Removing mulm build up in small tank

[nic]

I have a 5.5 gallon that I can never get the bottom debris halfway cleaned. Even using a smaller diameter hose and pinching it to slow the flow I end up removing enough water before I can do a thorough cleaning. So the mulm just keeps accumulating. 

When I carefully refill the tank all it does is stir up the debris I didn't get and it lands everywhere and on everything. Plus since I have sand it just sits on the surface so it's not like it's getting to the plant roots and doing any good there.

I have a small fine sponge filter. Would running a 2nd sponge filter (coarse) for a short period after each weekly cleaning/water change help to catch those particles? I do like a more natural/nature look to my tank so I'm not looking to get it spotless but I would like to manage the amount of mulm that's building up.

[Colu]

Sponge filters aren't the best at removing mulm when ever I have used a sponge filter in breeding  quarantine or grow out tank  I always seem to get a build up of mulm you could temporarily add a small hob or small internal filter to help with remove the mulm

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

It's hard to get rid of, especially if you have wood. Siphon what you can then do these two other things: 

Use a turkey baster or coral feeder to fine tune any areas of mulm build up. 

When filling your tank get some sort of baffle so the mulm doesn't get disturbed. On my small tanks I just use my hand. 

[FLFishChik]

I use a turkey baster in my 5g tanks and 10g tanks. 

[Biotope Biologist]

On 10/6/2023 at 2:33 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

It's hard to get rid of, especially if you have wood. Siphon what you can then do these two other things: 

Use a turkey baster or coral feeder to fine tune any areas of mulm build up. 

When filling your tank get some sort of baffle so the mulm doesn't get disturbed. On my small tanks I just use my hand. 

For the turkey baster squeeze the bulb all the way before putting it in water, it’ll have better suction that way.

 

I find having different size basters easiest for hard to reach places.

I have the best luck with small diameter hosing with an air bladder attached, but I suppose if youve already tried that the turkey baster is your next best option

[nic]

On 10/6/2023 at 6:58 PM, Biotope Biologist said:

For the turkey baster squeeze the bulb all the way before putting it in water, it’ll have better suction that way.

 

I find having different size basters easiest for hard to reach places.

I have the best luck with small diameter hosing with an air bladder attached, but I suppose if youve already tried that the turkey baster is your next best option

Air bladder? I was using just the hose with nothing else. 

 

On 10/6/2023 at 5:33 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

It's hard to get rid of, especially if you have wood. Siphon what you can then do these two other things: 

Use a turkey baster or coral feeder to fine tune any areas of mulm build up. 

When filling your tank get some sort of baffle so the mulm doesn't get disturbed. On my small tanks I just use my hand. 

I have a colander I use and try to pour slowly but could be it's too big.

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/6/2023 at 12:30 PM, nic said:

I have a 5.5 gallon that I can never get the bottom debris halfway cleaned. Even using a smaller diameter hose and pinching it to slow the flow I end up removing enough water before I can do a thorough cleaning. So the mulm just keeps accumulating. 

when you pinch the hose are you able to actually stop the water flow completely on the hose?  If not, then perhaps that's the crux of the issue.  When I'm working on the shrimp tank I am battling 2-3 different challenges.  One of them if that I have to immediately pause flow if I see a shrimp go up the tube.  This means I need to be able to completely stop the flow.  The second is that I need to be very methodical in time.  If I change too much water, that can become an issue in some colonies.  I have to adjust the placement of the siphon and stop-start the flow often to pump out the debris while I minimize the impact on water volume.  Being able to stop and start at will is where you will really see a big difference in water volume that you're pulling out.  I tend to have the tube in my hand wrapped around a finger or two so that I can then comfortably open and close the flow.  It takes some practice, but I would start there.

