blackwater

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sbuse

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 1, 2009
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Been thinking of adding almond leaves to my setup. I have seen around in some articles that blackwater is all around better for sa fish.

How many people here use blackwater for there rays?

Any noticeable bennis from it?
 
sbuse said:
Been thinking of adding almond leaves to my setup. I have seen around in some articles that blackwater is all around better for sa fish.

How many people here use blackwater for there rays?

Any noticeable bennis from it?
Click to expand...

I think one of the main benefits for sa fish was just that it made the water more acidic, also for skittish fish like RBP's it makes the light coming through dimmer which calms the fish.

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I was reading something to the effect of it making it easier for some of the fish to process things and helps protect their skin. I was thinking it would be extra beneficial for fish like rays if that was the case. Someone on here was saying that young black aros need it, I have seen repeatedly differently. I know with my 4' led on my 6' tank the light is somewhat dimmer then when I have the full 6' of leds on it. The rays seem much more active with the 4' over the 6'.

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sbuse said:
Been thinking of adding almond leaves to my setup. I have seen around in some articles that blackwater is all around better for sa fish.

How many people here use blackwater for there rays?

Any noticeable bennis from it?
Click to expand...

Leaves of any type are a no bueno in most high flow ray setups. What I have done in other setups is buy all the left over mopani and malasian DW pieces from new shipments into my LFS, throw it in a mesh bag and toss in the sump. You will get significantly more tannin acids released from wood than the leaves and they will last longer. I am not sure about humic acids but you can look it up somewhat easily.

As far as benifits, they will varry by member as each members water chemistry differs a lot. Just remember, if you have hard water no amount of wood, leaves or extract will lower your pH. They will add the disolved acids into the water column.

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JK47 said:
Leaves of any type are a no bueno in most high flow ray setups. What I have done in other setups is buy all the left over mopani and malasian DW pieces from new shipments into my LFS, throw it in a mesh bag and toss in the sump. You will get significantly more tannin acids released from wood than the leaves and they will last longer. I am not sure about humic acids but you can look it up somewhat easily.

As far as benifits, they will varry by member as each members water chemistry differs a lot. Just remember, if you have hard water no amount of wood, leaves or extract will lower your pH. They will add the disolved acids into the water column.

Sent from Samsung 4G Microwave
Click to expand...

I planned on putting them in the 125gal that I have planted. It is linked to the ray system with an pro 3 canister. That tank has a second pro 3 canister on it and that is it for flow in that 125. I wouldn't dream of putting them in my 40gal sump. They would be destroyed in seconds that thing has 1700gph going through it. :D I like the wood chunks idea. I could get them dirt cheap along with the mess bag. Does the wood give the same tea colored water effect as I see with all the leaves? My water is soft and my pH is 7.6. I have crushed coral in my sump still I need to take out before the black water deal. I used it for my Cuban gar.

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sbuse said:
I planned on putting them in the 125gal that I have planted. It is linked to the ray system with an pro 3 canister. That tank has a second pro 3 canister on it and that is it for flow in that 125. I wouldn't dream of putting them in my 40gal sump. They would be destroyed in seconds that thing has 1700gph going through it. :D I like the wood chunks idea. I could get them dirt cheap along with the mess bag. Does the wood give the same tea colored water effect as I see with all the leaves? My water is soft and my pH is 7.6. I have crushed coral in my sump still I need to take out before the black water deal. I used it for my Cuban gar.

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Click to expand...

The wood will produce a significant more amount of the desired color than the leaves and it lasts longer. I have had it keep up with a low flow drip system as well. It just takes replacing more often. I have not used it with my larger volune drup tanks but assume it would produce less but similar results. For color try and stay with mopani as much as possible. IME that has produces the best color for me.

I am a blackwater lover and cringe when I see the "how to remove the tea color from my water threads". How about skip the wood or man up and enjoy ma nature lol..

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JK47 said:
The wood will produce a significant more amount of the desired color than the leaves and it lasts longer. I have had it keep up with a low flow drip system as well. It just takes replacing more often. I have not used it with my larger volune drup tanks but assume it would produce less but similar results. For color try and stay with mopani as much as possible. IME that has produces the best color for me.

I am a blackwater lover and cringe when I see the "how to remove the tea color from my water threads". How about skip the wood or man up and enjoy ma nature lol..

Sent from Samsung 4G Microwave
Click to expand...

I love crystal clear water but at the same time. Tannic water is one of the best looks. As long as you can still see clearly. I have had some so tannic I couldn't see yellow fish in a 20gal..lol I'll get some mopani wood and give it a shot.

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Sbuse my other hobby is fruit trees.
Almonds are very closely related to plums peaches and apricots. I don't see any benefit from me going in my yard picking leafs from my plums and apricots and letting them deteriorate in my tank ??
Use organic peat moss or drift wood. I'm not sure if these are actual almond leafs your talking about but the almonds I'm thinking of are exactly like my trees I have . If theirs a benefit to them I should start saving mine :) but most trees are sprayed with copper which is lethal to rays



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calgaryflames said:
Sbuse my other hobby is fruit trees.
Almonds are very closely related to plums peaches and apricots. I don't see any benefit from me going in my yard picking leafs from my plums and apricots and letting them deteriorate in my tank ??
Use organic peat moss or drift wood. I'm not sure if these are actual almond leafs your talking about but the almonds I'm thinking of are exactly like my trees I have . If theirs a benefit to them I should start saving mine :) but most trees are sprayed with copper which is lethal to rays



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Click to expand...

I will most likely go with the wood. I have a bunch of wood in my tanks already, just want to get the tannic look. after the tannins run out I can sell the wood to those that dont want tannins in my store. It is a win win.

As to the leaves I don't know if they are almond leaves or not. They are called Indian almond leaves at the stores and they create a tannic water.

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