Reddit reviews Aqueon Siphon Vacuum Gravel Cleaner Medium - 9 Inches

You can use a Gravel vacuum to get the gunk out of the substrate. Algae is not bad for fish at all! It is really just a primitive single celled plant that uses up nitrates(fish poop) and creates oxygen just like other plants. It's us fishkeepers that don't like the way it looks. It is very common to have new tanks go through a phase of algae growth, as your plants become more established they should out compete the algae and it will diminish. So manually clean off the glass and gravel vacuum what you can, and add more plants and/or floating plants to out compete the algae.

Fish in cycling is totally possible. Just buy some seachem prime (seriously, this stuff is the top of the top, get it), make sure you're doing regular (every other day is what I did) water changes of ~40-50% (side note, get one of these doesn't have to be the same one but something similar. This lets you do the water changes without taking the fish out of the tank which stresses the fish).

And most importantly, get a complete test kit one like this, not the strips they're inaccurate and make sure the ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels don't go too high. If they do, do a 60% water change and add some seachem prime and check back in a few hours.

You can also get something like this to jumpstart your bacteria growth. Putting filters from previously established tanks also works

He should be fine as long as you do all this! Love the setup btw!

Take the sink attachment part from here: https://www.amazon.com/Waterbed-FILL-DRAIN-KIT-Blue-Magic/dp/B0084FFL7A

Get a garden hose of whatever kind you want.

Get a sink to garden hose adapter

Get a syphon hose of whatever variety you want/have ex: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004RK1WBK/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1486358683&sr=8-5&keywords=aqueon+siphon+hose

Put this end on the syphon hose and screw into the garden hose.

Optional, shutoff valve( goes between syphon end and hose: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004SDYU/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1486358897&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=garden+hose+shut+off+valve&dpPl=1&dpID=51aJdogwv%2BL&ref=plSrch

Put all of this together with Teflon tape on all of the connections except between hose and sink attachment.

This isn't a out of the box solution, but this is what I would do if I could do it all over again.

Set up for TWO Axolotls

Realistic initial set up cost $145
(Not including cost of axolotls)

$5-$150 30g tank MINIMUM preferably 40+ (OfferUp Facebook groups Craigslist pet stores)

$1-$130Hides - decor or caves or even home made must be water safe even pvc piping works minimum of 2 for each (decor can become expensive fast if you want to make your tank look very “pretty”)

$20-$75 Filter - something with low current flow sponge filter or a canister filter with something to break up a strong flow if you have a sponge filter you need air line tubing and a air pump (link of canister filter is what I use in my 55g tank )

Bacto-Surge High Density Foam Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GOFPX9I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_oov7AbY5ESARC

Penn Plax Airline Tubing for Aquariums –Clear and Flexible Resists Kinking, 25 Feet Standard https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002563MW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kpv7AbQ20H9V7

Tetra Whisper Easy to Use Air Pump for Aquariums (Non-UL) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009YF4FI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Hpv7AbC3Y8R2Z

SUN 4-Stage Aquarium External Canister Filter with 9 Watt UV Sterilizer 264GPH (HW402B with Pro Filter Kits) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MFCS6W7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_CVv7AbX67HQED

$10-$15 Water additives
Water dechlorinator follow instructions on bottle if the tank isn’t fully cycled use prime plus follow instructions on bottle it helps keeps the water healthy for the axolotls too

API TAP WATER CONDITIONER Aquarium Water Conditioner 16-Ounce Bottle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004LO9KSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1qv7AbHFPEHT5

Tetra 77960 SafeStart, 100 Gallon, 250-ml, 1.69-Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003E2RI74/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1tv7AbDHHEMEY

$20-$35 API water test kit to make sure the water is in good parameters
http://www.axolotl.org/requirements.htm

API FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT 800-Test Freshwater Aquarium Water Master Test Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zvv7AbK35G0WW

$2-$10 Aquarium thermometer that reads down to 60 degrees F

CNZ Digital LCD Thermometer for Aquarium Fish Tank Vivarium Reptile Terrarium https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPXVI94/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yxv7Ab1NSQ5H6

$5-$20 Aquarium syphon

Aqueon Medium Siphon Vacuum Aquarium Gravel Cleaner, 9-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004RK1WBK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2aw7Ab3Z5KS9B

Feeding

$2.50-$3 Fishing earth worms (Walmart sporting goods section)
$10-$15 blister pack of 30 blood worm cubes (I can sell them to you while supplies last for $15 or you can buy them at any pet shop that sells fish)

Earth worms when they get bigger try to feed them nibbles of a worm like the size of their head and move up as they get bigger and frozen blood worms for first month to month and a half try to feed the earth worms to the axolotls ever couple days by hand until they start accepting them they might start accepting earth worms as soon as a week after receiving them from me (feed frozen blood worms every other day until they are regularly eating pieces of worm )

Maintenance

You can use a turkey baster and clean up their poops as you see them you’ll still have to do water changes but much less water 25%-35% or use a syphon once a week and do a 30%-50% water change along with the water dechlorinator and some of the safe start plus make sure to test the water regular with the api test kit

Keeping the water to the correct temperature

60-64F is the perfect water temp for them but it can be hard to achieve during summer but doing more regular water changes can help with that and putting a fan over the aquarium blowing on it will help by up to 4-5 degrees

NO SAND OR GRAVEL ESPECIALLY NO GRAVEL EVER sand maybe fine once they are 6-7inches but they will swallow it and they can become impacted and possibly lead to death

Thanks! I have sand in my aquarium and I've been using this gravel vacuum http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Medium-Siphon-Aquarium-Cleaner/dp/B004RK1WBK/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1414548781&sr=8-10&keywords=gravel+vacuum
I have debris at the bottom of my tank from my plants but I'm having trouble getting them out using the one I have :/

https://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Medium-Siphon-Aquarium-Cleaner/dp/B004RK1WBK/ref=sr_1_10?crid=3VCBSQK9YVPU5&keywords=aquarium+siphon&qid=1549761252&s=gateway&sprefix=aquarium+si%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-10