# Ripe for Picking: a Guide to Collecting your own Bountiful Botanicals



## shangman (26 Nov 2022)

*Ripe for Picking: a Guide to Collecting your own Bountiful Botanicals*​
Do you ever look at your aquarium, full of colourful fish, luscious plants and particularly-placed hardscape and think, _hmm… I wish it looked a little more natural_? Well then this is the guide for you, as there is an easy and economical way to bring more nature into your aquarium, practised by many for decades, yet only recently widely recognised for its beauty. And that way is ...

Adding fallen leaves, twigs, seed pods and other bits of dried dead plant matter otherwise known as “Botanicals” to your aquarium. You can buy botanicals online, and you can collect your own for free, which is what this guide is all about! These botanical delights are ripe for picking (mostly from the ground), and have a wide range of benefits for your aquatic creatures, and for you too. This is a work in progress guide to collecting your own botanicals, made collaboratively with the UKAPS community.

Botanicals help create a more complex natural ecosystem in your tank, improving fish health, creating new territory, and providing a constant food supply. An aquarium rich in botanicals mimics the natural environment of our fish, and so helps our fish exhibit more natural behaviour, personally my South American fish have never acted more confidently than when I keep them with big piles of leaves. The slowly degrading surface area of botanicals is a perfect breeding ground for microfauna and biofilms, providing an excellent food source for many fish and shrimps, and a greater chance of breeding and fry survival.

Botanicals also have enormous aesthetic appeal and bring a true feeling of nature into the aquarium, often transforming a tank into something more obviously made by a person, into a dramatic scene seemingly plucked from the wild. In warm shades of dark brown, sienna and yellow ochre, botanicals add beautiful new tones into the aquarium colour palette, as well as a wide range of textures and architectural structures, their lightness contrasting the heaviness of hardscape. Some botanicals stain the water shades of yellow and orange, creating an amazing moody atmosphere straight from the jungle.

The great thing about all these botanical benefits is that they are easy to achieve, you can place a handful of dried leaves on the surface of the aquarium, and over the next few days they will slowly sink to the bottom, or get caught on a plant or piece of hardscape, waving lightly in the flow, often with an oto or cherry shrimp nibbling away at them, and suddenly a new sense of calm is established.

Collecting botanicals is also a great excuse to explore green spaces both local and further afield, surround yourself with nature and get a good healthy walk in. If you're collecting in Autumn, you could pair a botanical walk with a search for mushrooms. Once you start, you'll begin to notice you look at trees and plants in a whole new way, paying attention to the beauty of small brown natural things wherever you go. Not only is collecting botanicals good for your fish, it's good for you too!

By collecting, and even growing, your own botanicals you can create an even more unique and beautiful aquarium for both you and your fish. Whilst you're not likely to find a catappa tree in the UK, there is a huge variety of beautiful, useful, and often tropical-looking leaves available for collection in gardens, parks and forests around the UK. Some are easy to find, others more niche, and all listed are appreciated by the creatures of your aquarium.

So please have a look around this guide, and then have a look outside, and see what lovely brown crunchy gems you can forage for your aquarium and share your discoveries with us here.

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*What makes a good botanical?*​w




*Tips on Collecting Botanicals *​wip
Collecting - be aware of where you collect. Info about Pesticides & Herbicides,
It's best to collect most of your leaves in Autumn, when the majority fo the plants on this list drop their leaves, and make sure you collect enough for the whole year. Botanicals don't will break down in the aquarium, so you will need to replenish them regularly (every few weeks or months depending on the type).



*How to prepare your Botanicals*​wip


*How should I use botanicals in my aquarium?*​
The benefit of collecting your own leaves is that you can add as many or as few as you like. When you buy botanicals online they can be 50p a leaf, but once you find a few good trees locally to source your leaves you can come away with a big bags full.

