The tank is now set up - pics as promised!

Hey everyone

Thanks so much for all the advice - I've not been on here much recently, had the death of a beloved family member and have been preoccupied with that - funeral is on friday, so will be back on here and hassling people for tips more after then!

I haven't been doing any water tests recently (NO ONE PANIC, THERE'S NO CREATURES IN THE TANK YET!! It's been/is cycling), though I did do a 20% water change today and syphoned out all the dead leaves etc - will do a water text tomorrow, once the water is calm again, I think.

But as I said, give me a couple of days and I will be back in the game

Love Zoe x

Sorry to hear of your loss Zoe.

My condolences to you and your family during this sad time.

The tank looks awesome and all the information everyone has put on here is great. I am in the process of setting up a new tank and all of this thread has helped me prepare, although I am sure to ask heaps of questions too.

Take Care. x

Thanks Amy and Kerry, I appreciate your thoughts :happy:.

So, update on the tank and everything - my Nana had a stroke around a month ago and eventually passed away - for that month, I completely stopped monitoring the water levels and doing checks - don't worry, I would not have done this had the tank been occupied.

So, I did a test and was grizzley (yet not entirely surprised) to find that the ammoina level had gone up to 0.6 and nitrite is 0.1 - PH and nitrate are fine. I cleaned up all the gunk and debris from the tank, including removing one plant (which had died and blackened), scrubbing the stones and hidey holes and vigorously pruning the other plants - on a plus note, the plants have sprouted lots of new shoots, so I was able to be really militant and pull out any leaves that had a sign of weakness, as the new shoots more than compensate! I also did a 20% water change and have been checking the plants everyday, as they appear to be the only things in the tank that can decompose , so I'm trying to get them before they do.

However, did another test after 5 days and the amonia and nitrite levels are still the same...any ideas? The tank's been cycling for around 2 months now, so I'm a little concerned that I've done something wrong?

My plan is to keep up with the plant diligence and to do another water change - don't know if there's any additional things I could be doing?

Thanks x

Thought it was time for an update - - been sticking with the plan and keeping up with the water changes and pruning and am pleased to say that the tank looks great and the nitrite and ammonia are at ZERO!!!

The long, leafy plant in the middle has shot up shoots everywhere and is now threatening to overwhelm the tank :ufo:...(I know that little alien was not entirely appropriate for this context, but I just keep wanting to use it and it never seems like the right time).

Got some cute little moss balls in there now too.

So now, the tank is ready to become a home :happy:.

I am visiting my mother in Portugal in May and get back on 14th - from the 14th onwards, I am going to be axie hunting in the midlands.

If anyone knows of any petshops/dealers/people in the know in the midlands in UK, please let me know, I would be grateful.

Or in fact, anywhere in the uk (I don't want to order in).

X

Shirley aquatics did have some in at a decent size (4" or so).

And they do know what they're on about...I questioned them pretending I didn't have a clue and they answered every question perfectly. Just ask for the manager of the reptile department if you do go there.

I know there's a couple of places in Leeds too but that may be too far.

That mangrove root hidey is in a couple of our tanks at the PetSmart I work at. It's very nice.
And the log looks like the one we had in with the Mali Uromastyx.
But I love the rocks, where did you get them? Good luck on the hunt btw!

Hey

The rocks were just from a local aquatic shop - though it is in the UK, so may be a bit far for you to travel ...not that I can talk, was on holiday last week and kept finding all these great stones on the beach that I wanted to bring back - given that the weight of my suitcase was over already, I had to leave them in the end .

In regards to the axie, I actually aquired one around a month ago - he needed a new home and I was delighted to have him - he is a plump, little 10 month old leuicistic who I have named Petrie - there are some pics of him on this thread:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=61435

Also, as you can can see in the pics, I've rearranged the tank, added a big bit of driftwood (which Petrie always hided behind) and the plants have taken over!!

But thanks for the info anyway....and I don't think Leeds would neccessarily be too far away, particularly because Petrie might want a little wildtype brother one day...

Zoe x

I would love to know where you got the root tree thing. It looks fantastic.