Re: Mulm in the gravel

[Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

> You have mentioned a few times now that you have added mulm to the
> substrate when setting up a new tank. At first, I was under the impression
> that you were adding dried mulm as one would do with a laterite or soil
> amendment. In the last couple of posts you mentioned bacteria, so, I am now
> under the impression you are adding only the freshest mulm recently
> harvested from the finest and dirtiest of filter media! Is this true? If
> so, do you let it settle out and then decant the water to obtain the muck?
> 
> --- Eric

I use the wet decanted(as best you can, leave it stand for a few minutes,
then decant) mulm in the filthy bowels of substrates.

Consider an nice mature seasoned older tank.
Now consider what differences it has vs my brand new tank?
The filter is mature, the plants are the same, the nutrients added to the
water is the same etc.

Most of the new set up issue is in the substrate. So what makes a substrate
different in a new tank full of flourite vs a mature one? Mulm, with
bacteria, organic detritus etc.

So adding that, will season the tank much quicker. It starts off very close
to the mature established tank. Only some readjustments will need to take
place but most of the live cultures will all be present from the start.

I add peat for a measure of added reductiveness and humics which seem to
help aquariums in small amount in the substrates IMO. Why these help does
not appear to be readily clear even though I have read a fair amount on this
issue.

Short of mixing some old flourite substrate, say 50% of the gravel from one
tank to another, this is a decent easy method.

Mix well with the bottom 1/2-1 inch of substrate, then top the layer with
2-4 inches etc.


Regards, 
Tom Barr