In trouble with cycling.

[BradleyB]

Hi and greetings from Calgary, Alberta.

We will be getting a young axolotl in a little less than 3 weeks. When I purchased the tank and filter from the local aquarium store, the staff member told me I should be able to cycle the tank and get it ready in 2-3 weeks. My bad for not reading more at the time, as I am now facing an uphill battle from what I can gather. In part this stems from the fact that it is almost impossible to purchase pure unadulterated ammonia in Canada, coupled with the fact that the staff member assured me that as long as I used a good cycling starter like Tetra Safe Start, all would be well. I learned about the ammonia problem on Saturday when I filled the tank and headed out looking for it, to no avail. Any household products are lemon-scented or the like and none of the local aquarium/pet stores seem to carry any. Ordering online would involve a 3+ week wait, as it would ship from the US.

I subsequently spent a good part of the past three days scouring the internet for possible solutions, other than using some sacrificial fish, or as one aquarium store employee suggested, adding a frozen cooked shrimp to the tank. At this time, I do not know anyone local that I could get some established filter media from Even if I did go the frozen shrimp route, I gather that it would be an extremely disaster-prone path to try, as controlling the ammonia level would be fairly difficult.

My current understanding is that a fast cycle still might be possible using the Safe Start if only I could access some ammonia, so that I can ensure a controlled food source for the nitrifying bacteria until the tank gets established. Being able to add some filter media from an established tank would be a huge bonus. The set-up is a 20 gallon long tank and a Aqua Clear 30 HOB filter. I tested the tap water prior to treating for chlorine and got the following results:

Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrites 0 ppm
Nitrates 0 ppm
PH 7.4
GH 300 ppm range
KH 100-150 ppm range

I filled the tank on Sunday and it appears to be settling in at 64 degrees F (18 Celsius).

Help!

 

[Pigalit]

Is it possible to get the ammonia shipped from another country? Or find one from amazon? If you're worried about the tank not being cycled in time of when the axolotl arrives, you can always tub them. It's also not guaranteed that your tank will cycle at the given time of 2-3 weeks. Also if you can't find established filter media for thank specific type of filter, maybe think about looking into different filters such as sponge filters and find a used sponge filter.

 

[BradleyB]

Hi and greetings from Calgary, Alberta.

We will be getting a young axolotl in a little less than 3 weeks. When I purchased the tank and filter from the local aquarium store, the staff member told me I should be able to cycle the tank and get it ready in 2-3 weeks. My bad for not reading more at the time, as I am now facing an uphill battle from what I can gather. In part this stems from the fact that it is almost impossible to purchase pure unadulterated ammonia in Canada, coupled with the fact that the staff member assured me that as long as I used a good cycling starter like Tetra Safe Start, all would be well. I learned about the ammonia problem on Saturday when I filled the tank and headed out looking for it, to no avail. Any household products are lemon-scented or the like and none of the local aquarium/pet stores seem to carry any. Ordering online would involve a 3+ week wait, as it would ship from the US.

I subsequently spent a good part of the past three days scouring the internet for possible solutions, other than using some sacrificial fish, or as one aquarium store employee suggested, adding a frozen cooked shrimp to the tank. At this time, I do not know anyone local that I could get some established filter media from Even if I did go the frozen shrimp route, I gather that it would be an extremely disaster-prone path to try, as controlling the ammonia level would be fairly difficult.

My current understanding is that a fast cycle still might be possible using the Safe Start if only I could access some ammonia, so that I can ensure a controlled food source for the nitrifying bacteria until the tank gets established. Being able to add some filter media from an established tank would be a huge bonus. The set-up is a 20 gallon long tank and a Aqua Clear 30 HOB filter. I tested the tap water prior to treating for chlorine and got the following results:

Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrites 0 ppm
Nitrates 0 ppm
PH 7.4
GH 300 ppm range
KH 100-150 ppm range

I filled the tank on Sunday and it appears to be settling in at 64 degrees F (18 Celsius).

Help!

Ok! Found a clandestine source of ammonium choloride for cycling on Kijiji! Will hopefully be picking up some this afternoon

 

[BradleyB]

Is it possible to get the ammonia shipped from another country? Or find one from amazon? If you're worried about the tank not being cycled in time of when the axolotl arrives, you can always tub them. It's also not guaranteed that your tank will cycle at the given time of 2-3 weeks. Also if you can't find established filter media for thank specific type of filter, maybe think about looking into different filters such as sponge filters and find a used sponge filter.

Hi. I just found a solution for the ammonia problem, thanks to someone local who is clandestinely selling packets of ammonium chloride

Yes, had I not found a local source just now, it's possible to order from the US (that's the only source on Amazon as well). Problem is, because it involves international shipping, either it takes 3+ weeks to arrive (things are really slow in the current covid world), or else the likes of Fed Ex extort a shipping rate of $70+ to get it here in a couple days.

I'd be happy to find any established sponge

 

[Pigalit]

Hi. I just found a solution for the ammonia problem, thanks to someone local who is clandestinely selling packets of ammonium chloride

Yes, had I not found a local source just now, it's possible to order from the US (that's the only source on Amazon as well). Problem is, because it involves international shipping, either it takes 3+ weeks to arrive (things are really slow in the current covid world), or else the likes of Fed Ex extort a shipping rate of $70+ to get it here in a couple days.

I'd be happy to find any established sponge

Glad to hear good luck!

 

[YGDS]

I'm glad you found what you need. For the future, you ought to connect with Hollies Hobbies (facebook store: Hollies Hobbies Calgary) for axolotl associated needs, if you haven't already. They are based here in Calgary, and seem to have a good reputation. They were selling ammonium chloride packets and have really good materials on how to best cycle a tank.

 

[BradleyB]

I'm glad you found what you need. For the future, you ought to connect with Hollies Hobbies (facebook store: Hollies Hobbies Calgary) for axolotl associated needs, if you haven't already. They are based here in Calgary, and seem to have a good reputation. They were selling ammonium chloride packets and have really good materials on how to best cycle a tank.

Thanks! It was Hollies Hobbies who I got the ammonium chloride from! Found them on Kijiji after I posted here this morning. Started the cycle process this afternoon and put a heater in the tank to raise the water temperature and help it along.

 

[BradleyB]

It's been a long haul but today's readings are
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrites 0 ppm
Nitrates 20 ppm (60% water change 2 days ago and plants in the tank)

Now let's see if these readings hold. Added ammonia to reach 1 ppm.

Lucy has been tubbed since May 4th when we got her. She's better than 2" long now, back legs are almost fully developed. I think she is likely still too tiny for the tank (20 gal long). She is happily eating frozen baby blood worms and live brine shrimp. Here she is, she just got her daily water change.

This is her current home

This will be her new home. Eventually (when she's old enough) there will also be some fine white sand, along with a planting area and hide made from slate.