nemo's mom Posted July 4, 2006 Report Share Posted July 4, 2006 I currently have a filter of which brand I am unsure. But it is a noisy wee bugger and so am wanting to replace it with another quieter one. I have a 70cmX30cmX30cm tank which houses one axie in it. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 4, 2006 Report Share Posted July 4, 2006 Multiply the internal length, height and breadth in cm and divide the answer by 1,000. This will give you capacity in litres. 70 x 30 x 30 = 63L. Make allowances for water displacement due to rocks, gravel, driftwood and other decorations. When I had axolotls I just used a box filter plus an ugf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemo's mom Posted July 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2006 But what is a box filter? And do I need a UGF? am wanting to change to sand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted July 4, 2006 Report Share Posted July 4, 2006 You should fill your location in, in your profile so we know where you are But box filters and UGF (under gravel filters) run off air pumps so are very cheap, a box filter is just a pastic box filled with filter wood or sponge air goes in the bottom and draws water up with it, UGF are plates that go under your gravel air goes up tubes sucking water through the gravel. Box filter are easy to fit if your tank is already setup, but don't work as well as UGF. The next step up is an internal filter which it sound like you have already, these work better again. The price doesn't really change that much, air pumps $10-$15, plus box filter $10, or UGF plates etc $15-20, internal filter $30+ But its been a while since I purchased any of these sort of filter so I'm sure someone will chip in if I'm too far out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemo's mom Posted July 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2006 Cosmo Aquarium Internal Filter 600F They are being advertised on TM at the moment. Very cheap, but am unsure if they are cheap $$$ or cheap as in CHEAP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted July 4, 2006 Report Share Posted July 4, 2006 most people keep axies on sand, large slate, river rocks or something they cant eat and if they do it wont block them up. (river rocks are a b*tch to keep clean!!) and the UG filter wont work very effectively with the above. sand is a great option, i have my axies on it so well done there axies really dislike strong water flow, you can have high powered filters as long as you make something to displace the current, if they gills are moving when theyre by the filter its too strong. i dont even have a filter in my axie tank (five adults, one juvie), just a plain old powerhead which is set to low and just disrupts the water surface a bit. as long as you spot clean their poops out (turkey baster is great for this!) and do a siphon over your sand each week it isnt a problem, however because you dont have a filter theres less room for beneficial bacteria to grow so a filter is normally reccomended for people relatively new to keeping fish/axies. good luck and if you want any help with ya axies you can pm me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted July 4, 2006 Report Share Posted July 4, 2006 as long as you spot clean their poops out (turkey baster is great for this!) and do a siphon over your sand each week it isnt a problem, Have also read of people putting them into another container to feed them so the food doesn't go all over then tank, but I don't know if this would be good to there skin, all that handleing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted July 4, 2006 Report Share Posted July 4, 2006 depends on what you feed them really. bloodworms are super messy for adult fish that arent in BB tanks. i just use the axie tucker you get frozen from the pet shop, it doesnt make much mess as long as its not soggy along with some tasty garden worms when i go digging for my discus. a few people do move them out to feed but could you imagine fishing out an oscar each day to feed em cause hes messy :lol: it does stress the axies out and its easier to just feed clean foods or do a siphon after feeding to get the leftovers out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 4, 2006 Report Share Posted July 4, 2006 Our axies lived with gravel and never, to my knowledge, ate it. This is a new idea to me and I wasn't aware they did this (we had them when the kids, now adults, were small). If you use sand you can't use an undergravel filter (ugf). A small internal canister would work but take up room in the tank. Check Trademe for a small external canister with a spray bar return so the current is spread out a bit or, like Sharn suggested, don't have a filter at all. I assume she does very regular water changes too if there is not filter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted July 5, 2006 Report Share Posted July 5, 2006 back in the days there wasnt much info on axies out there, not sure how common they were back then? they will eat gravel, and if theyre kept on it ill bet theyll eat some. axies will often snap at the substrate for 'no reason' which i put down to smelling something they want to eat (not totally sure). i have read many stories on www.axolotl.org (forum part) about people buying axies from gravel tanks, having em on sand and the axies pooping out gravel for six months afterwards! in a few cases they get blocked up you cant often see their gravel in their tummies unless its a bright colour (say purple gravel) or they have eaten alot and its has made lumps, most of the time they do pass it but its scary to think what could happen. (not sure if posted this elsewhere) i recently moved Odin (my small albino) into the large tank from a BB, within a day his tummy turned darker than normal and next day i found a poop, sucked it up and when it broke up it was mostly sand ill bet my adults have sand in their tummies alot of the time but i dont often get to their poos in time (they break up easily), these axies are all handfed and during feeding dont eat gravel but when they sniff around later for tiny leftovers i see them snap. caryl- i do once weekly of 40%, there is a powerhead in there but i did moniter it when i first took off the filter (it was a noisy HOB). it seems nothing jumps up and my nitrates are only up to 20 after a week. my thinking is the good bacteria grow over every surface so there should be enough to sustain a tank of animals that dont make heaps of mess but in saying that i do a monthly check before my water change just to make sure nothings sprung up and changed the balance. maybe im jsut lucky but for people newer to keeping aquariums i would suggest a filter, more bacteria is always helpful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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