Naturegirl7
New member
I need some tank cycling/ammonia spike advice please.
We adopted a young axlotl a week ago. I had the tank started only a week before we added him, but I was told he could safely "fish in cycle." The water has been cloudy and not improving so he got tubbed. I am trying to figure out the next step in cycling.
To set up the tank, I used Stability on our basically neutral well water, sand substrate, and a bunch of safe live plants (anubias and java ferns). We got a warm spell and the water started getting cloudy. It still tested fine, but I was using the strips and our local pet store testing. I added an air stone and ordered both a mesh lid and a tank cooler fan. Yesterday, we dumped about 30% and added fresh cold water because the temp went over 70. Used Stability with the water change. Lil dude was still happily swimming and exploring, eating (frozen blood worms and the occasional pellet), and pooping. He has grown since we brought him home last week.
Overnight, the cloudiness got worse and lil dude looked less happy this morning. So I immediately tubbed him. I brought our water to be tested yet again and got the API freshwater testing kit. What a difference in results!! Ammonia is way higher than they said (none to .25). I added Quick Start this morning and just tested everything again.
Here are the most recent values...
PH 7.8
Ammonia 1.0 (was 2.0 this morning!! How bad will this effect him? Should I do anything besides tubbing him? He has perked right back up in the tub, has eaten, and has pooped too)
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0.5
I turned the filter up to high (it was on low to prevent any accidents) once I pulled him out and that was when I added the Quick start too. I have not rinsed the filter at all and am using one that has a biomedia. Oh, tank is a 20gal. Filter and bubbler both can go up to 30gal. The water is definitely looking less cloudy since upping the filter and adding the Quick start this morning. The Ammonia came down from 2.0 to 1.0 too. I plan to keep him in the tub with daily/twice daily water changes until I know it is safe.
Am I back on the right track? What should I do from here? Thank you in advance!
Pics include a pic of the tank this morning, a pic of right now, a close up of him during tub water change, and him in his dirty tub before water change (it shows off his friends the best).
We adopted a young axlotl a week ago. I had the tank started only a week before we added him, but I was told he could safely "fish in cycle." The water has been cloudy and not improving so he got tubbed. I am trying to figure out the next step in cycling.
To set up the tank, I used Stability on our basically neutral well water, sand substrate, and a bunch of safe live plants (anubias and java ferns). We got a warm spell and the water started getting cloudy. It still tested fine, but I was using the strips and our local pet store testing. I added an air stone and ordered both a mesh lid and a tank cooler fan. Yesterday, we dumped about 30% and added fresh cold water because the temp went over 70. Used Stability with the water change. Lil dude was still happily swimming and exploring, eating (frozen blood worms and the occasional pellet), and pooping. He has grown since we brought him home last week.
Overnight, the cloudiness got worse and lil dude looked less happy this morning. So I immediately tubbed him. I brought our water to be tested yet again and got the API freshwater testing kit. What a difference in results!! Ammonia is way higher than they said (none to .25). I added Quick Start this morning and just tested everything again.
Here are the most recent values...
PH 7.8
Ammonia 1.0 (was 2.0 this morning!! How bad will this effect him? Should I do anything besides tubbing him? He has perked right back up in the tub, has eaten, and has pooped too)
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0.5
I turned the filter up to high (it was on low to prevent any accidents) once I pulled him out and that was when I added the Quick start too. I have not rinsed the filter at all and am using one that has a biomedia. Oh, tank is a 20gal. Filter and bubbler both can go up to 30gal. The water is definitely looking less cloudy since upping the filter and adding the Quick start this morning. The Ammonia came down from 2.0 to 1.0 too. I plan to keep him in the tub with daily/twice daily water changes until I know it is safe.
Am I back on the right track? What should I do from here? Thank you in advance!
Pics include a pic of the tank this morning, a pic of right now, a close up of him during tub water change, and him in his dirty tub before water change (it shows off his friends the best).
