New filter!! What should I do ? Recycle?

Hi,
I recently got a new axolotl. As advised by an aquatics shop I waited 48hours with the tank set up and the filter running before adding tetra safe start followed by my little axolotl a few hours later. I had what appeared to be a bacteria bloom, but despite this the water tested within normal limits. The water has now cleared after 5 days of him being in there.
I’ve put various plants in front of the filter to try and prevent a current. However he has recently began to hide at the back behind an ornament (unless he is hungry) and his gills are curled forward, I’m worried this is due to the current caused by the filter. I currently use a internal filter( advised by the aquatics shop). I plan on getting a new filter.
Any specific filters you would recommend ? I’m not too keen on the idea of a sponge filter. What’s the best way to make this change ? Do I add more safe start or leave the old filter in the tank while the new one is running ? I am going to get the water rechecked in the morning just incase this is the issue.
Thanks
Ash

... so I’ve got the water tested and all is fine except from the ph is very slightly off. I’ve decided to just get a sponge filter, perhaps get some moss balls and do weekly water changes. I will leave the current filter off until then but In the water still. When I add the new filter and take out the old I’m thinking of adding more safe start ? What are people’s opinions on this ?
Thank you

If your tank has not cycled and the axie is in the tank you will need to do more regular water changes than weekly.
Are you testing the water each day?
I use a bathroom shelf to stop the current from the filter. Works a treat. It is now covered in moss so it blends in better.

I used safe start to speed up the cycle. Tested the water the day after he was in (Wednesday) and water was fine and tested again today and is still fine. I tried turning off the filter today for several hours but when I’ve come back in his gills are still curved forward!? I’ve ordered a sponge filter but waiting for it to arrive .
I’ve attached some pictures of him with his gills forward . Unless I’m just over reacting!
(Excuse his waste on the sand he is due a vacuum this evening).
Only thing I haven’t checked is the temperature !! I’m on that now .....

ArwenX7 said:

If your tank has not cycled and the axie is in the tank you will need to do more regular water changes than weekly.
Are you testing the water each day?
I use a bathroom shelf to stop the current from the filter. Works a treat. It is now covered in moss so it blends in better.

Click to expand...

FANTASTIC idea.

48hrs is probably not enough time for the tank to cycle even when adding things to get it along. What were the exact pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels? Cycling can take from a couple of weeks to months to get through. I'm happy to pass along more cycling information if you need it, pet stores often give out the wrong information sadly. If it isn't cycled (or when you add the new filter) you may want to tub your little axie to avoid any stress. It can be done with the axie in the tank as well, but that requires more water changes and the cycle will take longer.
To minimise flow you can tie some filter sponge to the outlet. That's always worked for me. I would recommend getting a hang on back filter as the internal ones do generate heat which is bad for the little axie. The brand I am using is aquaclear, and it works really well. I do have some sponge on the output as it sits around 20 cm higher than my water level and creates a current. Sponge filters are great for axies, though I use one in addition to my hang on back so I am getting chemical, mechanical and biological filtration. Plants will help a lot with cycling so if you can have them that's great! What size is your tank?
The curling you are seeing is possibly both water current and parameters (once you post the results we will know more).

Hi,
I don’t know the exact parameters, I took the water into a shop both times and was just told everything was fine. Yesterday I was told the ph was very slightly raised but not enough to cause an issue and to just do a water change (which I did). I could ask them the specific readings ?
So the internal filter I currently have has a spray bar at the top to disperse the flow, although as his gills are forward I therefore think it’s still too much. I could attached sponge to the outlet and see what happens and cancel the sponge filter ?
Do you think a sponge filter alone is not sufficient ? Even with moss balls etc

I would definitely appreciate more information on cycling as I want to get it right.
The axolotl in the tank actually belongs to a family member and I’m just looking after him until their tank is set up properly. Him and my axolotl were originally in seperate tubs as they were different sizes when we got them and when I was told the tank was ok the only reason he was put in the tank first was he was the larger one. My axolotl is still in a tub having daily water changes, but the plan was to put her into the tank when he moves out of it to his permenant home. It is therefore possible for me to continue with her in the tub but I don’t really want her in the tub for 6-8 weeks.
Also the temperature of the water is 19/20 degrees celcius, surely this isn’t high enough to be the cause ?
Oh and my tank is just over 2 ft, it’s not filled to the top but still has around 52 litres in.
Thanks
Ash

pH isn't usually too much of an issue, but higher readings can make ammonia more harmful so it is always good to monitor it.
If you can get the exact results it would help a lot. I would recommend buying a test kit for yourself, the API master test kit is great! In a cycled tank you want to test water weekly, more often in a cycling tank.
A sponge filter may be enough for a tank of that size, and lots of people will use it alone. However it is only a biological filter so I would use another filter. If you can disperse the output on the internal filter it'll give better filtration than the sponge filter alone. 19/20 degrees is slightly too high in the long run so if you have a small fan/aquarium fan that should drop it perfectly.
Good to keep the two separate if they are different sizes, so keep yours in a tub at least until the other has gone to its tank. Do you know when it is going home?
Here's a link with different kinds of filtration if you want more info on that http://homeaquaria.com/aquarium-filter-types/
Add the safe start as per instructions on the bottle. Having the axolotl in the tank will provide the ammonia source so you don't need to add extra food. To keep the axie in the tank happy change maybe 20% every 2-3 days. More or less often depending on the water parameters (which is why owning a test kit is helpful).
This link describes the nitrogen cycle fairly well (probably better than I can) so give that a read https://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm
Hope that helps! If you have more questions ask away

I’ll take a water sample in the morning, get the exact parameters and post them.
He should be going to his permenant home towards the end of the week.When I got in from work today, he seemed a lot happier. I’ve had the filter on really low since last night as I worried having it off would ruin the bacteria and mean he didn’t have much oxygen, I also did a water change last night so could be either. On low the filter doesn’t look like it will work efficiently, so will try adding sponge before just going and getting a new filter.
Say I do get a new filter, I’d have to add safe start again and my cycle would started again right ?
I was considering getting a home testing kit, so if I was doing water changes every few days I can could gauge how well it’s going.
Once the tank is fully cycled, how often would you expect to do a water change ?

Thanks for the links.

Got the water tested today ......
Ammonia- 1.0 ppm
Nitrite- 0 ppm
Nitrate- 20 ppm
Ph- 7.0

If you got a new filter it would need to be cycled again, but there would already be beneficial bacteria on ornaments in the tank so it will go through faster. You can also add some of the filter media from the internal one to speed it up even more. It wouldn't hurt to add the safe start with a new filter as well. Another option is running both filters at the same time so you aren't losing any bacteria while the new one is setting up.
In a cycled tank I do around 20% a week. I'll test the water right before doing the water change to determine what % to do.
The ammonia seems to be the problem you are having. It's great that you have nitrates, the ammonia should get eaten up fairly quickly. It is high for an axie so do small daily water changes and keep your one out of the tank until ammonia is 0.
Once you get an at home test kit see what levels your tap water has (or whatever your water source is). This gives a basis on what is going in your tank. My tap water has 0.25ppm of ammonia which is annoying, but I use seachem prime as a dechlorinator which means the ammonia wont be toxic to my axie.