A Mini-Cycle If Too Much Fresh Water Added?

[AquaPit]

JD! Appreciate the time you put into explaining the details of water changes to help with my tank issue!
Unfortunately, I have never really done any kind of tests on my water but after your kind effort in wanting to help, I want to be a more responsible fishkeeper now! And I thank you for that..

I usually do about 30-40% water change twice a month..

Now, it will be a totally different approach! I will definitely buy all the tests necessary..



Thank you Fishcrazy for your comments as well..
To add, I am just 4mths into this new hobby.. and i dun intend to do a planted tank fyi..

Im more into driftwoods and fakeplants..

Currently changing my overstocked 14.5 US gal into a Betta and dwarf cory tank..

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Well, in that case, this is certainly NOT Old Tank Syndrome.
 
 
All I would suggest would be to amend your water change schedule to be ~30% weekly.  You don't have to worry about OTS, your tank isn't even what I would call 'mature' yet.
 
The mulm can be very good for a planted tank, but generally not in the way I think you mean |_|_|, but its best tp use as a substrate supplement and 'innoculation'.  You can place that in and under your substrate, and it adds nutrients, bacteria, etc to the root zone for plants.  But, just having mulm floating around the tank is less helpful.  It will eventually either fall to the substrate (and on every other surface in the tank) or it will just get sucked up by the filter again. 
 
Aquapit, if the appearance of the mulm from the filter bothers you, and it bothers me when my filter does that.... that's the sign that the filter needs to be cleaned out a bit.  As I mentioned above, NOT THE MEDIA, that just needs a nice 'rinse', but the box itself can be thoroughly rinsed and cleaned with tap water.  Then add the media back in after it gets a nice rinsing in old tank water and then fill the filter back up and turn it on.  There might still be some mulm bits but it will be greatly reduced and it won't happen as much in the future... 

 

[l_l_l]

True again, mulm would be only good when accumulating around the roots of the plants..
 
Aquapit, caring for plants is actually not at all difficult, you can start with really easy plants like anubias, mosses and ferns, they require almost nothing in order to thrive and they help a lot in managing the nitrogen cycle, and your fish will also really enjoy having some real plants.

 

[AquaPit]

Well, in that case, this is certainly NOT Old Tank Syndrome.
 
 
All I would suggest would be to amend your water change schedule to be ~30% weekly.  You don't have to worry about OTS, your tank isn't even what I would call 'mature' yet.
 
The mulm can be very good for a planted tank, but generally not in the way I think you mean |_|_|, but its best tp use as a substrate supplement and 'innoculation'.  You can place that in and under your substrate, and it adds nutrients, bacteria, etc to the root zone for plants.  But, just having mulm floating around the tank is less helpful.  It will eventually either fall to the substrate (and on every other surface in the tank) or it will just get sucked up by the filter again. 
 
Aquapit, if the appearance of the mulm from the filter bothers you, and it bothers me when my filter does that.... that's the sign that the filter needs to be cleaned out a bit.  As I mentioned above, NOT THE MEDIA, that just needs a nice 'rinse', but the box itself can be thoroughly rinsed and cleaned with tap water.  Then add the media back in after it gets a nice rinsing in old tank water and then fill the filter back up and turn it on.  There might still be some mulm bits but it will be greatly reduced and it won't happen as much in the future...

Tks a lot!

True again, mulm would be only good when accumulating around the roots of the plants..
 
Aquapit, caring for plants is actually not at all difficult, you can start with really easy plants like anubias, mosses and ferns, they require almost nothing in order to thrive and they help a lot in managing the nitrogen cycle, and your fish will also really enjoy having some real plants.

Anubias, mosses n ferns! Noted! Will try looking into it! Tks!