Huge tank crash?

[Caesar]

My tank's nitrite level is at about 5ppm (the most IT CAN GO). and I can't test my ammonia because my test kit JUST ran out today. I think I know what caused the crash I believe the water was barely getting filtered because the input suction was stuck with a bunch of slime/or bacteria (I don't exactly know what it is).

It's embarrasing how bad this got so quickly but I am going to try and fix the filter and start pumping water to the bacteria in the filter cartridge again to see if my levels fix. (Hopefully they will..)
I just now took out my axolotl in a cold, dechlorinated bucket of water because the conditions in the tank are deadly.
Am I taking the right course of action? Is it okay to remove him from the tank?

Please give me some input!!

 

[Caesar]

Update: The NITRITE was very red-ish purple in the 5ppm yesterday. Today, it is about 1ppm and I have not done any water changes.

Will my tank eventually re-establish itself? Or do I need to recycle the whole thing over again with pure ammonia? I am concerned for my axolotl's health.

Some websites (mainly saltwater) say they cleaned off everything in the tank, do I have to do that?

 

[Donna001]

As long as you keep your axie in a seperate container with 100% daily dechlorinated water changes he will be fine while you sort your tanks out.
Do not clean everything as you will lose all beneficial bacteria that you already have,
I would suggest that you do a 50% water change then test all parameters - ammonia, nitrite, nitrate - the following day. Depending on those results you can then work out what you need to do with your tank.
Hope this helps and please keep us updated on your progress.

 

[Caesar]

As long as you keep your axie in a seperate container with 100% daily dechlorinated water changes he will be fine while you sort your tanks out.
Do not clean everything as you will lose all beneficial bacteria that you already have,
I would suggest that you do a 50% water change then test all parameters - ammonia, nitrite, nitrate - the following day. Depending on those results you can then work out what you need to do with your tank.
Hope this helps and please keep us updated on your progress.

Awesome. The tank quickly re-established itself within 2 days.

Here are the results I got today! (my ammonia kit just came in)
Ammonia-0ppm
Nitrite-0ppm
Nitrate-5ppm.
I am trying to get him in asap so the filter doesn't crash again because it is getting no ammonia!
Thanks for your reply )