First tank setup

[Nachtmare]

Ok so at the moment I do not physically have any of the items because they are a birthday present to me next month. woo. But like the title says this will be my first tank setup. I kind of wanted to get some input and feedback, and maybe some advice to mke this as easy as can be. I

I currently have:
29 gallon tank
a tetra filter(I don't know the specific model)
some API water cleanser
I will have sand substrate
Some fake plants with at least 1 hide-away
I prefer my room to be a tad cooler so I am taking that into consideration


My questions are
Am I missing anything(besides the axolotl and food)?
What is a good way to keep my water temp. in check and maintaining a proper temperature?

Any advice for a first timer?

Thank you

 

[rachel1]

I would add:
Water test kit for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate (API Freswater master test kit is a good one)
Ammonia for cycling
Turkey baster for spot cleaning
Bucket and siphon for water changes
I also like a good sized soft mesh net, and my magfloat for glass scrubbing- both optional, but nice to have.
If you live someplace warm, look into a fan for cooling the tank a few degrees , or possibly a chiller if it needs to be cooled quite a bit.

 

[Cacique]

You will also need a thermometer so you can keep track of the temperature and a hood or screen top in case your axolotl tries to act like an escape artist. I like screens better than hoods because it will allow the water to evaporate and keep the water cooler, and you can easily make out for a few bucks out of parts from the hardware store. If no hood, you might also want some viewing lights.

A little FIY for you. I have some Tetra filters and since I've read that carbon filters are pretty much pointless I just put the ones that came with the filter aside and use the filter pad holder to put filter floss in it.

With your AC on you probably won't have temperature fluctuations. You could use a fan like Rachel said to break the water up and help with evaporation. You could also get an air pump and stick an air stone in the tank, the agitation will also help keep the temperature down.

 

[Nachtmare]

Yea I have a lid for the tank. I live in Washington state and it is pretty cool most of the time and I usually have my ceiling fan going. So I figured that would help cool the water down and keep it at an even temperature.

Ok then get a pH kit and Ammonia and great idea on the turkey baster.
Would I be able to find these at regular pet shops?

I'm thinking of getting an adult first and then eventually get younger ones that require more attention.

Thank you for the suggestions!

 

[Cacique]

You should be able to get the test kit at any pet store. I would get the turkey baster from a store like Walmart or a dollar store. I've seen a betta fish baster at pet stores but it's like $10 compared to $3.

 

[Nachtmare]

Thanks for the ideas I greatly appreciate it.

 

[blushed]

If you aren't going to go with a fish-less cycle, you should pick up a bottle of Tetra Safe Start, or commonly referred to as TSS. I would get the medium sized bottle if I were you.

Also, as above, I would get a turkey baster! They quickly become your best friend for the little droppings the axolotls leave for you!

Thermometer, and fan, just a floor fan blowing on my 20gal long drops it 3 degrees, and keeps it stable, some people prefer a screen lid and a clip-on fan, but really your preference.

API test kit is a MUST.
It will tell you what you need to know about your water. It's a bit pricy, but lasts a long time, especially for only one tank, and will help you better gauge water changes, etc.

Hmm... And water dechlorinator... Most people use Seachem Prime, I use Tetra AquaSafe Plus... Both work fine Just personal preference there, too.

Sorry if I've just repeated people, but aquariums can be stressful, especially the first time around, and really it's MUCH better than just diving in and not having the things you /need/.

You'll also need earthworms for your lotl, especially since you're aiming for an adult from the start.

Good luck, and I hope you enjoy your axolotl when you get it!

 

[Xtophr]

If you are doing a fishless/axolotl-less cycle, you'll need "pure" ammonia (no surfectants, etc.) that doesn't foam up when shaken (e.g. ace hardware janitorial strength does not), and a 1ml syringe (with the ace 10% janitorial ammonia you'll need 1.5 ml of ammonia per 10 gallons) to get to 4 parts per million. But fishless cycling is a whole other FAQ. IDK if I got the plastic syringe from a pet store or vet.

 

[Nachtmare]

At first I will end up doing a fish-less cycle at least to begin with. I want to cycle the water through for a couple weeks before I get anything live in there.
and no worries about things being repeated. I would rather have them repeated than me not know at all.

How different is fishless cycling to non fishless cycling?

 

[Xtophr]

Fish-less means adding ammonia artificially to the tank AS IF there were animals producing ammonia from their waste, without exposing any animals to it.

With fish-in cycling, you are exposing your animals to levels of ammonia that can quickly rise within hours (which is not pleasant or healthy), and subsequently doing frequent water changes to reduce the levels of ammonia to (hopefully) non-toxic levels. I would also guess that the consensus would be that fish-in cycling is inhumane, but I don't want to start a flame war.

You wouldn't do both.

The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling - Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community

Here's the best explanation I've found so far explaining as to why 'quick start' additives don't work well:

Nitrifying bacteria

 

[Boomsloth]

Fish less cycling is quicker and safer since nothing is at risk of ammonia/nitrite poisoning. This allows you to have ammonia at 4ppm versus trying to keep it below 0.5ppm if you were going fish in cycling. It'll probably take about 3-4 weeks fish less and I recommend not trying to cool the water until you put the axolotl in because it will help cycle the tank faster.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nachtmare]

Ok so the best way to do this would be to cycle the tank for a few weeks before I get anything live in there and once I have an axie in there should I should get a smaller tank/ bucket to put the axie in while I cycle/clean the tank afterwards correct?

Also when I am cleaning the tank and what not should I just fill up another bucket and put the current tank water in the bucket for the axie?


Sorry if that was a bit confusing haha and thanks Xtopher for the guide.

 

[Nachtmare]

Also What are the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels supposed to be.
If I am correct by the time I put an axie in I should have
Ammonia levels at 0
Nitrite levels at 0
and nitrate levels high but not above 20

Am I correct in this thought?

 

[Boomsloth]

You are correct you should only see nitrate in the tank and water changes will keep that below 40 ppm for the axolotl to be healthy. Axolotls are a bit sensitive to the other two so make sure there isn't any present in the tank. I used a turkey Baster while my guys were small but now have an automatic water changer that let's me clean and change the water faster. You don't need to take the axolotl out of the tank but some people do. Cleaning should be just removing visible waste and performing frequent water changes to keep nitrates at a safe level. Always use dechlorinater.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nachtmare]

Ok so only when I'm cycling the tank should the axie be out but if I am just doing a regualr tank cleaning its ok to be in there.

Any ideas on how to keep the water temperature stable with the specific range? My house is fairly cool most days and my room usually colder because I have my fan going most of the time so keeping the water cool is not the difficult part, just keeping it stable is what I am worried about.

 

[Boomsloth]

Water will retain it's temperature better than air so if the water fluctuates 1-2 degrees from day to night it should not be too much of a problem as long as it's kept under 20C.
Add a thermometer to the tank and record the temps throughout the day. If you are only a few degrees too hot try adding a fan angled at the top of the tank.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nachtmare]

Ok so get the water down to the right temperature and it should stay fairly constant. I was thinking about getting two thermometers a floating one and a non floating one to see if there is a difference in temperature throughout the water.

Thanks everyone for the help!!!