Mulm in refugium

[Joe Rice]

I was looking at my refugium, thinking it might need cleaning (ya' think?!) when it occurred to me that perhaps the inch thick layer of mulm/detritus on the bottom might actually be beneficial. My tank is doing really well at the moment with no significant algae, so I'm a bit worried about fixing something that ain't broke.

Other than the mulm, my refugium is filled with caulerpa and teeming with amphipods and, sadly, aiptasia - the latter being why I'm considering cleaning it out.

Anyone have any advice? Should I leave it or suction it all out?

 

[Montiman]

I have had discussions with fellow reefers over what to think of this mulm. Some think it is inert mineralized material that doesn't hurt or help the tank. Others think it is a bad organic factory.

I honestly don't know, but what I and all of my reefing mentors agree upon is that the best looking tanks are kept completely free of all mulm and detritus. Some say this is because the mulm is bad others think that if you are the kind of person who meticulously cleans your sump you are probably also meticulous in everything else.

Anyway. I try to keep as clean of a sump as possible. I move all of the chaeto into a bucket and siphon the bottom of my fuge regularly to clean this up.

 

[theMeat]

Mulm = good

aptasia = bad.
they do consume but can take over. They will likely come back since likely in your plumbing and whatnot. Would clean em out just the same. Just to keep them in check a lil

 

[Butcher333]

I just cleared out a bunch of mulm from my sump and refugium. I don’t think it’s good. I don’t like it either way.

 

[theMeat]

"Mulm" in a reef tank

I think one of the most important, and least understood or mentioned things in a reef tank is "mulm". That stuff that grows in the dark portions of a tank if it is set up long enough. "Mulm" is a combination of algae, sponges, bacteria, pods, worms, detritus, poop and any thing else that can be p...

wamas.org

 

[Joe Rice]

"Mulm" in a reef tank

I think one of the most important, and least understood or mentioned things in a reef tank is "mulm". That stuff that grows in the dark portions of a tank if it is set up long enough. "Mulm" is a combination of algae, sponges, bacteria, pods, worms, detritus, poop and any thing else that can be p...

wamas.org

Paul B. seems to be using the term mulm to describe stuff stuck to hard surfaces and detritus as the loose stuff at the bottom of my refugium. But he also believes detritus is beneficial.

 

[Joe Rice]

aptasia = bad.
they do consume but can take over. They will likely come back since likely in your plumbing and whatnot. Would clean em out just the same. Just to keep them in check a lil

A couple of filefish are keeping my display tank clean of them. I have some berghias in my overflow trying to clean that out. I threw a couple berghias in my refugium too but I have no idea if they're still alive.