Product review - Dennerle Nano Mulmsauger

Mulm in the shrimp aquarium

Waste is produced in every biological system. Ideally, they are metabolized, just like organic waste in the nitrogen cycle, but residues usually remain. The so-called Mulmflocken consist of these for animals and bacteria indigestible remains, but also of bacteria and microorganisms themselves. They collect mainly in the filter, but also in low-flow areas in the aquarium, for example under roots, stones and other decoration, and preferably in the substrate. A certain amount of mulm is even rather desirable in the shrimp aquarium, because it is a really very good basic food for shrimp babies. Here they can find everything they need, and often you can even see the shrimp actively trying to enter the filter or enthusiastically grazing the filter sponge located in the aquarium.

A nano aquarium is an artificially created biotope for shrimp and co. While nature often helps itself in case of an imbalance, the intervention of the aquarium owner is urgently required in a nano aquarium.

"Good" mulm and "bad" mulm in the nano aquarium

"Good" mulm is loose-fluffy, rather medium brown and smells pleasantly like forest soil. It is mainly produced in larger quantities if you feed a lot of foliage, which is very beneficial for shrimps and crayfish. It is eaten very readily by shrimps and provides a settlement area for bacteria, which rid the water of organic pollutants.
However, if there is too much mulm in the aquarium or if the mulm has a dark brown to black color, if it is slimy and compact, if bubbles rise and if they smell remarkably like rotten eggs, fast action is required. At the latest then this mulm must be removed from the aquarium, so that one does not get rottenness foci, whose outgassings can even kill the invertebrates in the aquarium in the worst case.

But the very nutrient-rich mulm that forms at the feeding site is also a potential source of putrefaction, and it can contain large amounts of bacteria, not all of which are favorable to shrimp. Therefore, at least here, you should prophylactically vacuum the substrate or use a shrimp fe eder - or both - every time you change the water. Indian trumpet snails can also help keep things clean.

Mulm in normal measure in the aquarium is ok, too much mulm in the aquarium promotes a high germ density in the nano aquarium and the risk increases that shrimp get sick.

Dennerle Nano mulm vacuum cleaner

There are different mulm vacuums that work according to different principles. Today we have tested the Dennerle Nano Mulmsauger for you, and we did not want to withhold the result from you.

Assembly of the Nano Mulmsauger

As you can see in the pictures, the assembly is very easy: All parts fit exactly into each other and sit firmly in their position after assembly. During installation, it is immediately noticeable that the suction tube is very sturdy, so you don't need to worry that you might break it right away during installation. Some parts, such as the sieve, are already pre-assembled, which simplifies the assembly. Overall, it can be said that all parts are very well made and convince by quality.

Scope of delivery Dennerle Nano Mulmsauger

Within 2 minutes the Nano Mulmsauger is assembled

Application of the Nano Mulmsauger

The application of the Dennerle Nano Mulmsauger is very easy, already after two to three pumping the water runs. Systems with a "shake start" function cannot keep up, usually the aquarium looks like a battlefield before you have even a drop of dirty water in the bucket.

The two valves A and B, which we show you in the pictures, ensure a smooth start when pumping up. Even with fine sand, you don't have to worry about it being sucked out of the aquarium. In this case, you simply push the FLOW CONTROLLER to minimum, and the sand grains fall back down, while the fine organic dirt particles continue to move towards the bucket. With other mulm vacuums, you have to bend the hose by hand, which doesn't make achieving a constant flow any easier.

We are thrilled with the included flow regulator, so you can vacuum up mulm even in a Soil and Sand tank!

The handy strainer at the end of the suction tube prevents you from accidentally sending your little shrimp into the bucket with you. However, it is also large enough to let the typical dirt particles through. As with all mulmsaugern also with sieve one should make sure that no baby shrimps are sucked off! A great advantage of the Dennerle Nano Mulmsauger: Due to the holder on the bucket and the small diameter of the Mulmglocke, you can suck off mulm in a very concentrated and focused way without overlooking baby shrimp.

Another plus point in our opinion is that the Dennerle "Nano Mulmsauger" is very compactly built and thus allows optimal cleaning in all nooks and crannies. Other products fail at this point simply because they are too big for nano tanks.

Another nicer detail is the hose holder. This attaches to the bucket, and you have your hands free for other things. There are no more posture problems when desperately trying to hold one end of the hose in the bucket and vacuuming the aquarium with the other.

Before we slowly come to the end, one more important detail for all those who want to have fun with their Dennerle Nano Mulmsauger for a long time. It is very easy to take apart and thus easy to clean. So if some dirt does get stuck in one place or another - don't panic, in a few minutes this "problem" is taken care of. Another plus point that this mulm vacuum cleaner has over a "shaking system".

And for the very lazy among you: You can attach a standard hose with 15mm inner diameter to the end of the hose and then you don't even have to carry buckets anymore (provided that the hose reaches into the bathroom or flower bed)

Conclusion: All in all, the Nano Mulmsauger from Dennerle is a very well thought-out and fantastically implemented idea. All thumbs up from the Garnelio team.