Cycling your New Aquarium

Cycling a New Aquarium for your Axolotl

Reminder: Your Axolotl should be in the tub with ONLY cool primed water while the main tank is cycling.  Do not put the axolotl in the tank before we determine together it is safe.

 

Day	Prime	Test Ammonia	Test Nitrite	Test  Nitrate	Test High/Low PH	Add  Ammonia	Add  Stability	Text  Result Pics
1	X					To 4ppm	Full Dose
2,3		X				To 4ppm	½ Dose
4		X	X	X	X	To 4ppm	½ Dose	X
5-7		X	X	X		To 4ppm	½ Dose
8		X	X	X		To 4ppm	½ Dose	X
9-11		X	X	X		To 4ppm	½ Dose	Day 11
12-14		X	X	X		To 4ppm	½ Dose	Day 14
Till Cycled		X	X	X		To 4ppm	½ Dose UNTIL nitrites show	Daily

Everyone asks….what is the final result, what should I expect these results to be?

Nitrites will “eat” Ammonia, and Nitrates “eat” Nitrites.  You will see as you are dosing Ammonia, the Nitrites will spike.  Then the Nitrates will spike.  You will keep dosing Ammonia to develop the “cycle”  Once you have all 3, and your Ammonia and Nitrites go to zero within 24 hours for 3 days straight….then your tank is cycled.  We will then do water changes to reduce the Nitrates.  Those you will want to be between 10-20 ppm.  After this, you will test weekly and do water changes accordingly.  At any time you get Ammonia or Nitrites, you will tub your axolotl and we will figure out what is happening to your cycle.  The whole cycling process will take on average 6-8 weeks….so be patient.

Cycling your tank is going to be a process.  I promise we will get through it.  Please let me know if there are any questions.  After the 2 weeks above, we will discuss next steps.  You will be well on your way and will most likely hear, keep doing what you are doing…..I am always here to answer questions.  But be encouraged, it’s a process, but a wonderful reward to your persistence!