putting leaves in tank

[zchauvin]

How is this done, one can't see dumping leaves into aquarium?? Would they not rot?

[Larry Bugg]

Yes, they eventually rot and have to be replaced.

[zchauvin]

Yes, they eventually rot and have to be replaced.

So, "we" just put leaves in from outside? They then sink to bottom and then once they rot you just add more. Its really that easy? lol

[William Palumbo]

I use Indian(catalpa)Almond leaves. Not sure about just "any" leaves, tho I have heard of people using Oak leaves with success...Bill

[zchauvin]

Yeah, well see I have HUGE oak trees in back yard but no idea where to find almond leaves.

[William Palumbo]

I get mine off Aquabid...Bill

[zchauvin]

Alright what's the pricing for those?

[LizStreithorst]

I used oak leaves for a while. They worked, but I found them to be too messy. What I'm doing now is putting peat in a media bag and floating it in the WS container. It'll work until I can save up for new RO membranes.

[zchauvin]

Ws container? And I don't want just for ph affects but also to add to looks :)

[LizStreithorst]

water storage container. The peat turns the water a tea color as well as lowering the pH.

[atitagain]

jimg turned my onto Amy, I buy her's off eBay. They are fairly inexpensive

http://stores.ebay.com/Amys-Ketapang-Inc

[Larry Bugg]

jimg turned my onto Amy, I buy her's off eBay. They are fairly inexpensive

http://stores.ebay.com/Amys-Ketapang-Inc

I get mine from her also.

[Second Hand Pat]

jimg turned my onto Amy, I buy her's off eBay. They are fairly inexpensive

http://stores.ebay.com/Amys-Ketapang-Inc

Me too. Bill P recommended her to me.

[zchauvin]

Alright ill check out her stuff and may buy a few. Do they float when added or sink to the bottom and how much more difficult is it to keep the sand clean?? I'm sure they can easily be pushes aside?

[zchauvin]

And I just checked out her site. What grade/type of them do you all use?

[Darrell Ward]

I don't like mess, and I don't need to store water, so this is what I use...
A little goes a long way unless you really like very dark water, so a bottle lasts me a while.

[zchauvin]

I don't like mess, and I don't need to store water, so this is what I use...
A little goes a long way unless you really like very dark water, so a bottle lasts me a while.

I'm assuming the leaves add tannons also?? I planned on putting leaves for the river bed look and then adding something like that darrel. Would it be overkill?

[Larry Bugg]

Depends on how many leaves you add. A lot of leaves makes a lot of tannins.

[zchauvin]

Ehh say 5-10 in a 75g?

[atitagain]

I use 4 leaves in my 150 and they last about two - 3 weeks. I cut them up and put them in a mesh bag ans tie them off to my filter intake. No mess and after a week and a half I grab the bag, mix them around a little and drop them back into the tank. when they are spent pull the bag out of the tank, toss them in the trash and add new leaves.

[Darrell Ward]

I'm assuming the leaves add tannons also?? I planned on putting leaves for the river bed look and then adding something like that darrel. Would it be overkill?

Tannin is tannin, be it from wood, peat, leaves, or extract. It's still the same substance. Tetra says on the bottle that they do add vitamins B2, B6, and B12 to their "Blackwater Extract" however, plus it's made in Germany, not China. Woohoo! :D

[zchauvin]

Tannin is tannin, be it from wood, peat, leaves, or extract. It's still the same substance. Tetra says on the bottle that they do add vitamins B2, B6, and B12 to their "Blackwater Extract" however, plus it's made in Germany, not China. Woohoo! :D

+1 on that. Can't find much not made in china these days.

[radif]

i have come to know that dried Jackfruit leaves are also useful for this purpose.

[Melissa]

Just a note, the leaves will float for a while before they become water logged and sink...

And the first time I put them in my wilds tank, they were scared crapless of them floating at the surface LOL

I get mine from Amy on eBay as well :)

[zchauvin]

Lol ok thanks I'll keep that in mind;)

[Moon]

i have come to know that dried Jackfruit leaves are also useful for this purpose.

Difficult to get jackfruit leaves in Canada. I use Oak leaves from my back yard. It works.
I also use Alder cones.

[Scott293]

Hey! I hadn't thought of that. My neighbor has a giant Cattapa tree in his back yard. I'll have to see if it's the same kind of tree. I always called it a Catalpa tree. Maybe that is what it is and that is different. I guess I should go check instead of writing my ramblings here lol

[Scott293]

OK I now must wipe this egg off of my face. They are two entirely different trees. Catalpa is a north American tree and Catappa is tropical tree in the leadwood family. It is in the America's also, but I don't think I have seen one.

[radif]

Some bogwoods after maturing can also add tannins to the tank water. I have used Tea stem as bogwood after processing. It has been 5 months old but it still makes the water tinted brown. Hopefully I will be able to put some picture of my tank here soon!! :)

[3dees]

I don't like mess, and I don't need to store water, so this is what I use...
A little goes a long way unless you really like very dark water, so a bottle lasts me a while.

Darrell, does this stuff change the ph in any way. I would like to add a little color to my water but don't want to use the leaves. I have enough problems getting my hand thru all the wood. someone told me that this may drop the ph. how much would you say I would need for 120 gals. don't want it too dark.
Danny