Why I Let my Tanks Get Dirty - The Benefits of Mulm and Natural Aquariums
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- Опубликовано: 16 окт 2021
- Hi all,
Every time I upload my full fishroom tours I get a lot of comments about how my tanks are dirty, how there is some fish poop and debris in the tank and how the fish shouldn't be breeding or healthy because the tank isn't pristine and free of debris.
This is a really common misconception around fishkeeping so today I wanted to tackle the reasons why natural aquariums are sometimes even more healthy than spotless aquariums.
Hope you enjoy
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#Mulm #Algae #BlakesAquatics 
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This points to the difference between aquascaping and fish keeping. Both are enjoyable hobbies but are distinct even though they can overlap.
YOU BETCHA! Untidy is the nature of reality. So, it must be right for our aquariums. You got it BLAKE!
It's also the 'reality of nature' ;)
The sooner people realize that fish keeping and healthy/thriving aquariums are a long game, the better. This video helps aid that cause. Well done.
When people realize that mulm is very beneficial thats when they level up their fish keeping skill. If you keep a balance between looking decent and enough "stuff" around. thats when you generally notice your fish do really well.
Couldn’t have said it better
Watched 30 secs and had to agree. The fact babies are being produced means the tanks are excellent for the fish.
Great video! I wish that more hobbyist realized that they are keeping an ecosystem and not a painting on the wall. Natural is always better for the fish as long as water parameters are good! Thanks for the awesome content!
I have to agree with a mulm natural style tank. I hatched some corydoras eggs in my roommates "clean" shrimp tank recently. When the cory babies got larger, I took some out and moved them into my natural, plant heavy, dirty mulm tank. Now, those babies are twice the size of the baby corydoras that are still in the "clean" shrimp tank. Even though the babies in the shrimp tank are still getting extra food. It drives my roommate crazy that my tank has mulm in it, but its obvious that its really great for fish to grow.
Thank you, I always tell people how many lakes and ponds do you see that are perfectly clean? My tank has some mulm and the water parameters are healthy and stable. My shrimp are always breeding. Not everything has to be "perfect" to us to be "perfect" for our fish.
Creating that miniature biotope is what I love about fishkeeping, grunge included. I don't really show my aquariums to people anymore because I've been judged to heck for spot algae on my glass, or letting snails breed with abandon in my tanks, and while i love planted, natural tanks i don't really fit in with the aqua scaping crowd either because not really aesthetic, more functional.
Thanks for normalising tank grunge!
The fact that your fish all look amazing should be all the proof you need. Keep doing what you’re doing!
So glad you did a video on natural tanks. I let my tanks go natural and watch the water parameters. I do partial water changes as needed. The hanging side filters get cleaned when needed. My plants love the natural dirtiness. As long as the fish and snails are healthy, then I know all is okay. USA
I agree 100% as long as the water parameters are decent, I find my baby plecos enjoy a “dirty tank” a dirty tank is a happy tank🙂👍🏻
Yeah absolutely. Also I could gravel vac every 5 mins in bn tanks and thered still be waste 🤣
Blake's Aquatics 😂true that!
I love it, I had been cleaning all my detritus off the sand and realized my kuhli loaches loved sifting through it all and now I have decided to just keep it.
I think many people who come on YT and watch aquarium-related videos are on here for the aesthetics without the knowledge to differentiate between An Aquascaped tank and a Fish Keeper / Breeder's room. You were nice to make this video but I don't feel you had to.
I am someone, for example, who enjoys aquascaping and creating the most pristine and clear *looking* planted / scaped aquariums. In every single build though, I'll design a little area that can't be seen from the front and / or sides, and I'll let all the mulm accumulate there. I never clean it because I consider that the "heartbeat" of the tank.
In Western Australia, the home breeder is still very popular, and if I go looking for a fish and the keeper has tanks like yours, I'm 100% positive I'll have no issues with any fish / shrimp I purchase from there. On the flip side, I do tend to purchase aquarium plants from pristine waters as I don't have a quarantine tank for plants
Thats a great idea! Combining the natural benefits of mulm with a clean aesthetic of a pristine aquascape. Thanks for the comment
Right, my immaculate mermaid tank has green algae being cultivated on three sides, and in my mulmy tank it isn't the prettiest, but how happy the fish!
