Experiment w Almond Leaves

[duanes]

There are at least 2 almond trees on the island where I live, and after todays 4 hour storm, I collected about a half dozen fallen leaves
.
These were dropped in my tank (180 gal with a nearly full 125 gal sump) still floating a couple hours later

Initial pH was measured 3 times with 3 aliquots tested with a normal range pH solution, and each vial rinsed 3 times between each sample measured.
All maxed out at the peak of normal range (so an unreliable number)

Then 3 samples were taken and measured using a high pH solution, rinsed in the same manner.

Results using a high range solution, the tank waters normal pH appears to hover between 8 and 8.2 (too high for a normal range test).
I will add more leaves as they fall, continuing to test over time to see if they have an effect (or not) on pH, and if they add noticeable tannins.
Water is clear today.
My normal water changes routine is about 40% every other day.
My intention will be to periodically measure pH over time to see if the leaves alter pH in any significant way.

 

[duanes]

Ater 24 hours, two leaves are still semi floating, but the rest have settled.

At this point, they are to me quite an attractive addition to the botanical decor.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Having run stained tanks using almond leaves, alder cones, rooibos tea and muriatic acid as well as RO/DI water, I can tell you that it takes a fair amount of almont leaves alone to get a lot of staining. While it may lower the pH a tad, I rely on the alder cones and the RO/DI water for this and use the acid when needed. I use this for wild Altum angels. I target the tank for a pH of 6.0 and TDS in the range or 60 ppm. It was way lower when I first got the fish.

The rooibos tea I brew and add to the changing water. You need to mix this in advance to jeep new water from changing the tank parameters radically. Because my well water is neutral with TDS the low 80s ppm, it has a tendency to rise towards the 6.5 range between water changes and the TDS tend to rise about 10 ppm. I pre-batch changing water to bring the parameters back to the desired target numbers. Pretty close is good enough.

Another route here would be ti use peat. However, this can get pretty messy. The best way to do this is to created a peat liquid and add that rather than trying to put peat in bags in one's filter.

Changing one's tap parameters in a stable manner is not simple. pH, GH and KH are all intertwined. If is very difficult to change just one of these alone. Have a read here and you will get the basics on all of this in simple language. I covers the basics of the parameters and then discusses altering them.
https://fins.actwin.com/mirror/begin-chem.html

 

[FJB]

I used Canadian peat bought in bales at HomeDepot for this purpose, while living in Massachusetts. Admittedly, a very earth-unfriendly practice.
Large bags of peat (about 2 liters each) were held suspended inside each of a battery of 3 connected 55 gal plastic drums, which was my "aging water setup" for discus and Uaru. A small powerhead in each circulated water through the peat. It worked very well, releasing some tannins (as judged by color) and I do believe the fish benefitted in terms of their health and willingness to go though breeding motions.
The actual change on pH was minor, partly because I was changing at least 25% water daily in all discus/Uaru tanks, and therefore, the total time the water was exposed to the peat was relatively short, because the drums needed refilling daily or more.
I did try to place small amounts of peat inside filters in the actual aquaria, leaving it in there longer, but the effect was so small as to not be worth the effort, or the mess.

I think leaves may work well but quite a few may be needed. I have a Magnolia grandifolia large tree in my backyard, and have considered trying it but have not done it. I don't keep discus or Uaru anymore either, but probably some of my SAmerican characins may like it.

 

[fishguy1978]

I have alder cones and magnolia leaves in abundance and so I add them to my cherry shrimp tanks and to my pleco grow tank not so much for the tannins or ph altering but for the infusoria and leaves as food.

 

[Charlied81]

I bought some almond leaves online and put 8 of them in my 180 for the purpose of lowering my ph. I tested a few times and I never noticed a difference. The package said to change to leaves every week when you do a water change so I ended up just throwing them all out.

 

[Rocksor]

I bought some almond leaves online and put 8 of them in my 180 for the purpose of lowering my ph. I tested a few times and I never noticed a difference. The package said to change to leaves every week when you do a water change so I ended up just throwing them all out.

You probably didn't put enough leaves to battle your KH and lower the PH. My KH is about 8 degrees, and about 1 cup of peat moss to 12 cups of water will lower my PH from 7.8 to 6.4. That's a lot of crushed leaves required for my tap water.

 

[duanes]

The point of my post is to see "if" (for my own information, and anyone else interested) if, or just how many leaves it will take to do any significant alteration of pH.
I actually don't care if it does, or not. The point is to get information, and I'm just interested to see what volume of leaves one would need.
Because I see plenty of claims floating around about how almond leaves are a magic elixir for lowering pH, this much, or that.
For me almond leaves are free, so I feel no bias either way.
Will I need a barrel full?
will the tank floor and substrate need to be covered?
Will the tank need to be filled half way with leaves to drop pH from 8, to 7, or even 7.5, or less.
I plan on adding double the amount of leaves I started with, every week to see how brown (tea like) the water will need to be , and/or to even budge pH a little, and or if they alter any other water parameters.
I realize each tank is different, and reacts to its own set of tap water parameters, stocking and volume, etc etc..
I've just ordered a new API test kit, as the old one is getting near its expiration.
I sampled pH befor a water change today, and pH had not deviated.
It was maxed on the normal range, and.......
Remains at pH 8 using high range pH reagent

 

[Charlied81]

I understand what you are saying and I am interested in the results as well. My ph is always really high from my tap. I tried the leaves to lower but I only added a few and it didn't help. My concern was the package said to remove the leaves after a week because they would grow mold and be bad. I thought that was strange because I've heard people say I add leaves to my water and when they dissapear I add more.

 

[duanes]

For those interested in other details
There are 8 fish in the 180
A mated pair and 3 female Andinoacara coerleopunctatus (females @ 4", the male 6-7")
There are 2 Roeboides tetras (@ 4")
and a 7" Panamanian pleco.
The tank is heavily panted with Vallisneria, and Hydrophilla.

The surface is partiallia covered in terrestrial plants like Deafenbachia.

The 125 sump is populated with a few dozen local shrimp (Macrobranchium), and a few Andinoacara fry from the pair in the 180.
It is also heavily planted with Vallisneria, Hydrilla and Papyrus.


There are bags of media for bio, a 20" x 20" x 2" block of Poret Foam (matter) as bio/mechanical media.
Circulation is provided by a Sicce 1500 GPH submersible pump at 24" of head.
Nitrate is normally undetectable.

male Andinoacara above, Roeboides tetra below