Is my arowana getting drop eye

[islandguy11]

I'm guessing that they add those substances to increase overall hardness, to counter any potential water softening effect that the almond leaf extract may have. Can you buy, or pick up Catappa leaves locally, and make your own extract?

Thx for input. Yes I can get Catappa leaves from Chatuchak market pretty easy -- but in fact your guess is actually what I'm hoping is true: while I want at least some of the benefits of almond leaves/tannins I don't really want to bring down PH (even though in their natural habitat it's lower), as I think too hard to sustain it. I know 7.9 PH isn't the best for Arowana long-term development but I'm thinking stable is better than fluctuating. Also I'd bet they've grown up 99% of their lives in regular tank water, not pond or black water.

In any case from the smaller sample test I did yesterday the PH actually didn't seem to change at all after adding the 'Spa' solution (but as I was advised on another thread this may also be partially due to the fact my KH/buffering is reasonably high at about 7).

That said I think what you said is true -- also it's made by a Thai company and most places here have pretty high PH, which of course they'd have to be aware of.

 

[RD.]

The ponds in Singapore are close to your water parameters in Thailand, and I have seen many Asian aros in pH 8.0, with hard water, long term, so as a general rule they seem to be fine in those parameters. With your KH I would use the actual leaves, just use a nylon stocking from one of the lady boys, and soak like a tea bag.

 

[islandguy11]

The ponds in Singapore are close to your water parameters in Thailand, and I have seen many Asian aros in pH 8.0, with hard water, long term, so as a general rule they seem to be fine in those parameters. With your KH I would use the actual leaves, just use a nylon stocking from one of the lady boys, and soak like a tea bag.

I suspected as much regarding Singapore's PH, but that's good to hear you've seen them doing well in higher PH.

And while I do love this hobby, I'm just not willing to make the sacrifices it would take to get some lady boy stockings lol, better (and safer) to go to the 20 baht shop.

But getting back to the OP's topic -- I'm also going to soon start fazing out the WTT treatment in my Goldenhead's 325 -- I don't know about him but I think it's giving ME drop eye, I just can't bear it any more lol.