Tank cycling

[PopShade]

Hello! New axie owner of 2. Both doing great. My tank is cycling, nitrites shot up so am tubbing the sea monster. My question.. should I do water changes or just let the tank do it’s thing since the axies are out. Also, any idea of how long the high nitrite part last. I have two grumpy axies in their tubs. Oh. The tanks are 20 w sponge and ceramic filters, sand and 2 air stones each. Ammonia and nitrates are good.

Thank you!

 

[wolfen]

ideally the axolotls shouldn't be in the tank whilst it is cycling because of the raised amounts of nitrogen compounds.
if the tank is being cycled the 4ppm ammonia way then the water shouldn't be changed unless either the nitrates are 110ppm or higher or the tank has finished cycling.
how fast it cycles is dependent on a few things.. ph kept at a good level, water kept warm when cycling to allow for fast growth of bacteria colony, plenty of oxygen in the water, that the filtration is of sufficient size.
cycling a bare bones axolotl tank can take quite a while ie.. months. this is because unlike a normal substrated fish tank which has the bacteria growing throughout the tank, in a axolotl tank the bacteria is mainly housed in the filter.
a couple of notes to be aware of.. if the tank is only 20 gallon then it will be too small for two adult axolotls, sand isn't ideal for axolotls under 5 inches in length.

 

[PopShade]

ideally the axolotls shouldn't be in the tank whilst it is cycling because of the raised amounts of nitrogen compounds.
if the tank is being cycled the 4ppm ammonia way then the water shouldn't be changed unless either the nitrates are 110ppm or higher or the tank has finished cycling.
how fast it cycles is dependent on a few things.. ph kept at a good level, water kept warm when cycling to allow for fast growth of bacteria colony, plenty of oxygen in the water, that the filtration is of sufficient size.
cycling a bare bones axolotl tank can take quite a while ie.. months. this is because unlike a normal substrated fish tank which has the bacteria growing throughout the tank, in a axolotl tank the bacteria is mainly housed in the filter.
a couple of notes to be aware of.. if the tank is only 20 gallon then it will be too small for two adult axolotls, sand isn't ideal for axolotls under 5 inches in length.

 

[PopShade]

Thank you!
I have 2 separate tanks of 20. Both are 5 inches. I also have silk plants and some hiding places for them. I was able to manage the ammonia but as soon as the nitrite spiked so high I got them out of the tanks. They are sulking but healthy. I will ride out the cycle and not mess w the tanks then. I was afraid I was messing w it too much anyway.