blackwater extract

[paOol]

i think im going to get some for my RBPs.
has anyone ever used this before? can i get some reviews on it.
right now when i turn the light on, the piranhas freak out, and they just sit there or hide -_-.

also, is blackwater extract better or peat moss? and how do you use both?
whats the dosage for each?

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

I used Tetra ToruMin before, but it sucked: Tetra adds phosphates to its care products as stabilizers. As we all know, phosphates promote algae grow. Someone in that company should get fired. Anyhow, make sure that you test any conditioners for phosphates.

After that, I used Sera Morena. That was extremely good.

The advantage of blackwater extracts vs peat is that you won't have to exchange the peat in your filter every couple of weeks. On the downside, they do not quite have the ion-exchanging properties that peat has. If you are happy with your water chemistry (i.e. hardness), then those extracts are an excellent way to add humic substances, buffer the pH in a slightly acidic range and dim the light for a more natural environment for your fish.

As for dosage, you will have to check out each products descrition...

HarleyK

 

[puffer_girl]

Thought about this myself lately for my palembangensis puffer. He hates the light. Someone at my lfs told me to try different lighting and I bought a light that's for coral that is a purple color and even that it to much for him. I never turn it on and if I do he just freezes...... At this very moment I have a dark pillowcase draped over the side of his tank that the general direction of the light comes from and since I've done this he is a lot more active during the day. Curious to see what else anyone has to say about this topic. Are blackwater extracts okay for scaleless fish?

 

[paOol]

Howdy,

I used Tetra ToruMin before, but it sucked: Tetra adds phosphates to its care products as stabilizers. As we all know, phosphates promote algae grow. Someone in that company should get fired. Anyhow, make sure that you test any conditioners for phosphates.

After that, I used Sera Morena. That was extremely good.

The advantage of blackwater extracts vs peat is that you won't have to exchange the peat in your filter every couple of weeks. On the downside, they do not quite have the ion-exchanging properties that peat has. If you are happy with your water chemistry (i.e. hardness), then those extracts are an excellent way to add humic substances, buffer the pH in a slightly acidic range and dim the light for a more natural environment for your fish.

As for dosage, you will have to check out each products descrition...

HarleyK

can you post a link to the sera morena your talking about?
would i be able to find it at a petsmart or a petco or only available online?
how often would i have to change the peat?
does the peat also dim the water? because i want my Ps to be able to move around while the light is on.
does more acidic = lower pH? because i currently have a pH level of around 8. i would like it to drop to 7.

and thanks.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

Here's a link:

http://www.sera.de/English/autoframe.htm?url=http://www.sera.de/english/produkte/morena.htm

You may have to do your own Google search, I found a store in Georgia that carries Sera:

http://www.bobsfish.com/products/sera.htm

Sera is one of the biggest German aquarium companies, but it is not widely spread in the US (yet).

As for your pH, you should go quite a bit lower. Check out our piranha forum for advice on how to improve the care specifically for these species.

With regard to lighting, I suggest to also use floating plants. I have water lettuce, which does a great job. Soon, garden shops will carry pond plants again, you'll find a great selection there!

HarleyK

 

[Zoodiver]

I use blackwater for my dart frog tadpoles. I have used it with discus in the past, but didn't ever see any advantage in it. Never saw a negative either - just to be clear on that.

Are you looking to use it as a means of pH control?

The behavior that you're seeing in the fish is typical of fish that aren't comfortable with their surroundings. Piranha are large-school tetras. They get the feeling of safety from their numbers. Keeping them in small groups will bring this type of behavior to an elevated level. Try adding more cover for them, and try turning on a room light before giving them full tank light. Light increases are better than just kicking them all on at once.

 

[paOol]

Howdy,

Here's a link:

http://www.sera.de/English/autoframe.htm?url=http://www.sera.de/english/produkte/morena.htm

You may have to do your own Google search, I found a store in Georgia that carries Sera:

http://www.bobsfish.com/products/sera.htm

Sera is one of the biggest German aquarium companies, but it is not widely spread in the US (yet).

As for your pH, you should go quite a bit lower. Check out our piranha forum for advice on how to improve the care specifically for these species.

With regard to lighting, I suggest to also use floating plants. I have water lettuce, which does a great job. Soon, garden shops will carry pond plants again, you'll find a great selection there!

HarleyK

i googled around a bit, and the only place i can get the extract is from Ebay.

i think i'll throw in a few plants in there and im planning on getting a few more RBPs of the same size. maybe 7 more? or just 4 more to make 7.

 

[Zoodiver]

The more fish you can handle (tank size/filter) the better. Wild schools number in the mid hundreds and as high as multiple thousand.

 

[softturtle]

I have used Keta-Peat Nuggets. I have used it with some of my planted tanks and it has helped create a more natural habitat and actually made my plants way healthier (with less light!). It reduced my pH from around 8 to around 6 in about a week. I thought it was a good product. I'd check it out. Here's the website.

www.marcweissco.com

 

[Chad55]

I used the blackwater extract and it was a waste of time. It got a slight timt for like 1 day and then it was clear again. Even when it did have the tint though it looked liek it was just really nasty water.

Chad