Tannins

[gregswimm]

So I have done a bunch of research, and I only come up with people wanting to remove tannins. I have added a few pieces of wood, but im still not getting that deep tea color i am after . Could I add an empty un-boiled coconut to my tank?
Does anyone know of a way I can get low PH and tea color that comes from tannins?

 

[Cazgar]

Get a piece of new Mopani wood, you'll have that tea colour in no time

 

[Jay-93]

I got sick of those tannins. There are some large leaves you can buy, a certain type of oak I think? They're sold on eBay and that's supposed to help. See if they're what you'd be looking after?

 

[Ruskull]

That's funny, I have a problem with too much tannins! I bought an interesting piece of mopani wood with a great Anubias already on it & I can't put it in any of my tanks yet because it turns the water so brown it's ridiculous!

Get yourself a nice big piece of Mopani wood & you'll soon have more brown than you can handle!

 

[Rummynose]

Almond leaves sold at the Betta departments also add tea colour to your water.

 

[MBOU]

You can use Oak or Almond leaves to add tannins but the leaves break down pretty quick and turn to mulch and you have to keep taking them out.

Check out a JBL product called Tormec. Its peat pellets that you put in a pouch in the filter and they swell up and release lots of tanins etc and turns the water amber brown and drops the ph and holds it steady for quite a while.

Worked wonders when i was keeping Altum Angels! And they are bout as tempermental as they get

 

[gregswimm]

Do you think i can use Live Oak leaves? There are a ton of them around my house. And should the leaves be dry or fresh off the tree?

 

[Bignose]

Do you think i can use Live Oak leaves? There are a ton of them around my house. And should the leaves be dry or fresh off the tree?

I would wait for them to dry. Part of the reason Indian Almond Leaves are suggested is that they will remain undegraded for a fairly long time -- at least as far as leaves in water go. Common oak leaves will degrade pretty quickly. Which isn't the end of the world -- just realize it will happen. Leaf litter on the ground of a tank is probably one of the most realistic substrates as far as replicating nature.

 

[gregswimm]

Leaf litter on the ground of a tank is probably one of the most realistic substrates as far as replicating nature.

How do you keep your ammonia in check?

 

[Bignose]

if the leaves are dried, they shouldn't degrade into ammonia. The dried leaves aren't going to have much nitrogenous material in them -- mostly carbon.

 

[gregswimm]

Well, i just added a piece of mopani, and 30 min later it is starting to tea up. Thx for the suggestion guys!

 

[Jay-93]

Is there a difference between mopani and bogwood?

 

[gregswimm]

bog wood is from, well bogs , they come from bogs in the British Isles. Mopani or mopane is a tree in africa

 

[Ruskull]

Well, i just added a piece of mopani, and 30 min later it is starting to tea up. Thx for the suggestion guys!

Told ya!

 

[fish+peace]

Well, i just added a piece of mopani, and 30 min later it is starting to tea up. Thx for the suggestion guys!

Told ya!

+1 on that much more potent than the bogwood - i believe water changes and carbon will control it though

Oh forgot to say don't be suprised if you get a white fluff all over it where the leaking nutrients are being fed upon - i believe this will go away when they diminish - could take months but its harmless