Just a tip, if you're looking to quarantine plants for "pest" snails like bladder and pond snails, and for other organisms, you can do an alum soak. 15-30 minutes. Very mild, alum is an old school way of sanitizing water and it is used in pickling. A lot less harmful than bleach, potassium permanganate, copper, etc. It doesn't kill algae though. I do it all the time and have never killed plants even the delicate ones.
If you're quarantining for algae, well it's a lot more difficult...
I know I'm late the party on this one but I definitely wanted to add a comment after watching this video. This video earned a smash of the Subscribe button by me. What impressed me about the video was how you took the time to make a measured and educational video to address not just comments, but criticism. It's very easy to discredit opinions that you don't agree with using slander or mocking responses. Your thoughtful and instructive response addressed the issue that some viewers had in a wonderful and positive way. This approach not only speaks well of your knowledge of fish keeping, but also of your character. Very nicely done. I have enjoyed many of your past videos but only today came across this one. I look forward to continuing to see what interesting things you post about your tanks and your knowledge about fish keeping and aquatic plants. Have a wonderful day!
I don't think you had to respond to these comments, but I'm glad you made it a learning experience.
These people probably wrote those out of ignorance. If you look at breeders around the world, in videos and in person, you will rarely see "tidy" containers. Personally, I've never seen any. Some would even do black water with plenty of leaf litters to keep the tannins up. Some would stock the tank full of algae, use green water, etc.
I don’t know man. The modern breeder, particularly of Cichlids advocate for massive water changes and heavy feeding. Their argument is always hormones building up and stunting fish if you don’t change the water often enough and they say their fish are always much bigger than their fellow breeders who run tanks like this.
Nicely presented. Alot to be said for letting nature do its own thing. Sit back, observe, learn and enjoy.
Great video Blake. People need to realize in the wild fish live in dirt not in a sterile laboratory. I keep my tanks the same way and my fish breed regularly. I use the eye method.
Absolutely
New subscriber! I've always noticed the fish always seem happier and healthier in tanks like yours vs some of the pristine aquascape channels I watch. I prefer the " natural dirty tank" look myself. None of my tanks get gravel vac and I only clean algae off the front. I'm really surprised you only have 11k subscribers... you're very knowledgeable. Keep it up!
Welcome! Thanks 👍
That's because most aquascaped tanks are stocked low. A lot of them are for aesthetics, demonstrating technique by creating a diorama, and more focused on the "view". The livestock sadly serve as highlights for the aquascape. While that is not true for all, that is generally the case if you browse aquascaping channels. A lot of them are more dedicated to making their tanks more beautiful instead of finding beauty in function.
Breeder/natural/ecosystem tanks like Blake's are more about how everything works together to maintain a healthy environment for both fauna and flora. A lot more function over form (but still very nice to look at). And therein lies their beauty.
Feeds the plants too. Ponds and lakes don't have external filters, they use deep substrate.
Think some people think fish live in clear Crystal like water in the wild.If you look up videos where many of these species come from a bit of mulm in a tank is a bsoloutely nothing to worry about.Aquariums are not a natural habitat and Crystal clear water is more for our benefit for the way the tank looks and as we all know clear does not mean the water parameters are necessarily healthy.Great video Blake.
great video as far as mulm in my tanks one of my 5 gallons has a bunch of mulm and poop at the back behind the rocks and the plants grow well and the water parameters are good and are very healthy . one of the best solutions to this is to add some amano shrimp or trumpet snails to stir up the mulm
I never vacuum any of my tanks, almost don’t change water, or clean algae from the glass because there is none, the fish are healthy and breeding, the plants are growing, but there is no mulm either.
Do you have some shrimp, cories, or other fish who are constantly moving around and sifting through the substrate? Because I find in my tanks that some inhabitants help to break the debris down enough that it either more easily gets swept up into the filter, sinks down into the aquasoil, or at least is less visible to the naked eye.
@@pjp9383 That is exactly correct, I also have snails that burrow into the substrate , they take care of any uneaten food and like you rightly said, they keep detritus moving down into the substrate.
Just make sure to top off with R.O. or distilled water. Only water evaporates, the minerals stay and would build up otherwise.
