you thankyou
 
Ta-daaaaaah!
(in case you can't get a turkey baster)

I use this in between water changes, when I happen to notice some poop lying about. During water changes I siphon it out.

Big%20volume%20syringes_MG_1503_small.jpg
 
I'm now using a turkey baster. Before I was using a spoon.

I came home today to find axolotl poop on the ceiling of their pot. I wouldn't have guess they had glue like properties :rolleyes:
 
Turkey baster! :D ....CLEARLY marked for Axie poop only! :p
 
Tiffanymac said:
Turkey baster! :D ....CLEARLY marked for Axie poop only! :p
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Don't tell the local health department,
but my turkey baster takes care of both ends o_O it's a pooper scooper & also the source of food ;) it's kind of worshipped as the deliverer of worms!

It's kind of unhygienic though lol >_<



<3 >o_o< <3
 
Nikki71 said:
Don't tell the local health department,
but my turkey baster takes care of both ends o_O it's a pooper scooper & also the source of food ;) it's kind of worshipped as the deliverer of worms!

It's kind of unhygienic though lol >_<



<3 >o_o< <3
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LOL. Don't let your axies know!!!!
 
If you are in Australia you can get turkey basters for $2 at Hot Dollar. Or you can pay $11-$15 at a specialty kitchenware shop and it'll look more attractive.
 
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