You can add as many or as few botanicals as you think looks good. You could add a single dramatic leaf, or fill the aquarium top-to-bottom with a huge pile, which would mimic some natural environments well! If you want a lot of botanicals in your aquarium, it's best to start with just a small handful and add by the handful weekly, as the organics can overwhelm your aquarium if too many are added at once.

Botanicals will break down in the aquarium over a few weeks or months, faster if you have creatures that like to eat them. Some botanicals last longer than others, depending on the structure of it. For example, palm leaves last several months, but walnut leaves last several days. You will be left with broken down plant matter, a beneficial layer of mulm filled with bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms. You can siphon this out, or keep it. In my aquariums I only siphon out mulm that sits on the main area of sand, the rest stays and doesn't seem to do any harm.

Look to our Inspirations post below to see examples of botanicals in aquariums from users on UKAPS.

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*Links to further reading & watching*

Are Aquarium Botanicals Poisonous? from CE Essentials
Free Tank Decor from Practicalfishkeeping.co.uk
Collecting Your Own Botanicals from Bettabotanicals.com​


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## shangman (26 Nov 2022)

*Botanicals Plant List*

Below is a working list of trees and plants which you can collect botanicals from in the UK. We are constantly adding to the list as we discover new species appropriate for the aquarium with beautiful structured leaves.

Please post your suggestions in this thread if you have successfully collected and used other botanicals not on this list.

*Common Trees in the UK*

These trees can be found all across the UK in parks, gardens, streets and other green spaces, and their leaves and seedpods are the easiest botanicals to collect.​
*Name**Part of plants**Photo**When to Collect**Does it tint?**Notes*English Oak (_Quercus robar_)Leaves, twigs & acord caps (not acorns)xCollect brown fallen leaves in Autumn and Winter-A very common, easy to collect botanical. If you don't think it looks exotic enough, consider ripping the leaves up into smaller pieces to create a great leaf litter that looks more tropical.Sweet Chestnut (_Castanea sativa_)LeavesxCollect brown fallen leaves in Autumn-My personal favourite of the common British trees, the sweet chestnut has medium-to-large serrated leaves which have a definite tropical feel.Common Beech (_Fagus sylvatica_)Leaves & PodsxCollect brown fallen leaves & pods in Autumn--Alder (_Alnus glutinosa_)Leaves & SeedpodsxCollect brown fallen leaves & alder cones in AutumnYes, stronglyAlder seedpods are known as 'Alder Cones'Apple (_Malus x domestica_)LeavesxCollect brown fallen leaves in AutumnYes, golden-Hazel (_Corylus avellana_)LeavesxCollect brown fallen leaves in AutumnNo-Silver Birch_ (Betula pendula)_LeavesxCollect brown fallen leaves in AutumnNo-Hawthorn_ (Crataegus monogyna)_LeavesxCollect brown fallen leaves in Autumn-Tiny leaves suitable for nano aquariaNorway Maple _(Acer platanoides)_LeavesxCollect brown fallen leaves in Autumn-Make sure these leaves are fully brown and dry before adding to the aquarium, when picked up they are often not fully dry, which means they rot when stored in a bag, and can leech sugars and other unwanted organics into the aquarium water.


*Trees Often Found in Large British Parks*

These trees come from around the world, and are often found in British parks. These trees have been picked because their leaves make beautiful, unique additions to the aquarium, with many creating a more authentic tropical look than the very common British trees.​

