Axolotl habitat

[axiekeeper]

So i just realised that i posted this in beginner section when it should probally be posted here.

Quickwall cement over pink styrofoam board powered by canister filter with hidden intake and outout. Substrate is composted steer manure, peet moss, garden soil, laterite clay, oyster shells (calcuim), gravel and sand mix topped with 1.5 inches natural sand. let it run without axolotl for a month plus this way so sub. Could 'age' and terrestial plants could develop water roots.

Back has purple waffle, pothos, arrowbeads, ficus, 'lucky bamboo' and is the biofilter, i use canister for mechanical.

Aquatic plants are fissidens fontainus, firemoss, java fern, anubais, amazon swords, jungle vals, and a few unknowns.

And of course one happy golden axolotl! To be joined by a gfp wildtype and white albino when they grow large enough!

 

[axiekeeper]

Someday ill learn to take better pictures

 

[axiekeeper]

And some construction pictures.
I built the subframe for the back from some thin plywood, should have used glass and will be gutting out the back this winter to replace it. (slight leak)
alternativy i could have used some pond liner, but all i did was use styrofoam and quickwall cement which was supposed to be waterproof, But obviously not good enough alone!

 

[axiekeeper]

Some during construction pictures

I also removed the black trim, the tank is a 40gallon breeder from aqueon, rebraced with a peice of siliconed in glass. It is stiffer this way then with the ugly trim. Next time i would do it before putting in background and brace the entire thing like this for uniformity. this way is so much better looking then the trim that breaks up your view with its ugliness.

 

[axiekeeper]

Last I checked my dechlorinaited water reads 0-0-20 before adding to the tank, and my tank water (day after a water change) reads 0-0-2.5 (yes 2 decimel 5)

Id say it is effective, water changes now are done now on the basis that vacuuming the substrate removes water so it has to be replaced. When I have the tank mature enough that i do not get brown algae (I get very little now and i believe it to come from phosphorous levels) I will exchange water even less

my dutch elm driftwood has been soaking over a month but is not sinking and makes the water its in foul and cloudy so I thavent added it.
Im gonna get some mopani driftwood instead to tie off the loose javafern too as well as some more mesh grids with firemoss.

 

[Martin21114]

Moat of the pics seem to be missing, any chance you could re-post them? I like builing tanks too and always like to see how/what other people are doing. Thanks!

 

[axiekeeper]

hopefully works better this time.

 

[axiekeeper]

few more (I hope) Ill post some more tomorrow cause there not on this laptop.

 

[axiekeeper]

Few more

 

[AxieMama]

WOW!!! That is all....just WOW!

 

[axiekeeper]

thank you, my axie seems to agree!

 

[hannahll]

Amazing. Someday i hope to do crazy things like this with my tank.