My first attempt with leaf litter

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bobblehead27

Piranha
MFK Member
Apr 15, 2010
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Tampa Area
This is my first attempt at a natural look with leaf litter. I used mostly magnolia leaves since my parents have 2 huge trees at their house. I also threw in some smaller dried up leaves and twigs from my front yard. I plan on taking the two decorative rocks out once the driftwood will stay put.

I have a ton of decent size (4-7 inch) river rock all over my house as part of the landscaping. I plan on using these to add some more hardscape along with some matching gravel although I'm not sure how I am going to go about this. I'm thinking I like the positioning of the rock on the right side of the tank so at least one of the rocks will be there. Idk if I want to kinda just make like 3 of those standing up in that area surrounded by a bit of gravel that slowly thins out around it, or spread the rocks more. Any input would be appreciated

Right now the tank consists of like 12 adult and sub adult guppies and a ton of babies. As well as an African fan shrimp that I mistook for a bamboo shrimp. I also am getting cherry shrimp shipped to me as we speak to be added.

Then I plan on adding some more leaves and waiting a few weeks to a month before adding some apistos or crenicichla regani/notopthalmus/compressiceps. Not sure which one yet.

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Also, this bubble thing on the tip of the leaf is normal, right? It's just bacteria eating the sugars from the leaf?

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Edit: also I planted red tiger Lily to the left of the driftwood so when that grows in I'm hoping it will fill the top of the left side of the tank.
 
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I have been experimenting with leaf litter myself of late. I had the same thing happen to the magnolia leaves i added. Did not have any problems with oak and birch leaves.ended up removing the magnolia because i did not like the look, but it did not cause ant any problems.
 
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TheNonEuclidean said:
I have been experimenting with leaf litter myself of late. I had the same thing happen to the magnolia leaves i added. Did not have any problems with oak and birch leaves.ended up removing the magnolia because i did not like the look, but it did not cause ant any problems.
Click to expand...

Yeah I think it just wasnt dead or dried enough
 
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I personally have been using dried Oak leaves over 2 yrs now. I absolutely believe all what has been stated about the benefits of dried dead leaf litter. I could never keep Apistogramma alive due to the hardness of my water. The Apistogramma and a group of wc Browntail Pencilfish have been thriving about 2 yrs.
 
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I've really got to start thinking seriously about stocking. This is currently just being used to breed food for future use, but idk what I'm actually going to stock it with.
 
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Yeah I think I'm just going to just let the guppies and RCS breed and fill the tank until I come across the species I want.

It's a 50 gal 36 x 18 inch footprint. So that will hopefully be a LOT lol
 
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Love the tank!

Just an FYI an aposto will eat the shrimps...no doubt about it, might not notice at first but they will slowly dismember them one by one and before you know it they will be gone
 
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