I give my tanks plenty of light-time to encourage plant-growth and some algae. I also make sure though my fish get plenty of dark rest-time, about 10 hours at least. When the lights are off, the plants absorb oxygen so I do have air coming in with the filters and/or bubble aerator.
Great video mate, explain it all very well
So sorry to hear have heart ache over fish my self I realise we all learn some times the hard way thankyou for sharing
😁
Thanks for sharing your perspective here.
Just bought this. You are absolute right. I learned this in the 70s and though I don't bread for a living anymore I did very well breading, You are on the right track.
This guy is way ahead of the curve.
I thought this was a awesome idea and great thinking towards the video and really enjoyed it! 👍
Flipping love this video!!! Much needed education for the ignorant side of this crowd
love the content!!!! so genuine in your videos, love it !!
Thank you so much!!
Excellent information and this makes perfect sense . I too subscribe to your way of thinking and don’t really fancy pristine aquariums .Thank you !
Great topic and informative video. Love that you didn't get defensive, but turned the situation into an opportunity for education. I'm still trying to figure out the balance of plants, fertilization, feeding and cleaning for my own tanks, but my general attitude is much like yours - as close to natural conditions as possible is going to be best for the fish.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great information to put out there. Well done.👍💯
Much appreciated
Thanks for this video. Always learn something from your content.
Thanks 😄
Totally agree Blake. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for doing this video. While aesthetic tanks can be absolutely beautiful, they don’t really seem to be great for a live animal. We have to consider their comfort, health, and safety. We have taken them from a natural environment, and they need us to understand where they came from not where we would like to see them be. It’s like seeing a penguin without any snow or ice at the zoo. It’s sad. Thanks again.
when someone makes a comment like you mentioned, it show their lack of knowledge. Just like when someone comments......." Discus MUST be kept in bare tanks" ah well...
Great vid Blake . So many people need this . N ur actual water always clean never seen cloudy .
100% the water is by far more important than the surface at the bottom of the tank
This is very helpful .... i have seen many fish keepers who leave mulm in their tanks. I do too. I don't have high nitrate issues and I have actually seen my fish rummaging through the mulm. I decided it was a good thing!
Take care!
Loved this episode, well said 👍
Couldn't agree more. I have a year old plant tank I used to fertilise (liquid ferts) almost daily. Never cleaned it and now I don't need fertilisers anymore. The plants are growing fine thks to the detritus build up. It also feeds the amphipoda in the tank. Great video - natural systems (where fish live in the wild) are dirty not clean.
How long would you say it took before you could transition off fertiliser to the detritus?
New fishkeeper will try make their tank too clean, they even change water almost everyday and that just lead to their downfall. I find that just mildly maintenace and keep water decent are the natural way of keeping fish happy.
Kudos to you, providing rationale for those mentally challenged "super special fish ppls"
I quite enjoy observing "tablefish" rising to take my aquaturds. Ponder on that super special deep thinkers.
🤣 thats one way to put it. Thanks mate
Your fish are beautiful and I love your videos. Keep up the great work.
Love your take man.
Honestly I'm quite surprised more people aren't going for it. Might be a question of time, though I wouldn't bet on it. Blackwater aquariums have gotten popular after all
Wow. Never heard the reasons as to why you don’t vacuum your aquarium. It makes sense. This was my first time running across one of your videos. I am looking forward to your future videos should you make some. This video is worth a contribution. Sincerely, Marty Borst
Great video. I'm somewhere in the middle. I like a clean tank but I'm not obsessive about its appearance. Proof is in the pudding. Happy, colourful and active fish is the priority.
Nicely said Blake 👍🙂
I once saw some firemouths filmed in their natural environment. You can't even see the bottom there because it's covered with a huge lawyer of some sort of poop.
I love my black water leaf liter Betta ,mystery snail, *sponge filter* Duck weed tank. So does the Betta. The substrate is/was Dried up lake dirt. I added a little used crushed coral.
Everything you said makes perfect sense to me!
amazing, subscribed
a very thoughtful video
What an awesome explanation
I agree completely! I keep my tanks the same way. I have new fry every week
I like some mulm, it makes my carpeting plants happy and it's free fertilizer. Sure it might not look "good" but it's good overall. I'm not the kind who spends hour cleaning my tanks.
