Catappa Almond Leaves

[Crossfire]

I've always admired the organic benefits from putting almond leaves in an aquarium. Boosts immune systems, fights off certain diseases, provides essential vitamins and minerals, boosts color of fish, helps with breeding, stains water and makes it seem natural, and it can safely lower the pH. I know I would have to take the activated carbon and Purgien out of my filter for the leaves to fully accomplish their potential, but I'm a little hesitant to remove the Purgien. Has anyone ever done this? I like the benefits of Purigen, but I want the benefits of the almond leaves. I'm also worried my filter won't be able to handle my stocking as well. In the future, I will be chaging my stocking around

Current:

6x Pink Jewel Tetras
3x Kuhli Loaches
2x Peacock Gobies
2x Sparkling Gouramis
2x Amano Shrimp
2x Cherry Shrimp

Future:

8-10x Cardinal Tetras
6x Kuhli Loaches
2x Peacock Gobies
2x Sparkling Gouramis
2x Amano Shrimp
+20x Cherry Shrimp/Golden Yellow Shrimp/Any other neocardinia species

I understand the stocking is a little over the limit, but I do weekly water changes and I have stuffed my filter with loads of media. But I am worried that removing the purigen will create problems in the future with nitrates.

Also, Peacock Gobies can't withstand low pH and I'm afraid the leaves will lower the pH too much and kill them. Any way to avoid this?

Thanks for all help, advice, and comments!

 

[thereverendturtle]

If you stick with your water changes you should be ok. Maybe run the purigen two or three days a month.

 

[jonnyf84]

If you stick with your water changes you should be ok. Maybe run the purigen two or three days a month.

should be fine, I've kept peacock gobies in neutral ph before, your other fish are all quite adaptable though so why would you bother?

 

[Crossfire]

If you stick with your water changes you should be ok. Maybe run the purigen two or three days a month.

should be fine, I've kept peacock gobies in neutral ph before, your other fish are all quite adaptable though so why would you bother?

I'm just a little paranoid is all. My pH hovers at aroun 7.6-7.8. Is there anything I could add to my filter to help cope with the future stocking that won't affect the almond leaves?

 

[thereverendturtle]

Unfortunately not. Any chemical media will negate the positive benefits of the leaves.

 

[Crossfire]

Poopy D:

Times like this when I wish I had a bigger tank

 

[Dieses Madchen]

You could always rehome the kuhlis

 

[Crossfire]

You could always rehome the kuhlis

NEVER

Well this is a cunondrum....... Anybody else have any adivce? Are almond leaves even worth it?

 

[thereverendturtle]

Only worth it for decoration in my experience, unless you put a lot of them in your tank. If you have black water fish,then adding a bunch would help. Otherwise no harm adding them for decorations.

 

[Crossfire]

Just a quick thought, would it be possible to get the benefits of almond leaves (vitamins, lowering of pH, fighting disease, etc) and still have purigen? Doesn't the purigen just take out the tannins? I could live without tannins

 

[thereverendturtle]

Purigen is indiscriminate as far as what it removes. Tannins, vitamins and other beneficial chemicals will be removed.

 

[Crossfire]

Darn

 

[thereverendturtle]

I really think you would be ok just running purigen a few days each month. Your tank is no where need over stocked, and unless you use aerosols in the room, you shouldn't need it all the time. If you don't need to recharge it every week, then part time use should suffice.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I use catappas in my altum tank. I remove the old leaves and replace them about every other week. I am not running the tank as an acid tank, but I want some tanins and:

"Catappa or Ketapang leaves (Terminalia catappa) are Indian Almond Leaves.

These are much stronger than oak when it comes to providing benefical acids, phenols, and other biosurfactants to the water than oak.

I also used oak years back but boiling a large amount of leaves to get a bit of blackwater color and they never give the result of catappa (leaf for leaf). But there free in many places."

From my wild angel site.