# Eco-complete and mulm



## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

Hey, this might seem obvious to you guys, but it certainly isn't to me. I might completely break down my 10 gallon this summer and try either AS or SS. I'll have a mature filter to work with already, so I'm not exactly worried about ammonia/nitrite. However, if in the future I want to set up a new tank, where do I find the mulm to work with in Eco-complete? From what I've read it seems that mulm gathers in gravel in dark colored globs. I can't seem to find that anywhere in my Eco-complete. I realize that beneficial bacteria colonizes in the substrate, though, so my reasoning is that mulm is simply mature substrate?

So do I simply get a handful of my mature Eco-complete and spread it across the bottom of a new tank? Can anyone clarify this for me?

Thanks in advance,
James


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Do a deep gravel vac of your substrate, I guarantee you'll see this brown stuff getting sucked out of it. That's the mulm. What I did when I tore down a tank to set up a new one, was vaccum up the gravel real good, let it settle in the bucket, decant the water at the top and you have the mulm at the bottom. Then I poured this mulm rich water at the bottom of my new tank.


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

I agree with Bert 99%. The problem with EC is it also has the really fine "dust" particles that are part of the substrate. Doing a deep gravel vac will pick this up, too. Luckily, this part will be almost as good as mulm but might not be the same consistency of what you'd expect.

Mulm will also collect quite nicely in your filter if you're running one (HOB, cannister or sponge - It doesn't matter).


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## erik Loza (Feb 6, 2006)

Eco-Complete with some sort of cosmetic top dressing? That's what I use and never any silt or sediment in my water column. All the benefits, none of the hassles, IMO. Good luck.


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