# Tank not cycling



## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

I have 2 axolotls. My cycle crashed in june and I have been trying to cycle it since. I have a 120L tank and I do daily water changes (about a third of the water). I always use tap water conditioner. 

My readings are

Ammonia 0.5 ALWAYS the same reading, it never changes.
PH 7.6
Nitite 0
Nitrate between 0 and 5

I check the actual tap water for ammonia and detoxify it whenever necessary. I use an API master kit. My filter is for a 100L tank but I was told that this should be ok (my tank is a 120L). The axies are eating fine and they don't seem to be stressed. I syphon waste out asap, there are quite a few brown flakes that seem to be inside hide holes, under ornaments, on the fake plants etc and I always try to get these out. Can anybody give me advice on why the tank isn't cycling please.


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

it might be worth popping to your local aquatics store to get a test done there. test kits can sometimes become faulty over time.


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

It's a new test kit. I only got it in June! Thanks I might need to go in though and ask if they can suggest anything.


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

if the axo's are ok, feeding, behaving and with no obvious redding to the skin then im guessing the water cant be too bad? weekly 25% water changes would help, of course using dechlorinated water blah blah


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

I went back to the pet shop today and he said to stop doing daily water changes, instead do weekly ones, he seems to think the frequent water changes are the problem. He also told me to rinse out the filter sponge in tank water, I was surprised to see that the sponge wasn't very dirty, It's been in since June as well. My lighter coloured axie does have a a bit of a darker pink coloured tail - his body inside his tail tho, not the edges of his tail....if that makes sense, it goes even pinker when he swims around. They are both about 9 month old and I was told the swimming is normal for younger axies. I'm a bit worried about leaving the water changes for a week especially since the ammonia climbs about 0.25 a day.


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

i would not do more than 25% water and only do this once a week. as said by your LFS is correct, wash all filter media in the water that you have extracted from the tank. you need to get the friendly bacteria working in your tank. as for the marks on the axi, that would be difficult to diagnose without photos. the way you feed can sometimes be a reason why the ammonia is up. when you use frozen food the food can rot and therefore breakdown and basically rot. feeding live food can sometimes be a better way to feed.


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

Thank you for helping. The pet shop suggested 10% weekly changes (doesn't seem much to me). I had been changing 30% daily but he said it's far too much because the bacteria won't build. I feed them 1 worm each daily which they snatch straight away so there's never any waste. I will get photos, not sure how to post them on here though! What do they say about about old people and technology!!!! Haha


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## _simon_ (Nov 27, 2007)

What filter are you running?


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

It's an aqua flow 100. I mentioned it to the pet shop yesterday that the filter was for a 100L tank and mine's 120L, he said to try no water changes for 1 week and let him know the readings, then he will advise me on whether to run another filter alongside mine. The water is pretty clear, as was the filter sponge when I rinsed it yesterday.


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

try not to confuse water clarity for water quality  i always double up on the filter i use. 200ltr filter for a 100ltr and so on. Too many water changes are actually worse than not enough. With a tropical tank you should try not to do any more than a 25% water change. 10% water change once a week should be fine. it may be worth adding some form of bacteria like cycle or the like to help boost the filter.


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

I will look into getting something to get the bacteria going, thanks. It sounds like it will be worth adding another filter then. Mine is an aqua flow 100, are the aqua flows ok or do you recommend another make?


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

The aqua flow filters are ok. i tend to like using external filters for fresh water due to the space they save in the tank and also the amount of media you can get into them....i find them a breeze to clean too


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

I'll look into external and see what I think then thanks. Sorry to ask what might seem like a stupid question but I'm a bit confused as to whether I get enough oxygen in the tank for them. I read that if you have a spray bar on your filter then that creates the oxygen. One of mine tends to float on an evening up at the top of the tank, I hardly see either of them gulping air at the top, so I assume he does it either cos he likes it or cos he's waiting to be fed?


