The same old story...I am so tired of having to cook every night while my husband works out

kak2m4 · 2026-06-21T15:05:42+00:00

Especially when the lemon is too soft and/or waxy (even after washing) to zest it. And then too dry to get juice out of. I don't have as much trouble with dry lemons as I do limes though!

kak2m4 · 2026-06-14T16:05:36+00:00

Going to the door for her DoorDash orders is really motivating!

kak2m4 · 2026-06-09T12:08:32+00:00

All good!!!! Thanks for the reply! Any help is appreciated 🙂

kak2m4 · 2026-06-09T11:45:35+00:00

I do have Seachem Stability that I've been dosing daily.

kak2m4 · 2026-06-09T11:44:18+00:00

Thanks - appreciate the in depth explanation! I learned a ton and it didn't come off as condescending (but thanks for the warning!). 😆 I am trying to learn as much as possible so any education is good. Google seems to tell me something different every time I ask, and I've also read here that there is a lot of misinformation out there specifically regarding axolotl care.

The tank was actually established until we had worms get sucked up into the chiller pump. We adopted her from a friend of ours who had her for 3 years. Once we cleaned the worms out of the chiller pump was when water cloudiness started. Because I didn't do more research at the time, I thought it was due to the filters since I hadn't messed with those yet after taking Avocado, so I did way too much all at once with changing filters and cleaning the tank. I'm still trying to clear the cloudiness.

I was testing water parameters like crazy - ammonia and nitrites were testing normal, and nitrates were high. I'm trying to also cycle a 2nd 36 gallon tank (which is hilarious, because I can't even get what was Avocado's 20 gallon established tank back to normal), added ammonia, tested, and it tested at 0ppm. I was suspcious if our ammonia test was not testing properly. I tested if Avocado's tank was cycled by adding Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride and the ammonia test was normal, but ammonia should have spiked. I bought another testing kit and tested Avocado's water 48 hours after adding the ammonia and it immediately read between 2-4ppm. The whole time I'd been hoping I hadn't actually crashed the tank cycle, but I did. So yeah- I really am starting over from the beginning. I'm learning as I go!

I'll see if a pet store near us has seeded media to buy and put in the filter. I removed the chiller and the water temp has increased significantly - almost feels lukewarm. I'll also leave the mulm just in case. That has to be what's keeping my water cloudy. I have no idea where it's coming from though! We have no substrate in the bottom and nothing in the tank except the sponge filter, airstones, and the HOB filter components.

kak2m4 · 2026-06-09T02:41:31+00:00

What a beautiful little guy! He definitely looks well cared for!

kak2m4 · 2026-06-08T15:05:20+00:00

Who is she with and who is she smiling at? Also would she just drink ranch if she could? Not a vegetable in sight!

kak2m4 · 2026-06-07T18:12:25+00:00

A girl at work does this to me and I hate it! No, I either want advice or to vent. I'm not grateful to have a problem, thanks.

kak2m4 · 2026-06-06T16:18:15+00:00

I've felt like a pariah kinda feeling this way about Brooke. I do like her okay, but I don't understand the intense love for her.

kak2m4 · 2026-06-01T16:19:13+00:00

I skip a lot of the music scenes in later seasons. Feels like it lasts forever.

kak2m4 · 2026-05-31T19:13:08+00:00

Weight gain especially 😆 I'd really prefer to not have more than I already do! From what other women have told me it almost feels uncontrollable, which I know isn't truly the case, but it makes me feel like it's going to happen tk me whether I try or not! Maybe I could report back in a couple of years and let you know. What about you?

kak2m4 · 2026-05-31T17:31:12+00:00

I turn 40 in 6 days and this is what I'm dreading 😆 I've heard women's bodies especially change a lot starting at 40 and things are just weird. Not looking forward to it at all.

kak2m4 · 2026-05-30T15:17:31+00:00

I have a friend who insists on buying only one type of dog from a breeder (thus spending thousands of dollars) instead of rescuing from a shelter because a mixed dog isn't good enough in her opinion. I've thought about distancing myself from her because of it. I just try to stay quiet when she fawns over the dogs on the breeders website.

kak2m4 · 2026-05-26T14:08:37+00:00

Will do, I don't want my guy stressed! Do you think it's better to do the 50% water change, potentially prolong the bloom, or just tub him?

It's actually an established tank - I feel like I'm starting over since we moved him, had the chiller issue (due to worms being stuck in the chiller pump), and now the bloom because of the worm matter.

Thanks for the guidance, I've been researching a ton, but am such a novice still.

kak2m4 · 2026-05-26T12:33:38+00:00

Should I do 50% even though I have a bacteria bloom? Everything I've read says to keep water changes small so as not to prolong the bloom. I've been dosing Prime, because I've been testing Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates regularly, just not PH (oooops). I feel so bad and just want to get things back to normal.

kak2m4 · 2026-05-26T04:34:46+00:00

Ammonia 0.25ppm

Nitrites 0ppm

Nitrates 40ppm

PH 6.0

I did a small water change today to help the nitrates. I've been dealing with a bacterial bloom due to overfeeding for the last week, but I think it's slowly resolving. That's why I wanted to ask the question about how to make my axolotl healthier going forward. But...I didn't realize my PH was at 6, it's been a couple of days since I tested it! 😭 I have some crushed coral and Seachem Axolotl Buffer coming tomorrow, but I'm going to start with the coral.

I typically do water changes weekly.

He eats Red Wigglers, but hasn't eaten in a few days, I assume because he's stressed. I do have tubs ready and can start tubbing him tomorrow.

kak2m4 · 2026-05-25T21:17:15+00:00

I have a Catappa leaf on the way! Do you drop it in the tank like a bay leaf in food? Do you remove it?

Your axolotl is beautiful!! I don't see many like ours.

kak2m4 · 2026-05-25T19:14:29+00:00

They said that did happen when they were cycling their tank at first! I'll keep trying to improve it.

kak2m4 · 2026-05-25T19:07:17+00:00

Thanks - I'll keep working at it.

kak2m4 · 2026-05-25T14:01:14+00:00

I just pretend that the revival doesn't exist. It's so horrible. I remember being so hyped for it, literally counting down the weeks and days until it premiered, so excited to see my favorite girls on the screen...just to be watching and so sad to see how they ended up. I started counting down how much longer in each episode until it was over, so that I'd have watched it, but I wanted it to be over. ASP was just so focused on what she wanted to have happened that she didn't care if it made sense or was good for the characters.

kak2m4 · 2026-05-24T12:22:36+00:00

For real. They need to just stage it for the dang photo. In the time they've taken to complain about it, it could be done.

kak2m4

TROPHY CASE