Hi Peter,
I’m glad for your response. 🙂
From what you mentioned, I believe what I’m doing is wrong. :unsure: Usually, I leave the leaves in the aquarium till they have fully broken down. I used to remove the mulm diligently but the fish don’t like it, so nowadays, I keep some of it.
Some of my tanks also have peat and I use various aquatic plants to delay the water changes, such as Ceratopteris sp., Java ferns, moss, Pistia stratiotes and Utricularia gibba. I noticed that whenever the decaying leaves and mulm are removed from the tanks, with fresh leaves added, the water turns slightly cloudy after 2-3 days. I think the removal of the detritus not only removes the physical waste, but also the microorganisms that are already thriving in it. The fresh leaves therefore, as they decay over the first few days, creates a new population of microorganisms. I’m sure this is similar to what is happening in an otherwise, normal healthy aquarium going through the phase of cycling.
As much as I have said, I hope to hear from more opinion from as many blackwater fish specialists as possible. 🙂