Bio-safe?? sorry guys

[rheann]

Today, i washed the sand that I bought really really well and the water ran clear. It took me a great deal of time. I also cleaned out all of the water and gravel in my tank. I am goign to save the gravel. I washed the inside of the tank and scrubbed it, made it nice but some of the old water stain wouldn't come off, but thats ok, i don't mind too much

. After that, i put the sand in. I still have so much sand left over. i'm going to save it for when i get a 20 gallon Tank. I filled the tank with tap-water. I have a question about this though. I tested the water, turns out with out declorinater this is the test strips reading:
Total Chlorine 0
Free Chlorine .5
Then it sais subtract Free Chlorine reading from Total Chlorine to determine chloramine level and I get -.5
Is this bad? Which brand of De-clorinater would work best? I have used Repti-safe, but it removes Ph from the water. I thanks to some nice people here willing to help, I found out that Axies thrive in water with 7.0 pH or higher, so i don't want to use the repti-safe anymore unless i have to. I have a bottle of Bio-safe for tropical fish from Marinland products, i think thats the company. It sais on the bottle that it eliminates toxic chlorine, Chloramine, and ammonia in tap water. Would this be safe to use for Axies? I didn't get a chance to pick up the pH testing kit today, too busy cleaning but i am tomorrow for sure, and I'm also going to look for a testing kit that will test for Nitrate (spelling?) and other chemicals from my favorite pet store, pets mart. I'm sorry to bug you guys for so many answers, i feel so stupid. I just like how everyone is so nice here, and its so fun to talk to others about these things

When I get my axie, i'll post pics up for you. I am going to let my tank run for a week or so until i get my little buddy. bigalsonline.com is also very helpful. I just ordered Black Silicone from there, and will be returning the stuff I already bought back to home depot. tomorrow. Thanks guys.

 

[anne-marie]

There is three biological agents you need to test for when cycling a tank. They are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. You need to test first for Ammonia. Ammonia converts to Nitrite. So then you need a Nitrite test kit. Nitrite converts to Nitrate. That is the one you mention you are getting. AMmonia and Nitrite are poisonous. You do not want these in your tank. Nitrate is ok because it is the least harmful form of ammonia and nitrite.

 

[rheann]

Thanks anne. I will check at Pets mart for one of these kits. After I use the kit, what do I use to cure the water, if infact my water contains these elements? What product is best to use, and what product is best to use to get rid of the Chloramine in the water that is safe for Axolotls? If Pets mart doesn't have the kit, I will try also at Capitcal City Aquarium, and if not there then i will order it from www.bigalsonline.com
Thanks for your help. Also, what foods are good for Axolotls? Freeze dried Brinshrimp cubes, and freezedried blood worms. is there anything else that they will really like? Do earthworms that i dig up outside have parasites? Can i feed them to my Axie when i get it?

 

[anne-marie]

Rheann, while you are setting up your tank, it will naturally go thru the ammonia - nitrite - nitrate stage and this is normal and what you want. While it is doing this, there should be no axolotls in the tank. This is why you set a tank up about a month AT LEAST before you get your axies. So you don't need to adjust the water, all you are testing for is the presence of any of these to see what stage of the cycle your tank is at. If however, when you have an axie and you find out that ammonia, or nitrite are present, then you will need to change some water and maybe add some chemicals to treat it. At this stage, you won't need to worry about that, because you dont have any axies.

I don't know if an axy will eat freeze dried food. You may be thinking of FROZEN blood worm, which is ok. For earthworms, it is important that there are no chemicals in the soil where you are getting your earthworm from. It is a good idea to buy a small hobby earthworm farm, so you can control what goes in to the soil.

When it comes to getting rid of

 

[anne-marie]

Oops, premature post! I was going to say, when it comes to getting rid of chloramine, read the label. Products will tell you what they can do. Follow the directions and quantities given on the label.

 

[rheann]

thanks ann

I was recommended to use a product called amquel. I went to the pet store and found Amquel plus, which it sais on the bottle that it removes Amonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, and Chlorine and Chloramine. I added one teaspoon, for 10 gallons. I will test the water tomorrow to see the turn out. My tank looks great! I bought some nice silk plants that have heavy little natural sandy rock bases, so hopefully my little Axie when he makes his new home wont uproot them. Everything is going very well, and i am very happy. thanks so much for your help!

 

[joan]

Rheann, just have to remember that you can't rely on the Amquel to 'remove' ammonia and nitrites. It just converts them to less toxic forms, but they're still there, and you still need to cycle and do water changes. Otherwise you sound like you've got a good handle on things!

 

[rheann]

Thans Joan! Man I just loooooove this site! Its so cool that people here know what they are doing, and the adivice you guys give is just great! luckily for me, they had the test kits at pets mart thank goodness

My tank looks great! I wish I had a digital camera, that way I could just take a snap of it, but I'll have to wait until we get a scanner. I'm in the midst of writing a novel and trying to have it published in the next 6 months, (hopefully) too much writers block, it sucks, so I will be getting a scanner soon. I am aslo some what of a fantasy artist, So I want illistrations in my book, though my self I don't think I draw very well, lol. Taking care of Axolotls on the side is a hobby that I know I will enjoy. writing the novel has been my idea since I was 13, but at the time didn't know what I was doing. Thanks guys! I'll keep you posted!

I need to go work on my book. Haven't spent much time on it this weekend.

 

[joan]

They're so fun to watch, you may get distracted and not get anything done on your novel!

I think I speak for everyone when I say it's nice to have someone who asks questions, and then doesn't argue with the answers or disregard advice and then complain about how you didn't try to help them. You're going to make a good axolotl mom.

 

[rheann]

I greatly appreciate all your help everyone! Still not past my writers block yet, but its getting there. I will post more questions as i think them up. If anyone else has any advise for me about anything, i'm all ears!

When i draw dragons, pictures of salamanders and geckos, such as African fat Tailed Geckos are usually used to inspire my work. I have two Geckos, One is named Cookie, he is an african Fat tailed Gecko with a white stripe down his back. He looks like a cookie! He's so gentle and sweet. I also have a Luecistic Lepoard Gecko, she is a female, though she's cranky and squeels like a little raptor off of Jerassic Park or something, she's so funny, so I dont bug her much. in my novel, there is a white eastern dragon, whom was inspired from Various species of Salamanders and of course my sweet 'lil cookie boy. After looking at all of the pictures of Axolots on the site, they have inspired me further. They look like little eastern Dragons, or valcor, the luck dragon off of the never ending story. Their faces are so adorible. thanks again guys! people like you are the best!

 

[paul]

Hey rheann, i think your description of valcor, from the never ending story is pretty close. i call mine, my little dinosaur.

(Message edited by navymt on May 15, 2005)