I am quite the same, I believe that if my fish breed happily then I know for a fact they are happy and that I’ve mastered the conditions they need to thrive
Awesome rant Bro. I don't think most understand about an ecosystem
I totally Agree! Bravo!
I thought your room was fabulous! An incredible variety of truly healthy fish. I hardly vacuum either!
Yay, embrace the algae people. Thanks Blake
Exactly!! We would all love to have Green Aqua styled tanks but sometimes the best thing to do is just take after what 90% of nature REALLY looks like😂
'ecosystem' tanks are always better for fish imo. Maybe look a bit dirtier (i personally like that overgrown look) but its just so much closer to the environment they're from why would it be a bad thing if kept in moderation? Anyone worried about your level of mulm hasn't been in the hobby long from what I can see.
Thanks mate, yeah I dont even take it close to the extremes that some others do, id just much rather spend my time changing water or feeding live foods or something than meticulously gravel vaccing every 3 mins
I'm of the opinion that the more natural an aquarium looks, the better & personally, I've never seen a river bed that didn't have muck settled on the bottom
Hi. It is BT. [biofloc techonology]. Biofloc is a heterogeneous aggregate of suspended particles and variety of microorganisms associated with extracellular polymeric substances. It is composed of microorganisms such as bacteria, algae, fungi, invertebrates and detritus, etc.
It is food for fish. It is one of the main sources of food in the wild Amazon basin. Basically rotting leaves and organics.
In my gsp [guppies stories planter], I have trapped fish wastes, organics and uneaten fish food. It produces biofloc over time. Extra food for my guppies. With my gsp, I get to control the amount of fish wastes to maintain good heathy water for my aquarium.
Edited: GSP, guppies stories planter.
I'm the same mate I breed more fish in dirty tanks and I like algae I grow it in some tanks on purpose for the fry and the microfauna that hide in it. I am very proud of an enormous growing mat and ball of it. Green water still escapes me however. I don't feed my fry in my mulmy tanks with leaves and algae they have enough food. Noone cleans the creeks and ponds outside and the fish do better than they do in clean tanks. I rarely even do water changes unless it is really needed. I like to keep things stable.
Well said!!
Thanks!
I never vacuum the substrate...ever. I do have a big aquaponic tray on top of the tank filled with pothos and peace lilys to keep nitrates low and my tank is heavily planted. Am I lazy? Yes...am I smart? Perhaps also yes. Lazy/ smart. My tank is designed for minimal maintenance. I only do water changes to lower dissolved minerals and rarely have to tone down the nitrate level.... Only if I inadvertantly overfeed. These people who are OCD about cleanimg are welcome to their obsession but I dont see the need for it. To paraphrase Einstein " if a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind , what then does an empty desk signify"? Lol.
Great video mate. Well said. Our breeding tanks are ugly. I only keep my tv tanks looking pristine
Subscribing because you are just sensible, practical and knowledgeable.
Appreciate that mate 👍
Prime mate 🤙 what percentage & how often do you water change?
50% every week or 2 weeks mainly just out of habit, still 0 nitrates
I'm exactly the same. I am actually trying to get aerobic, anaerobic and anoxic bacteria in my aquariums. So I never gravel vacc. My Nitrates never get above 20ppm and that's in a heavily stocked African Cichlid tank.
Yeah thats next level even to the entry level philosophy
I have to go through this all the time with my Gf, she's a little bit of a neat freak and I have to explain how this is meant to replicate a natural ecosystem, just look outside and you'll see that means a little bit of dirt.
The clean freaks response to this is always ‘there’s nothing natural about an aquarium’ or ‘the solution to pollution is dilution’. They do my head in.
The goal of keeping an aquarium is to create an ecosystem.
Mulm / detritus is part of the ecosystem whether liked or not.
I love the beautiful aquariums in the fish room. I can't believe people actually said that?!
Nerite snails are great , Mystery snails are great . I like snails , the ones that are not so invasive of course .
I must agree with you, principally because your tanks are for breeding and not for your friends to go at your home and see that great everything Cristal clear and clean. In yr case yr 100% correct.
Well said!
