OliveFish05’s double tank journal and builds (20 gallon tropical community and 40 gallon axolotl tank)

[OliveFish05]

OK, I just have to respond to myself and say I was completely full of beans, here. My tank actually sticks out a good 2" past the edges of the aquarium stand. And it's fine. But really, I wouldn't want to take it much further than that. So. Don't feel bad if you don't take my advice TOO seriously. I obviously don't take it too seriously either.

Hahaha this made me laugh!

You're starting quite the axolotl farm, there!

got a birthday coming up and figured “I’ve got room for 3 axolotls in my 40 gallon” so started watching. The breeder I purchased from (i wanted to buy from the same breeder I got my first one from, because she has great prices and free shipping and I knew she was running a quality business) basically won’t be shipping during the holidays (a week or two before Thanksgiving through a week or two after New Years). That would put me waiting until well over a month after my birthday, meaning I would have to pay for them myself, AND my current axolotl would be much larger. I wanted them all around the same age/size, so if I waited I would need to get larger (6 inch) ones which are much more expensive!

 

[OliveFish05]

Thought I would share a photo of my 20 long. This is going on the bottom shelf of the stand with the 40 gallon. It currently has 13 Pygmy Cories and a pleco, but I am hoping to get either marbled hatchet fish or honey gourami. When I move the tank, I will be rescaping it almost entirely. This is temporary until I am needing to move it. The water level is very low right no because it evaporated so fast (i have a lid coming this week)

 

[OliveFish05]

Found a buyer for my 55 gallon tank setup! I am really happy with the price I am getting, and I think the buyer is too. Selling the tank, stand, 2 glass tops, 2 heaters, and 2 AquaClear 50 Filters for $250. Decent price, considering the AquaClear filters were free like new hand me downs from a family member, the tank was half off when I bought it, and I got 20% off the other items because of a sale they were running. I am making almost all my money back from it. Now for them to come pick it up.

My stand shipped yesterday and should be delivered tomorrow. I am hoping to stop at Lowe’s and get my new sand so I can set it up right away!

I cut the lid to size and brought my umbrella palms inside.

 

[OliveFish05]

Plan to order some plants tonight. For the 40 gallon I’ll be getting a variety of Anubias, Java ferns, and swords. For the 20 gallon I’m buying dwarf hairgrass and some stem and bunched plants. I will also be getting a “floating plant variety pack” from Etsy. It has duckweed, azolla, and salivinia. Maybe someday I’ll get some red root floaters and frog bit.

Tonight I am sketching out my aquascape design. I have an idea in my head but thought I’d sketch it out for anyone following this thread to see where I am going with this!

 

[OliveFish05]

The sketches didn’t turn out great. In the 20 gallon I am basically going for something like this. This was my first tank ever and I’m trying to recreate it the right way but better.

 

[OliveFish05]

My stand came today, plan to start putting it together right away. The sand should be here within the next hour. I had to have a family member pick it up for me. The sale of the 55 gallon fell through but thats ok. I am still figuring out what plants I’m going with for the 20 gallon, so waited to order.


I went to what is supposedly the worlds largest antique mall today. I found a really lovely teacup, saucer, and halfmoon shaped dish that I thought would be very pretty to add some interest to the decor in the axolotls 40 gallon. I thought it would look a bit like “lost treasures” in a river, in with all the plants and such.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

My stand came today, plan to start putting it together right away. The sand should be here within the next hour. I had to have a family member pick it up for me. The sale of the 55 gallon fell through but thats ok. I am still figuring out what plants I’m going with for the 20 gallon, so waited to order.


I went to what is supposedly the worlds largest antique mall today. I found a really lovely teacup, saucer, and halfmoon shaped dish that I thought would be very pretty to add some interest to the decor in the axolotls 40 gallon. I thought it would look a bit like “lost treasures” in a river, in with all the plants and such.View attachment 147450

I like things like that. (I also really love a really good cup of tea, and that is a very cool tea cup) Lost treasures in the river. What fun.

 

[OliveFish05]

I like things like that. (I also really love a really good cup of tea, and that is a very cool tea cup) Lost treasures in the river. What fun.

I thought it was so pretty and sounded like a fun idea! And nothing beats a good cup of tea on a chilly day, except hot apple cider.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I should start a tea lovers' thread in the general chat forum. I'm sure your axolotls will feel very civilized crawling about on such elegant decor.

 

[OliveFish05]

Finally getting somewhere! Stand was built last night, and this morning I got the tank on there. Still need to wipe all the dust out of the tank though!

My sand (black for axolotls, white for the community tank), air pump for the axolotls, glass top for the 20 gallon, and a couple other things came too! I forgot to order my sponge filters. I have two 50 pound bags of sand for the 40 gallon, I just didn’t feel like carrying the second one all the way down the stairs yet.

 

[OliveFish05]

I got the 40 gallon all decorated! Black sand, dragon stone, amazon swords, dwarf sag, and umbrella palms right now. And of course I can’t forget the teacup! The plants need a bit of care and the sand needs touched up but I think it is looking decent. The water is a little cloudy from the sand, and I need to attach my black background.

I am ordering about $100 worth of plants today, to be divided between this tank and the 20 gallon.

The axolotls are sitting AT my post office, so I drove down to see if they’d let me pick them up rather than wait for them to be delivered to my door. Well turns out it’s Veterans Day so theyre closed! I completely forgot.

 

[NannaLou]

I got the 40 gallon all decorated! Black sand, dragon stone, amazon swords, dwarf sag, and umbrella palms right now. And of course I can’t forget the teacup! The plants need a bit of care and the sand needs touched up but I think it is looking decent. The water is a little cloudy from the sand, and I need to attach my black background.View attachment 147596


I am ordering about $100 worth of plants today, to be divided between this tank and the 20 gallon.

The axolotls are sitting AT my post office, so I drove down to see if they’d let me pick them up rather than wait for them to be delivered to my door. Well turns out it’s Veterans Day so theyre closed! I completely forgot.

The sand looks very deep, how will you stop it from building trapped gas pockets..?

 

[robmcd]

I agree with @NannaLou , that sand looks really deep. You could probably get away with about half that amount.

 

[OliveFish05]

It is about 2 inches deep in the front, 4 inches deep in the back. I made it deeper in the back. I think it looks deep in the photo because that was before I leveled it out.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

The axolotls are sitting AT my post office, so I drove down to see if they’d let me pick them up rather than wait for them to be delivered to my door. Well turns out it’s Veterans Day so theyre closed! I completely forgot.

I HATE it when that happens! Hope they're OK.

The sand looks very deep, how will you stop it from building trapped gas pockets..?

Deep sand can be good if it's planted. It's a bit of an oversimplification, but the plant roots keep the anaerobic zones from becoming toxic.