I'm getting this all over my 40g sump / refugium, but not in the main tank. I'm assuming because there isn't any filtration in the sump itself, short of the drip tray with filter media. The sump is planted, it does have snails and a couple fish.
Is this a type of algae?
- Thread starter Mudfrog
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If I swirl the water it mixes up fairly well also, it's a lot of little pieces instead of a larger piece. It doesn't seem to be attached to anything either, just kind of laying there.
Not diatoms, IMHO. I think that's the stuff that we referred to back in the day as "mulm". It was suggested that a healthy layer of mulm on the bottom of a tank was a prerequisite for breeding many of the more sensitive species of fish, especially those that had very small fry, since it provided a rich source of microscopic food, both living and not-so-living. It was described as a fine layer of organic debris from decaying plant matter, uneaten food and "other sources". Those other sources...were the buttholes of fish...but details like that were rarely mentioned...
But the stuff works as advertised. When I bring fry in from outdoor stock tanks, if they are still down in the 1/4 to 3/8 range or smaller, I always scoop up a couple netfuls of this schmutz (another scientific term...) off the bottom of the stock tank and dump it into the indoor aquarium with them. Most species of fry can be seen actively picking at and searching through this stuff for food.
I'm still surprised that the outfits selling bacteria-in-a-bottle aren't also offering this stuff for sale; probably just waiting until they come up with a catchy name for it. Bottled Mulm sounds so pedestrian...I dunno, maybe "S**t Stew"?
But the stuff works as advertised. When I bring fry in from outdoor stock tanks, if they are still down in the 1/4 to 3/8 range or smaller, I always scoop up a couple netfuls of this schmutz (another scientific term...) off the bottom of the stock tank and dump it into the indoor aquarium with them. Most species of fry can be seen actively picking at and searching through this stuff for food.
I'm still surprised that the outfits selling bacteria-in-a-bottle aren't also offering this stuff for sale; probably just waiting until they come up with a catchy name for it. Bottled Mulm sounds so pedestrian...I dunno, maybe "S**t Stew"?
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Not diatoms, IMHO. I think that's the stuff that we referred to back in the day as "mulm". It was suggested that a healthy layer of mulm on the bottom of a tank was a prerequisite for breeding many of the more sensitive species of fish, especially those that had very small fry, since it provided a rich source of microscopic food, both living and not-so-living. It was described as a fine layer of organic debris from decaying plant matter, uneaten food and "other sources". Those other sources...were the buttholes of fish...but details like that were rarely mentioned...
But the stuff works as advertised. When I bring fry in from outdoor stock tanks, if they are still down in the 1/4 to 3/8 range or smaller, I always scoop up a couple netfuls of this schmutz (another scientific term...) off the bottom of the stock tank and dump it into the indoor aquarium with them. Most species of fry can be seen actively picking at and searching through this stuff for food.
I'm still surprised that the outfits selling bacteria-in-a-bottle aren't also offering this stuff for sale; probably just waiting until they come up with a catchy name for it. Bottled Mulm sounds so pedestrian...I dunno, maybe "S**t Stew"?
Very interesting. I have two clown loaches in the refugium, I wonder if they would snack on it or if I should just "attempt" to scoop it all out. I don't have any fish that breed so I wouldn't need it for that.
Detritus/mulm commonly builds up in planted sump/refugiums, from spent plant parts, etc especially around the plant roots,
I don't worry about it
My sump contains a Pleco, and lots of shrimp. The shrimp help break it down, where the plants are more easily able to use it
The mulm is about half inch thick, and covers half bottom of the 6 ft sump.
I don't worry about it
My sump contains a Pleco, and lots of shrimp. The shrimp help break it down, where the plants are more easily able to use it
The mulm is about half inch thick, and covers half bottom of the 6 ft sump.
It does seem to congregate near the roots. I have quite a bit of Java Fern / Anubias in my sump. I'll leave it be for now.