Man you my big brother ❤️ thanks
Yep I fully agree my fry grow so much faster with algea and mulm in the tank I even let hair algea go in some tanks for breeding purposes my florida flags for example have never been better since I left the hair algea go in there tank must be hundreds of them now also it's great for barbs and other egg scatterers
Thanks for sharing
Do you recommend a sponge filter or should I just put a thick sponge like cover or perhaps a thin woman’s nylon socks like material over my filter intake pipe? I have three 29 L tanks & they are the Aqua One name brand which have a built in type filter. I will also be getting a fourth tank of at least 52 L but probably bigger. Alternately I might get two 52 L thanks instead of one bigger tank in addition to my three 29 L tanks.
Good job mate. Keep up the good work. Your tanks are perfect & I appreciate your skills & abilities & advice. I can see that your fish are very happy (reflected in their excellent coloration) & that you are very smart in your comments where you are taking the best care of the fish 🐙🎣🐟🐡🐠 first because that is what I want for the little critters to be as natural as possible.
I absolutely love every word you had to say because I 💯%feel exactly the same way you do regarding your preference & successes on the perfect way you keep your tanks. Good job mate 👍🏻. Keep up the good work 🎣🐟🐡🐠🐙👍🏻.
If a tank has a built in filter you might as well use that, a piece of coarse sponge over the inlet is what id do
@@BlakesAquatics Thank you for the advice. You’re a lifesaver mate.
The fish police that make comments on videos regarding cleanliness are either trolling or just don’t have the advanced knowledge of the aquarium hobby. All the natural build up is so beneficial to your tank as long as you maintain and don’t fully neglect it. If your fish are breeding they are happy. Fish don’t reproduce in unsatisfactory conditions!!
Excellent video .there's too much about keeping tanks and filters too clean and not about how to keep the whole system healthy and growing ..a pristine tank is a problem tank in the long run
Yes! Next up are videos on Walstadt and/or Father Fish style tanks, right? ;)
Hahaha maybe not quite that far 🤣 but i dont disagree with the philosophy
@@BlakesAquatics I set up a tank like this (some soil from my garden with a few root tabs and some play sand) two weeks ago and the plant growth has been crazy good. I was also able to already add fish. So I am a fan. Plus, soon I will be able to get rid of my kids sand-pit with all the sand I am using. 😂
🤣
@@BlakesAquatics Didn't you already do a Walstad tank? I'm pretty sure it's the first video I saw from you.
@@jimraynor224 yeah ive done those before but Father Fish recommends 5cm/2in of sand which i dont do
Just curious, I have deep sand bed/natural set ups… how do you introduce all the little critters into the system?
they appear naturally in a healthy ecosystem, more noticeable in shrimp or invert only tanks because the population isn't being predated on but they will be there.
Anyone who says this does not have more than one tank... I have just 4 and the upkeep on just those 4 is tedious. I do a water change every other week. My tanks are full of plants though. Non planted tanks cannot be so lucky.
Good explanation mate.
Yeah algae is natural and beneficial in many ways. I'm the same as you in that I don't sweat it, in fact encourage it in some tanks and only scrape it off the front glass to enjoy the view.
Clean and healthy aren't always related, great topic
I think you do just fine . And I believe that this is more natural to.
This is great news! Does this mean I don't have to vacuum the gravel??? Just do water changes when indicated?
Yes sir
I agree
🤦♂️🤷♂️ some people will never get it.. great job 👍👍
Cheers 👍
I Love the look of your healthy 'fish-happy- tanks so much better than the Warehouses and breeders where fish are floating zombie-like around a bare 'clean' tank. Wish all fish could come direct from habitats like yours, would be so much less suffering. I keep my tanks as 'decor' in my living space and so keep them 'tidy', but think my fish would be happier w/some 'mulm' to snuff- round in. ;) Appreciate you and you taking the feedback as an opportunity to educate.
Thank you Blake! I feel validated in my choices to keep the mulm in my tanks and focus on parameters and tank residents' "feedback" rather than visual aesthetic. Great video!
Couldn’t agree more 👍
100% agree
Mine cycle from clean to disgusting then clean once you get your plant fertilisers right
Yeah so true. Once things are in balance they become naturally spotless