Powered aquarium vacuum (Eheim, Fluval or other) (gravel vac)

[Oughtsix]

Dont know if you use FX series of filters, but you can get a vac that uses the FX pump to do all the work.

Good suggestion. Axolotls are salamander like creatures from Mexico that do not like water flow (I did not know what they were before my daughter fell in love with them). So we just have a sponge filter and corner filter in the tank. Neither really offer much in mechanical filtration but are good at biological without inducing a lot of flow.

 

[Oughtsix]

This is "Doja" in his temporary 29g tank in her bed room at my house. After her mother changes residence Doja will go back to her mothers. A lot of care was taken to maximize the chances for success at her mothers place with minimal intervention from me. I figured that the siphon that connects to the kitchen sink with a venturi was a must as I didn't see buckets as being a very successful long term solution. I am looking at the powered vac for a quick bottom cleaning without doing a water change.

 

[duanes]

I agree with the others that suggest getting a Python or normal siphon. Unless you are removing water while vacuuming, you are only doing half the job. The invisible chemical waste products are much worse for the actual health of the aquarium the the visible bits of waste.

 

[Oughtsix]

I agree with the others that suggest getting a Python or normal siphon. Unless you are removing water while vacuuming, you are only doing half the job. The invisible chemical waste products are much worse for the actual health of the aquarium the the visible bits of waste.

She does water changes once a week which is more than sufficient for a single Axolotl in a 55g. The vac will remove the poop BEFORE it starts to break down into nitrogen compounds. The vac is not / will not be a replacement for water changes.

 

[imabot]

The invisible chemical waste products

Wouldn't the ammonia and nitrite (I think that's what you're referring to) just get converted to Nitrate which would get removed by water changes with the vaccum?

 

[imabot]

Or simple go with a python and hook it up to the sink?

This would be best considering she has a 55 gallon.

 

[Oughtsix]

Wouldn't the ammonia and nitrite (I think that's what you're referring to) just get converted to Nitrate which would get removed by water changes with the vaccum?

Axolotls poop quite a bit. It would take a long time for the poop to vanish into nitrogen compounds... ammonia -> nitrites -> nitrates -> down the drain with a water change. The water changes vacuum up a lot of the poop but it is hard to get everything... especially after it has started to break down after a week of sitting.

Keeping the little critters is a bit different than keeping the tropical fish I am used to. They are more sensitive to water quality than our cichlids and guppies. They also require a cold tank ~55f - ~64f. Removing the waste between weekly water changes will provide a healthier environment than letting it sit. My daughter pretty much has to do water changes herself when Doja is at her mothers.

When Nicole originally asked for an Axolotl a couple years ago I batted down the idea because she knew nothing about what it really took to keep an Axolotl.... by herself. Nicole developed a folder full of Axolotl care information. She learned the background of Axolotls and about their natural habitat. Nicole's 11yo German Sheppard at her mothers house had to be put down due to age which prompted me to make a deal with Nicole's mother to help fund the Axolotl tank (Nicole had to make money and contribute towards a portion of the cost). After 3 months of cycling the used 55g we found a couple larger Axolotls on Craigslist that were not being cared for very well. One of the Axolotl's turned out to be a female and laid eggs which Nicole decided she was not equipped to care for so we took the female to our trusted LFS.

Nicole performs the water changes by herself at her mothers house after a bit of startup help from me. She also has a very good understanding of the nitrogen cycle. She is very adept at doing water tests and making decisions about the condition of the water in the tank. She has overcome her fear of cutting up live nightcrawlers to feed Doja. So far it has been an excellent learning experience for Nicole and has taught her a good bit of responsibility.

 

[duanes]

Wouldn't the ammonia and nitrite (I think that's what you're referring to) just get converted to Nitrate which would get removed by water changes with the vaccum?

Although not as acutely toxic as ammonia and nitrite, I consider nitrate and other substances such as pheromones, and other usually unmentioned metabolism by products to be chronically toxic, so prefer nitrate (as a barometer of the untested ones) in my tanks to get no higher than 2-5 ppm, especially for my large cichlids prone to HLLE.
So I normally do a 30-40% water change every other day.
But yes, with only 1 of those amphibians in a 55, a weekly water is probably sufficient.

 

[PYRU]

I find the suction on those battery powered ones weak. I had the eheim I bought used but didn't like it. I have a shorter hose I use as a siphon. I don't have axo but I have puffers I have to clean up after regularly without a full water change. I just siphon the trash into a bucket then replace the water I removed which isn't much.

 

[fishhead0103666]

If she just wants to remove the waste so she doesn’t have to look at it then why not get a fine mesh fish net and manually scoop it out? It wouldn’t take too long and it won’t come through the holes since it’s fine mesh.