Boil Leaf Litter?

[HookedOnFish_MI]

Wow...sqeaky clean ... I would reduce the light a bit or chuck some floating plants in it .... Nice hardscape though

Thank you. It has gotten darker in there since this picture was taken due to the tannins building up. I tried finding some frogbit but learned you can’t sell it in Michigan. I don’t want to deal with duckweed. Any other recommendations that won’t kill my anubias by making it too dark?

 

[MacZ]

Salvinia or pennywort. Or get a dwarf waterlily.

 

[HookedOnFish_MI]

Give it time to grime.

So do I no longer try to suck out things like this?

 

[HookedOnFish_MI]

I added some leaves to my 15 gallon as well. I have a few left from the 1st bag I may throw in the 10 gallon too.

 

[MacZ]

So do I no longer try to suck out things like this?

Correct, at least long term. Here you can see some closeups of the mulm in my tank.
it will look grimey and disgusting for a while, but when microorganisms, worms, snails and the like start to decompose the plants the bottom layer
of fine mulm will absorb anything like the blob and direct it all back into the food chain and the nitrogen cycle. As I only have four fish in there and only feed small amounts with fast days the amount of fish waste stays in a range that I can handle.

 

[HookedOnFish_MI]

Correct, at least long term. Here you can see some closeups of the mulm in my tank.
it will look grimey and disgusting for a while, but when microorganisms, worms, snails and the like start to decompose the plants the bottom layer
of fine mulm will absorb anything like the blob and direct it all back into the food chain and the nitrogen cycle. As I only have four fish in there and only feed small amounts with fast days the amount of fish waste stays in a range that I can handle.View attachment 10037
View attachment 10038
View attachment 10039

Thanks for the info. I’m sure I’ll try to suck up anything easily accessible, but just won’t go rearranging anything to get more.

 

[MacZ]

Thanks for the info. I’m sure I’ll try to suck up anything easily accessible, but just won’t go rearranging anything to get more.

Good strategy in the beginning. With decomposition going further, and the next layer of leaves is added, there will be much more mulm accumulating. Just wait and see.

 

[themountain]

Just give the tank(and the fishes) a rest...dont worry about some poop ...Jesus..
Get some snails ..they will take care of this . A handful of Salvinia or Pistia and everything will be alright

 

[HookedOnFish_MI]

Just give the tank(and the fishes) a rest...dont worry about some poop ...Jesus..
Get some snails ..they will take care of this . A handful of Salvinia or Pistia and everything will be alright

Not “worried” about it being there, just want to make sure I know what I’m doing and not jeopardizing my water quality since this part is new to me. Thanks for the comments.

 

[yukondog]

Doing a little vacuuming wont change a thing if it's unsightly to you. Most of the fish [apisto] we get are tank raised and have never seen dark water before and unless you have W/C really dont need it, but it's more of a personal thing, do the dark water fish like it more, I dont know, I've tried both, I raise Hongsloi, Cacatuides, Agassizii, Borellii and Macmasteri for years and have seen no difference between reg. tanks and dark water tanks.

 

[ButtNekkid]

Hi,

I suggest that we setup a contest. The "mulmiest" tank of 2021 at Apistogramma.com.
My contender:

 

[HookedOnFish_MI]

Hi,

I suggest that we setup a contest. The "mulmiest" tank of 2021 at Apistogramma.com.
My contender:

Wow! How long did it take all that to accumulate?

 

[MacZ]

Hi,

I suggest that we setup a contest. The "mulmiest" tank of 2021 at Apistogramma.com.
My contender:

I'm in! But I think you will very likely win. (This year... hehehee )

 

[Mike Wise]

This was my 'cesspool breeding tank' complete with Wangenflecken Apisto: https://www.apistogramma.com/forum/...sintegrated-catappa-leaves.22981/#post-107183.

 

[ButtNekkid]

Wow! How long did it take all that to accumulate?

A few years. If I remember correctly, my last gravel vac was in 2017.
It´s a combination of leaf litter, decaying botanicals and sphagnum moss.

On a side note: Mike W just had to rain on my parade. I was always in the impression that my tanks were the mulmiest.
I´d really dislike that guy if he wasn´t such a never ending source of information...

 

[Mike Wise]

One of the few times being a lazy aquarist worked out for the good. :-D