Blackwater/Amazon Extract and Low-Light Plants

[Joe M]

I have another 125 that I am setting up right now. I havent decided on stock yet, but I want an Amazon type effect, like the brown tinted water. I know you can make the stuff yourself by boiling leaves ect. but I'd rather avoid the trouble and get the stuff bottled if I can. Can anyone recommend a specific brand or product that will do the job?

Another question I have is in this same tank, I would like to have some live plants, but sticking with the whole Amazon theme, I am keeping my lighting pretty weak. I will have one 3 foot T5 in the middle with a 6,700K bulb. Does anyone know of any plant species that look halfway-decent and can thrive in low-light conditions?

Thanks for any help, and if anyone has any pictures of either tanks with blackwater or any plant suggestions, please post them up!

 

[ccebr]

I got the amazon effect without all the hassle of changing the water properties. It was a simple case of downgrading my lighting system to a single 20W Aquaglo tube. Colours of fish pop, cheaper on the electricity, and best of all you can for get about staining the water with oak extract etc. Just my opinion

RE the plants, java fern

 

[Joe M]

I got the amazon effect without all the hassle of changing the water properties. It was a simple case of downgrading my lighting system to a single 20W Aquaglo tube. Colours of fish pop, cheaper on the electricity, and best of all you can for get about staining the water with oak extract etc. Just my opinion

RE the plants, java fern

I know what you are saying with the dimmer bulbs, and I considered that, but I really would like to give the actual blackwater a try. I was thinking that with my dark colored PFS, tinted water an some live plants would look incredible. I will look into java fern. I've never done plants, so I really need to do some research on them.

Thanks.

 

[Fat Homer]

What about annubias? they would probably work in an amazon type tank?

 

[Joe M]

What about annubias? they would probably work in an amazon type tank?

I'll look into those as well. I think just about any plant that could live in low light would look good in this tank, but I am hoping for something that can get pretty big.

 

[Redearsunfish]

Java Fern. I swear by it. But it is a slow grower. Once established though, it is the best plant going, in my humble opinion.

 

[ccebr]

Java Fern. I swear by it. But it is a slow grower. Once established though, it is the best plant going, in my humble opinion.

Yep, and you can even buy it relatively large and established on wood to save you the hassle.

I know what you are saying with the dimmer bulbs, and I considered that, but I really would like to give the actual blackwater a try. I was thinking that with my dark colored PFS, tinted water an some live plants would look incredible. I will look into java fern. I've never done plants, so I really need to do some research on them.

Thanks.

I have no doubt at all that a proper blackwater amazon tank looks the dog's bollocks, I was just saying you can get the look without the bother. When I was going to do it using blackwater extract, I actually collected a few carrier bags full of oak leaves in Autumn, and was going to boil them up, to get the tannins from them. You can then bottle it for use later. Alternatively, you could just put the leaves straight in the tank. Peat fibre in the filter can also work, although it doesn't last long and the cost of it would build up quickly. The main reason I just went for dimmer lighting was because on a large tank, the amount of blackwater extract/peat fibre/oak leaves/etc needed to maintain the effect, especially with weekly 50% water changes, would be ridiculous.