# Mulm



## Rattail (Aug 21, 2006)

I am in the process of starting a new aquarium. I know that by putting some mulm from another healthy aquarium into my substarte, I will be giving the bacteria a head-start.

My question: will it be ok to get mulm from varous healthy tanks to put in my tank so as to have a lot in order to give the bacteria a REALLY good start? or will it suffice just to put a little bit from one tank in?


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## onemyndseye (May 12, 2006)

alittle from one tank is probably enough  ... too much COULD cause problems.

Its easy in this hobby to get sucked into that "more is better" way of thinking..... GOOD + GOOD + GOOD = BETTER .... but being a hobby based mostly on maintaining a certain balance the above equation often equals TROUBLE 


Good luck on your new tank 
-Justin
One Mynds Eye


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## Rattail (Aug 21, 2006)

Thanks. How long will mulm last (in a bottle with aquarium water) from the time I get it, to when I put it in my substrate? my friend has been holding back on doing his gravel siphon for a while, but is getting impatient, and I am not quite ready to put the substrate in yet (still busy building the canopy). I'll be busy for about another week.


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

So what substrate are you using?


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## joephys (May 9, 2006)

Tell him to do his gravel vac. There should be more than enough mulm by the time you are ready for it in a week. Personally, I think you are going to be adding a lot more organics than bacteria doing things that way.


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## Rattail (Aug 21, 2006)

my substrate from bottom up: 
1" layer of clay, 
2"-3" mixture (50-50%) of river bed soil with rose/shrub planting soil mix, 
sprinkling of mulm
1" fine aquarium gravel (2mm diameter chips). 

that's it. (if I can get hold of some before I set up, I'll put a sprinkling of sphagnum peat on the bottom, but it's very hard to come by in South Africa).


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Rattail said:


> my substrate from bottom up:
> 1" layer of clay,
> 2"-3" mixture (50-50%) of river bed soil with rose/shrub planting soil mix,
> sprinkling of mulm
> ...


Unless you're going to grow water lilies and other emergent plants in this tank (with lots of light), the soil layer is way too deep. It is too rich for most submerged aquarium plants and will go anaerobic. It may kill the plants. I recommend only a 1-1.5 inch layer of soil covered with 1 inch of gravel.


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## Rattail (Aug 21, 2006)

Hi Diana, thanks for the response! I am still waiting for your book to arrive in South Africa - it takes long! (I believe I'll be more clever once that comes!)

The plants I intend planting are: crypts, hygrophila, java ferns, a barclaya, rotala rotundifolia, and some vallisneria. Do you still say I should leave the clay layer out?

I also plan on putting some Malaysian trumpet snails in to aerate the substrate to prevent it from going anaerobic.

I really hope you reply again! ray: After all, you are the Natural guru!


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## onemyndseye (May 12, 2006)

Rattail -

I just got my copy for my upcomming birthday 2 or 3 days ago... Its well worth the wait 


Take Care,
-Justin
One Mynds Eye


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## Rattail (Aug 21, 2006)

Fortunately for Diana, unfortunately for the rest, no-one seems to write excerpts from her book on the 'net!

I have been waiting for 2 months now. My tank has been set up, and I hope I picked up enough from the snippets I WAS able to find on the forum, and also a few places on the 'net (a Harris lady wrote a nice piece).

Now I just hope the plants grow. 

cheers!


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## onemyndseye (May 12, 2006)

they will mate... its not nearly as hard as alot of people make it sound 

its simple... if the coniditions are met then theyll grow..

1. good lighting
2. nutrient rich subtrate
3. A carbon source (From the soil and fish respiration)

Meet those and youll have your plants 

-Justin
One Mynds Eye


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Rattail said:


> The plants I intend planting are: crypts, hygrophila, java ferns, a barclaya, rotala rotundifolia, and some vallisneria. Do you still say I should leave the clay layer out?
> 
> I also plan on putting some Malaysian trumpet snails in to aerate the substrate to prevent it from going anaerobic.
> QUOTE]
> ...


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## Rattail (Aug 21, 2006)

hahaha! thanks. Too late. I did, however, change my formula since your last bit of advice. I just included a thin sprinkling of clay, topped by 1.5" on river soil/rose shrub mixture. It's a LOT less than I originally intended (thanks). I am waiting for the MTS.

Where is Data Guru's website please? I do recall reading something, somewhere (which put me onto your book in the first place!) and it might have been Data Guru. (I seem to recall "Harris"?)


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Dear Rattail

Here is master link (the first sticky in the El Naturale forum) with links to important websites. You'll need to click on link below and then Data Guru's website.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/29822-useful-links-to-npt-procedures.html

Diana

P.S. Your letters have prompted me to seriously consider publishing an e-book version of _Ecology of the Planted Aquarium_.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

> no-one seems to write excerpts from her book on the 'net!


 I try to. I am in marketing; and when I see a good idea or book, I like to let my friends know about it. 
That's just part of my personality. I hope this is okay. I only do it on APC. (I think) 
(Seachem were actually the ones that originally told me about her book.)
I like the fact that I can look up some solutions in her book and share that.

I also like to share how easy it was for me to order and how affordable it was for me. 
I like that link at the top of the page! Great idea!

I like simple and good. 
Complex means time consuming of which I don't have much anymore (time).


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