Wood And Leaves

[ghent_3rd]

When collecting leaves do I just get the greenest ones I can find and then drop them in a bucket of tank water and let nature take it's course??

 

[ghent_3rd]

Can I use any leaves from any tree or are some best avoided??

 

[ghent_3rd]

I have some really nice leaves from a Birch tree, are these OK if they are soaked properly prior to use??

If this is a problem then is their any harm in using Indian Almond Leaves in all my tanks?? I take it that it will just lower the pH a little and give me tannins, which is exactly what I want for my cories and tetras.

 

[Truck]

When collecting leaves do I just get the greenest ones I can find and then drop them in a bucket of tank water and let nature take it's course??

get the dead ones

Can I use any leaves from any tree or are some best avoided??

i would stick with oak and beech because I know theyre safe...im sure there are others though

I have some really nice leaves from a Birch tree, are these OK if they are soaked properly prior to use??

If this is a problem then is their any harm in using Indian Almond Leaves in all my tanks?? I take it that it will just lower the pH a little and give me tannins, which is exactly what I want for my cories and tetras.

not sure on the birch leaves

 

[kribensis12]

If you put live leaves in a tank, they may rot and fungus. I would use dead ones. I'm not to sure though.

 

[ghent_3rd]

Thanks for replies, am I looking for the dead leaves that have gone crunchy or brown ones that are still fairly flexible?

Not sure if describing leaves as flexible is correct or not!!

 

[Truck]

Thanks for replies, am I looking for the dead leaves that have gone crunchy or brown ones that are still fairly flexible?

Not sure if describing leaves as flexible is correct or not!!

get the ones which are as dead as a dodo...so will snap, if you try to bend them

 

[ghent_3rd]

Haha, no worries, can I then just chuck them straight in the tank or do they need soaking 1st??

 

[Truck]

Haha, no worries, can I then just chuck them straight in the tank or do they need soaking 1st??

soak them till they float...you may want to pick up a copy of PFK or go onto ukaps and read george farmers cambodian biotope article...he used leaves and wood for a black water set up.

they leaves will stain the water and may lower the PH slightly

 

[ghent_3rd]

Do you mean until they sink???

Yeah I have that mag and it is exactly the look I m looking for!

 

[ghent_3rd]

The leaves that I want to add to the tank have sunk already and they have only been in the bucket for a couple of days. Will they be OK to add to the tank now??

Also, if I just want to add some really small twigs to the tank do they need the same treatment as described earlier in this thread or could I just soak them, strip the bark, let them sink and then add them to the tank also

 

[OldMan47]

Dead brown leaves that you can identify as oak should be fine to add as soon as they will sink. Do be careful of the effects on your water though. Oak leaves are heavy in tannins and can cause a pH drop in a soft water tank.

 

[Shred]

In this months issue of Practical Fish Keeping, George Farmer has a 4 page article on creating a Cambodian blackwater biotype, including using leaves and branches. Might be worth checking out.