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Axolotl-in cycling not working?

thijazi59

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Have had my axolotl for about a month now, doing some cycling while he is in the tank since I got him (didn't know what cycling was before I got him, sadly). Been using the chemical API kit to test my parameters, and I don't think the tank is cycling. Either that, or something is wrong with my kit, maybe?

Anyway, here are the readings that have been consistent. I change about 30% of the water every 1 to 2 days.

pH: around 8 (which I know is high, but it's stable and my axie seems to like it), Ammonia: between 0.25 and 0.5, Nitrites: 0 (and have been 0 for weeks of testing), and Nitrates: 0 - 5

Hope someone has some reassuring answers.
 

Tye

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Cycling can take weeks I wouldn't be too worried.
Try not to let the ammonia build up past .25ppm. Even .25pmm is toxic but since I'm not sure if you have other options it'll have to do. Changing the water daily to keep ammonia down will also slow down the cycle as you're removing the food for the bacteria.

When the ammonia eating bacteria have colonized you'll notice a drop to 0.0ppm ammonia and then you'll start getting spikes of nitrites as the ammonia is now being converted over in steady amounts by the bacteria. (Some spikes can be as high as 2.0ppm within 12 hours of a 50%+ water change.) Then you'll have to wait another few weeks for the nitrite bacteria to colonize and convert the nitrites. Throughout the process I wouldn't be surprised to see nitrates appear in low to mid levels.
In tank cycling takes longer because of the amount of water changes you have to do to keep the animals inside safe. Don't be discouraged if it takes two months or longer. You should start seeing nitrites in another week or so.
 

thijazi59

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Thanks for the advice! Ive heard that cloudier water indicates spikes in ammonia and potential growth of algae. Is that true? Because my tank water has recently been getting a little cloudier, and I've been doing 30% water changes every day or two.
 

Kedreeva

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Cloudy water is usually a result of a bacterial bloom, when anaerobic bacteria levels rise. One of the typical major causes in fish tanks is due to overfeeding leaving excess food that becomes what the bacteria eat (it generates ammonia as it decays), but it can also be a part of the cycling process in general. If it doesn't clear up within a couple of days naturally, then you can figure it's not part of the cycle and can try adjusting other elements of care.
 
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