Who is using leaves?

[spotfin]

Anyone use beech leaves?

 

[magpie]

I just googled the Portand Oregon Water Quality Report.
Portlands water is very soft, although initial pH is 7.5-8.
I believe this dichotomy is because the alkalinity (though not listed in the report) must be low. Alkalinity is the waters buffering capacity (ability to neutralize acid i.e. fish urine)
Any leaves will quickly lower pH in this type situation, even with crushed coral as substrate.
An inexpensive way to bolster alkalinity would be be to dissolve baking soda in your water change water. To know how much to add, get a good alkalinity test, and gradually add baking soda until the test reads (and the water holds) the amounted alkalinity to keep pH stable........sounds like a nightmare doesn't it?
If it were me, I would not try to alter my water, but I would keep fish that thrive in soft water.
A fish I have always wanted to keep but couldn't (because my tap water was liquid rock) is Uaru fernandezyepezi, and many of the South American dwarf cichlids, Geophagines, and tetras thrive in your type water (especially if leaf tannins are added).
the link below is an interesting look into the subject,
Freshwater Natural Aquarium Documentary

You are right in that our water is extremely soft. My tank was dropping below 6 pH within a 3-4 day period after a 50% water change, coming out of the tap at 7.0 (It's come out of the tap around 7 for at least 5 years.) The crushed coral has been fantastic actually. I had to play with how much to add but it keeps the pH up around 6.8 or so. Normally that's a minimal swing, but in the past few months or so the tap water has changed and is coming out at 7.8 (UGH)

I actually read that the city is RIGHT NOW actively working on increasing pH because the softness of the water in combination with some other things is causing problems with lead leaching out of pipes. So they are moving it to 8.2 over time. I am not sure what this means for me and my fish.... I might need to do twice weekly smaller WC vs. my once weekly 50%

I have stock that I am happy with right now, but we do plan on moving in about a year and I will upgrade the tank at that time. In the city we're moving to, the water is still on the soft spectrum but not to this extreme. The alkalinity is higher too. I'm hoping that this means more water stability for my fish.

In the meantime I think I'll have to add more coral to my canister...?

I used silver birch, I read that they don't alter your water chemistry. I have been using them for about a year now and there hasn't been any changes in my ph and no tannins that I have seen.

Thank you!

 

[duanes]

I have also used birch, maple, and magnolia.

 

[duanes]

Higher alkalinity always means more stability. And I believe one of the most commonly overlooked and important parameters.
A pH of 7.8 is what was normal for my tap, with an alkalinity of about 100ppm, and I found that to be great for my Central American and Malagasy cichlids

 

[PDRed302]

I've used them before but not currently. I've used a few different mixes of leaves from my house/property. Although I've always boiled them first to remove the tannins, you get a fairly good smelling "tea" out of it but I wasn't brave enough to take a sip, lol.

I always ended up taking them out after 2 or 3 weeks before they broke all the way down, just to avoid any excess mess.

A shot with my Blue Acara pair in their old tank; they seemed to enjoy moving them around...