Question: Water Changes

[ErisdarInksmudge]

When doing a water change, does everything need to come out of the aquarium, and should I remove my Axie?
My substrate is aquarium sand and I would like to clean it up as well...but I dont want to stress out my girl.
Whats the best way without causing her stress?

And is it ok to have live plants? Or will they mess with the chemistry of the tank too much?

TIA

 

[wolfen]

there shouldn't be any need to remove your axolotl to do a water change.
a cheap low power/flow water pump head with a seven inch piece of pipe attached to the outlet can be used to blow out waste/debris in any caves/hides etc.. prior to water changes, use a fork to go through the sand before a water change to release debris/gas build up.
plants are fine although some find it difficult to grow in water that has any salinity.

 

[ErisdarInksmudge]

there shouldn't be any need to remove your axolotl to do a water change.
a cheap low power/flow water pump head with a seven inch piece of pipe attached to the outlet can be used to blow out waste/debris in any caves/hides etc.. prior to water changes, use a fork to go through the sand before a water change to release debris/gas build up.
plants are fine although some find it difficult to grow in water that has any salinity.

So bringing up the debris/waste/gases wont hurt my axie if she breathes all that in?
And I have a filter on my vacuum that actually swirls the substrate around while cleaning it.....

 

[wolfen]

the gasses and debris become a problem when axolotls dig through the sand and get a face/gill full, once exposed the gasses move to the surface and the anoxic debris become less nasty (plus the sand etc.. is being cleaned through away from the axolotl rather than by the axolotl).

 

[ErisdarInksmudge]

the gasses and debris become a problem when axolotls dig through the sand and get a face/gill full, once exposed the gasses move to the surface and the anoxic debris become less nasty (plus the sand etc.. is being cleaned through away from the axolotl rather than by the axolotl).

Ok. Makes sense.

Just finished with the water change and I do think Calypso is mad at me.
Her tank is starting to look so much better tho.
Thank you so much for your help =0)