Wet Spot question
- Thread starter Brazzen1
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- atabapo pike the wet spot
WOW, thanks for sharing. I might just take a trip up there just to see an actual aquarium store like the good old days. Did I just say that?!
DI / RO will help.
Leaf litter and tannin producers will also help, but only if you alkalinity allows.
As an experiment, over time I added almond leaves to try and lower the pH. in my tank.
After I reached a bushel of leaves, and my pH barely dropped only a tenthn I gave up realizing the alkalinity of my tap water had so much buffering capacity , it could not counteract the tannic acids the leaf litter produced.
Below when I post the experiment
That said a combnation of DI water and leaf litter may provide the softening, and antibacterial tannins these pilke cichlids have evolved to live healthily in.
You may need to start experimenting of the shipping order, with tap water and DI blending, and testing pH to see what gives you the pH that matches some where close to the Atabapo range.
And the testing DI/tap water blends for water changes needed to maintain that stability.
Leaf litter and tannin producers will also help, but only if you alkalinity allows.
As an experiment, over time I added almond leaves to try and lower the pH. in my tank.
After I reached a bushel of leaves, and my pH barely dropped only a tenthn I gave up realizing the alkalinity of my tap water had so much buffering capacity , it could not counteract the tannic acids the leaf litter produced.
Below when I post the experiment
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...
.
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...
That said a combnation of DI water and leaf litter may provide the softening, and antibacterial tannins these pilke cichlids have evolved to live healthily in.
You may need to start experimenting of the shipping order, with tap water and DI blending, and testing pH to see what gives you the pH that matches some where close to the Atabapo range.
And the testing DI/tap water blends for water changes needed to maintain that stability.
I have bought fish from the wet spot a few times, and the fish always were what they claimed. I would probably take their word for it.
It is Betta albimarnarginatta, from the soft waters of Malaysia, but because I kept them in a small tank, used rain water to cut hardness, and it did OK in my lake Michigan based hard water. Also used lots of leaf litter to provide tannins.
Was also keeping Betta edithae at about the same time.
was surprized they even spawned in the mix
Was also keeping Betta edithae at about the same time.
was surprized they even spawned in the mix
I’ve used birch, oak, mulberry, and maples. I collect all of them on my property but will add the silver and red maple leaves seem to break down far quicker than the rest.
I have used magnolia leaves (Magnolia grandifolia) from my yard for years. They work well at releasing tanins, given plecos something to rasp on, and making tanks look good. The pH is not affected much, but that has not been the intent. They last longer than almond leaves before desintegrating.