[nic]

On 10/6/2023 at 10:07 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

when you pinch the hose are you able to actually stop the water flow completely on the hose?  If not, then perhaps that's the crux of the issue.  When I'm working on the shrimp tank I am battling 2-3 different challenges.  One of them if that I have to immediately pause flow if I see a shrimp go up the tube.  This means I need to be able to completely stop the flow.  The second is that I need to be very methodical in time.  If I change too much water, that can become an issue in some colonies.  I have to adjust the placement of the siphon and stop-start the flow often to pump out the debris while I minimize the impact on water volume.  Being able to stop and start at will is where you will really see a big difference in water volume that you're pulling out.  I tend to have the tube in my hand wrapped around a finger or two so that I can then comfortably open and close the flow.  It takes some practice, but I would start there.

Yeah I'm nowhere near that smooth, lol. Usually bending the hose with one hand and using that other to siphon and my finger to kinda kick stuff up while trying not to get a pebble stuck in the hose.

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/6/2023 at 8:15 PM, nic said:

Yeah I'm nowhere near that smooth, lol. Usually bending the hose with one hand and using that other to siphon and my finger to kinda kick stuff up while trying not to get a pebble stuck in the hose.

Have you seen the vid of cory doing it?  That's how I learned.  I had no clue it was even a thing!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

The last photo right there of folding the hose inside a fist. That’s what I do. I use the gravel vac but I take the large part off and just use the hose, pinching to stop water as I go until I get the end over some debris. I spot clean the tank with a turkey baster and a sour cream container. Just emptying the baster into that. I use that for things such as uneaten food.

On 10/6/2023 at 3:55 PM, Colu said:

Sponge filters aren't the best at removing mulm when ever I have used a sponge filter in breeding  quarantine or grow out tank  I always seem to get a build up of mulm you could temporarily add a small hob or small internal filter to help with remove the mulm

Agree with this regarding coarse sponge filters.  Fine sponge filters do better for me in getting particulates. And HOBs will trump those, but I find they make too much current in a small tank like a 5.5

You can consider a feeding dish to keep your mulm level down. Like a terra cotta saucer: the kind that goes under a flower pot. Or look up “shrimp feeding dish” for some glass options. Some people use glass ashtrays.

 

See 3:38 in this video for tube pinch

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[TOtrees]

I have a couple suggestions others haven’t hit on (yet?). 

The tubing I use for this is what Python includes with their narrow-diameter vacs. I replace the large tube end with a piece of rigid clear plastic tubing around 10” long, about the same diameter as the Python hose. 

Instead of kinking the tube to control/stop flow, I use a finger over the end in the bucket. This requires placing the bucket in a place and at a height that this will work. 

Another suggestion is to return some of the removed water to the tank, after pouring it through a few layers of filter floss. This reduces the effective size of the water change and gives you another go at getting more debris out, without doing a 90% change. Yes you need to let things re-settle before doing the second round of cleaning. 

Finally, just spot clean the areas where mulm accumulates the most. Mulm will get moved around after you clean, and you’ll find those high-accumulation areas will be ready for cleaning again in no time, while low-accumulation areas stay about the same. 

[nic]

All helpful ideas, thank you.

I have a small HOB I may see if it fits and use that to help things along since I don't have any fish right now. I've only ever used a sponge filter so I'll look up some tips on HOBs.

I'll get some different sized turkey basters too.

And I'll try the filter floss a couple times to extend the siphoning until I can get out a dent in the mulm.

[Galabar]

Using a sponge filter often results in mulm build-up.  They have their advantages, but keeping your tank bottom clean is usually not one of them. 🙂

There are several small hang on back filters that you might try:

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/products/nano-tank-hang-on-back-filter-1

https://www.amazon.com/Marina-A285-S10-Power-Filter/dp/B0032G8TPW

https://www.amazon.com/OASE-Indoor-Aquatics-BioStyle-Grey/dp/B0BH6W6GJ6

...and internal filter:

https://www.amazon.com/OASE-Indoor-Aquatics-Biocompact-25/dp/B07H6TSJJ4

Edited October 8, 2023 by Galabar

[nic]

@Galabar Thank you for the links!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I’ve got the Marina Slim S10. I baffle it with a water bottle to reduce current.

Edited October 8, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea