Rooibos Tea And Indian Almond Leaves?

[Ch4rlie]

Have heard Rooibos tea can be beneficial for some tanks and stocking and quite like to have stained water as well as think will add something to my tank as well.
 
I have a 90 litre Fluval Roma tank, standard T8 lighting, external filter TetraTec 1200.
Pea sized gravel, several pieces of bogwood.
Stocking 15 Threadfin Rainbowfish, Red Cherry Shrimps, Assassin Snails and common snails.
Variety of live plants.
 
I remember that some members of this forum mentioned something about Rooibos tea a while ago and I never got around to researching or buying any until now.
 
So this is the time to get started methinks!
 
I tried to find the thread that contain some information but cannot find the thread! 
So thought best to start a new post about this.
 
Really would like some advice from anyone who know about Rooibos.
 
A question would be, is this rooibos suitable to use in my tank?
There are a plethora of different brands and types of tea available on websites like eBay and Amazon for example.
Any recommendations like organic?
 
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rooibos-Natural-Tea-100g-Loose-Leaf-/161118029170?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2583620572
 
How is this tea distributed in a tank, is it scattered in the tank on top of substrate/gravel?
Or best in a filter media tie bag like this and dunked a few times in tank water like you would as if making a normal cup of tea? Or left in media bag for a length of time?
 
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-Filter-Media-Bags-Holders-9-x-5-for-Aquarium-Filter-Media-Carbon-etc-/350682327615?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item51a64baa3f
 
How long do you keep this tea in the tank if left in water? 
Few days or a week or more?
 
While am at it, would also like to ask about Indian Almond Leaves.
 
Is this the right kind of thing?
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-Small-4-7-INDIAN-ALMOND-CATAPPA-LEAVES-Apistos-Bettas-Killis-Shrimps-/221300650128?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item33868bf090
 
Again, is this simply be scattered on bottom of tank or in a media bag?
 
What is it and what does IAL do for a tank?
Is it beneficial for a tank and stocking like mine?
Can it be used alongside Rooibos Tea or best on it own in tank?
 
Would like a sort of pro and cons type of deal for these queries and experiences of using these as well as any tips or hints about those 2 products.
 

 

[TwoTankAmin]

For a start, both rooibos tea and catappa (Indian Almond) leaves, as well as alder cones, are all used in tank for fish from blackwater environs. These are waters very "tea" stained, soft and lower pH. In addition these waters are usually silicate rich, have hummic acids etc.
 
The three items above can all be beneficial in tanks needing to replicate blackwater:
 
Catappa leaves will help stain the water, will help soften it and also lower the pH. They will also release phenols, antioxidents etc. beneficial to fish. The leaves go directly into the water and will fall apart and become mush in 2-3 weeks. I change mine every 2 weeks.
 
Rooibos tea is not really tea, it is a member of the legume family which is only found in S. Africa. It is a very sensitive plant and most of the things being organic would insure were not used would kill the rooibos plant if they were. I was told this by a Bio-Chemistry Prof. who teaches and researches in S. Afr. He has posted pics of the plants growing there on another site. Rooibos can be brewed into tea and the resulting tea can be poured into the tank. It can also be put in a very fine mesh bag in the filter. I normally brew some for every water change and add it to the big can of water I mix up for blackwater tanks. In a filter its a trial and error thing. Start little and work up til the water looks the way you want it too. I have done this too as an extra- I think you will have to replace it in a filter bag about every other weak at best and maybe weekly- I can't say. Rooibos will add many of the same good things and then some found in the catappas. Unlike the almond leaves or the cones, rooibos will not lower pH or soften water. It may actually bump the pH by about .1. It is super at giving a lovely tea stained color to the water.
 
Alder cones come from the alder tree. There are red and white alders. I am not sure if the cones I use come from both or just one. These i put in a bag and just let them dissolve. Every 3 weeks or so I add a few new ones. These cones will go a long way with just a few, so start with a small amount and you can always add more. They will work well to stain the water, soften it and lower the pH some. I am not certain but I would assume they also release some good things into the water similar to both catappa and rooibos.
 
It is possible to use oak leaves as well or instead of catappas. oak is fine but not as effective as catappas.
 
In my blackwater tanks i use the cones, the catappas , rooibos tea and Kent Blackwater Expert. However, I also mix in some ro/di water and then use muriatic acid to get the pH down to 6.0.
 
In terms of price alder cones and catappas are more expensive than rooibos by a long shot. I finally decided to get a wholesale order of catappas (2 kilos). and already gotten 18 kilos of rooibos.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Thats extremely interesting.
 
Certainly food for thought. The one am most interested in from reading your post is the fact that Rooibos does not soften or lower ph.
Even though Threadfins are fine in a wide range of ph anywhere from 5.0 to 8.0, my ph level at the moment generally stays at around 7.6, sometimes 7.8. 
 
I'd rather keep a steady ph level rather than lowering it using catappas or alder cones.
 
I like the idea of brewing rooibos and adding it in during water changes as this seems to be a good way of keeping thing at a steady level without fiddling about with the filter with a mesh bag and going through trial and error to get the desired results.
 
My next question will now be, if I was to start using rooibos and i do not know how much staining would be required to have a benefit, too little or weak may just be a waste of time, too much may make the water too stained/ dark if you know what I am trying point out here. Or does it not matter, will the fish appreciate it anyway, more about the welfare of my stocking than cosmetic looks really.
 
What am I looking for in terms of staining? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
 
One last thing, can you give me an idea of which brand of rooibos is recommended, natural or organic? I did give a link on my first post, or is any rooibos tea be acceptable?
 
Thank you.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Paying up for organic is a waste. The plant itself is very delicate. If it is sprayed or fertilized with the sort of things organic protects against, they would kill the plant. Therefore paying up for organic is a waste of money.
 
I bought mine in loose bulk form. I tried it in tea bag form originally. However you find it, be sure its only rooibos with nothing added or mixed in. It is also popular as a tea for people and should have good properties for folks who drink it. I do not drink it.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Lovely, just ordered 100g of the rooibos tea thats on my first link in original post. 
 
Did not want to order too much just in case its the wrong stuff!
 
May also get some almond leaves in near future as well as read especially good for shrimps.
 
Will see how it goes with the rooibos first.
 
Thanks for your advice.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Am going to do my water change today.
 
How much rooibos do i put in, Am guessing a tablespoon (15ml) for every 50 litres, my tank is 90 litres so am going to put in 30ml in a pint jug with hot water and brew that until cool enough to put into the tank.
 
Do I strain the tea through a net or something before adding to tank or will the leaves also go in the tank?
 
Am thinking better without leaves.....
 
Gonna be trial and error methinks until get a satisfied amount of staining and rooibos in the tank.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Earlier today I did my usual water tea, but with one difference, added the Rooibos tea this time.
 
I did, 30ml of tea to 1 litre hot water, left to cool while carried on with water change routine, then added the tea when cooled down, I added it through one of my nets as a strainer as did not want leaves floating about in the tank water.
 
Here is before and after type shots
 

    

 
 
I have to say, took a little bit to get used to, but I like it, looks much more natural as the bright T8 tube lights are a bit bright for my liking.
 
Hope the Threadfins and shrimps like it! Plants as well. 
I am hoping the benefits of this will show in a few weeks time in the plants and perhaps in the fish as well. Wait and see!
 
What do you think?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Yaay! my postage of Indian Almond (Catappa) Leaves has finally arrived.
 
Going to try 1 to start with until turned to mush or shrimps eat them, over 2 or 3 weeks maybe, then take them out and replace.
Sound about right?
 
These are small almond leaves, about 6" long x 3.5" wide.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I got my 2 kilos of almond leaves this week   They will soften water and lower pH.
 
I bet your fish colors look better now?

 

[Ch4rlie]

good stuff!
 
Hopefully won't soften water and lower ph by too much, thinking that just one or two leave won't change things too much in term os softer water and ph. (I hope!)
 
Fish look very very slightly darker, has only been one week though, reckon with a few weeks of rooibos tea staining they will gradually get a little darker i think. Don't actually know what to expect to be honest, will be interesting to see what happens over time.
 
Wait and see! 

 

[AlitaConejita]

interesting thread!

 

[Ch4rlie]

interesting thread!

 
Thank you. I thought so too 

 
The main thing is that rooibos tea being added to aquariums is a fairly new thing for me and interesting to see the results and what the benefits are for my stocking.
 
Indian Almond Leaves are more for the shrimps really rather than the benefit of softening water and lowering ph. 
 
Will see what happens over the next few weeks. 

 

[Ch4rlie]

just a quick update, I now love having rooibos tea in the tank.
 
Looks so nice IMHO and think the fish do benefit from it.
 
In fact when I drip the tea into the tank, some of the fish like to be directly under the drip of the tea! 

When I say I drip the tea, I mean I use a 6mm airline and like a syphon drip from the jug where tea is brewed into tank while while adding clean water during water changes so as not to pour the tea too fast into the tank. I know I probably don't have to do things in this way but I like it!
 
Also I have heard someone say I should microwave the Indian Almond Leaves before adding to tank.
 
Is this true/correct? 
Why would this be need to be done if true.
I have not done any microwaving of IAL yet.....
ATM I just directly put the leave straight ion the tank, have to sort of 'plant' it upright into substrate otherwise just floats at first.
 
Advice about that would be great!