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

never be afraid to ask questions  its completely normal for axi's to gulp at the surface. if you would like more oxygen in the water simply put the outlet of the filter just above the surface to agitate the water. this will help to oxygenate the water.


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

That's exactly how I have it so that's ok. I will try and send you a photo of the axies tomorrow. I don't have a computer I have to use my phone, so I'm not sure if it will work???? Thanks for all your help.


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

anytime  best of luck to you


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

I've taken some photos but I can't send them! Is there another way I could send them to you so you can tell me if he looks ok?


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

best to ask the *****istrators ... i find posting pics a nightmare :/


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

it wont let me say a d m i n?


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

How strange! I don't think that his colour is anything to worry about anyway, but I'll show the guy at the pet shop. I checked the ammonia tonight and it was still only 0.5, the last water change was monday so I'm quite happy with that. I'll check again friday and post on here for you to read again, just in case it starts to climb and I need more advice, if that's ok. :2thumb:


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

im here to help as best as i can


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

Hello again. I checked tonight and the ammonia is between 0.5 and 1, so I'm hoping that they will be ok up to Mondays water change. I'm still doing daily housekeeping ie syphoning the little brown flakes that seem to be at the bottom of the tank etc, am I ok to wipe the inside of the tank cos it'a a bit dirty again? ( I don't want to do anything that might upset the bacteria). It's a scraper that I use for inside the tank, the dirt falls to the tank floor and I syphon it out.


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

thats fine to scrape the inside of the tank then siphon out any waste, if anything that will be beneficial


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

I've noticed the past couple of days that they have been swimming round more, I suppose with the ammonia reading getting up to 1.0 this may be the cause of this? Todays water change hopefully will bring the reading down, I will check it tomorrow. If the ammonia climbs higher than 1.0 before my next water change is due (next monday), do I change the water early? Sorry if the questions seem silly!


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

too many water changes can be less effective due to the bacteria not having time to establish in the tank... it might be worth taking a sample of your tank water to your local fish store to see what levels they are...if you have gravel it may be worth investing in a substrate hoover to help remove debris from the tank


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

It's a bare bottom tank. I bought another filter today to run alongside the other one for the mo, I think mine might have been under powered for that tank. He also recommended using stress zyme for a few days to help the bacteria and said not to feed them for a couple of days till the filter and stress zyme have started working. Hopefully all this will help. Thanks for all help and advise, you've been great.:2thumb:


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

try to leave the new filter for a few weeks without cleaning it out to allow the bacteria to build up. Remember to only use old water from the tank to clean the sponges out. best of luck...


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

Will do and thanks once again.


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

Hi. The ammonia levels have dropped now to between 0 and 0.25 which is great. The nitrite level has climbed to more than 5 ( it's off the chart). I got told that it would climb. Do I still only need to do a weekly water change or do more frequent ones now the nitrite is climbing.


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

i would still keep up with the water changes yes.... keep doing what you are doing as it seems to be working


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

Will do. Thanks.


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

Hi. Just to let you know that my tank has cycled. Thank you for all your help.


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## cobe (Nov 24, 2010)

enripaddyben said:


> Hi. Just to let you know that my tank has cycled. Thank you for all your help.


Glad it is all sorted


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## enripaddyben (Sep 14, 2015)

Oh no I'm worried! After Monday nights water change one of my axies has hid himself head first in a cave. He doesn't come out from inside. I can see that his gills are moving. He hasn't eaten since - I can't get to his head to give him a worm. Mondays water change I removed everything from the tank (plants, caves etc) and rinsed them out in the water I'd taken from the tank, I'm wondering if this upset him? He has got the tip of his tail missing from a few week ago from where he managed to get inside 1 of the legs of his ornaments, but I've covered the ornament now, other than this he has been ok. I tested the water Monday and everything is fine including the temperature. Is it normal for them to hide away for long periods of time?


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