*Name**Part of plants**Photo**When to Collect**Does it tint?**Notes*Southern Evergreen Magnolia (_Magnolia Grandiflora_)LeavesxAn evergreen, collect small quantities of brown fallen leaves year-round.YesA fantastic tropical-looking leaf which lasts well in the aquarium, it is common to have one of these trees in almost every large British park_Magnolia sp._LeavesxCollect brown fallen leaves in Autumn-All magnolia species leaves can be collected as botanicals, with some reaching up to 30cm long!Sweetgum Tree (_Liquidambar styraciflua_)SeedpodsxCollect brown fallen seedpods in Autumn-The spiky fallen brown seedpods of this beautiful tree make great small botanicals for shrimps.Persian Walnut _(Juglans regia)_LeavesxCollect fresh green leaves in Spring & Summer, and fallen dried brown leaves in Autumn-Dried green walnut leaves collected in Spring & Summer make a great shrimp & oto food.Holm Oak _(Quercus Ilex)_LeavesxAn evergreen, collect small quantities of brown fallen leaves year-round.-Lovely small leaves for a nano aquariumRed Oak_ (Quercus Rubra)_LeavesxCollect brown fallen leaves in Autumn-American Live Oak _(Quercus virginiana)_LeavesxAn evergreen, collect small quantities of brown fallen leaves year-round.-Sessile Oak _(Quercus petraea)_LeavesxCollect brown fallen leaves in Autumn and Winter-Small versions of oak leaves, well suited to a nano aquariumTurkey Oak _(Quercus Cerris)_Leaves & oak cupsxCollect brown fallen leaves in Autumn and Winter-Nice hairy acorn cups_Ginkgo biloba_LeavesCollect fallen leaves in late Autumn-An ancient species of tree with unique shaped leaves. When picking, avoid the stinking fruit which can cause skin irritation.Swamp Cypress_ (Taxodium distichum)_Leaves & twigsxCollect fallen leaves and small branches in Autumn-The only confierous tree we've found so far which isn't toxic to aquatic life! A lovely bright orange colour with lacy needles, this is a unique botanical.Japanese Maple _(Acer palmatum)_LeavesxCollect fallen leaves in Autumn-Beautiful coloured leaves, make sure to take the time to dry these at home after collecting as often red leaves are filled with sugars still.Crab Apple _(Malus sylvestris)_LeavesxCollect fallen leaves in Autumn-Lovely small leaves. I also suggest collecting the fruit to make delicious homemade jelly.


*Common Bushes & Shrubs*

These common bushes and shrubs are found in British parks, gardens and some wild areas. Many of them are easy to grow at home if you have a green space.​

*Name**Part of plants**Photo**When to Collect**Does it tint?**Notes*_Camellia Sp._LeavesxEvergreen shrub, with leaves often dropping in Spring and Summer-Commonly found in gardens and small parks, this is a beautiful shrub (and sometimes tree) which you could plant in your garden.Heather (_Calluna vulgaris_)Twigs & small branchesxYear-round, find dead brown undergrowth and cut off.-Growing on moors and peat bogs, dead heather twigs make delicate looking roots. Also often found in British parks in borders.Blackcurrant _(Ribes nigrum)_LeavesxCollect fallen leaves in Autumn-To collect these leaves you may have to grow blackcurrants, which sounds annoying until you remember that you can then make homemade blackcurrant jam.BambooLeavesCollect fallen leaves year-roundNoThe thin papery fallen leaves of bamboo make an unusual botanical which is surprisingly tough.






*Palms *​
Palms grown in the UK are a great source of larger botanicals - both their fallen leaves and their dried flower stalks make dramatic sculptural botanicals which last several months, their fronds must be allowed  to dry out completely on the plant before being cut off. Some 'palms' are actually cycads (Cycas sp.), which are mostly not useable as botanicals due to toxins (and very stiff sharp leaf ends)

Make sure you cut off the sharp spikes on the stalks.  Below are some common species to look out for, or even grow in your garden. I have had good luck knocking on doors and asking neighbours for the dead palm leaves.


*Name**Part of plants**Photo**When to Collect**Does it tint?**Notes*Parlour Palm_ (Chamaedorea elegans)_LeavesAll times of year, usually one leaf at a time is ready. When fronds are dead on the palm - dried out, pale brown and facing down.-A popular house plants, keep this yourself and enjoy the occasional botanical leaf for your aquarium. Less thick and long-lasting than hardy outdoor palms._Trachycarpus fortunei_Leaves & Flower StalksxAll times of year, usually one leaf at a time is ready. When fronds are dead on the palm - dried out, pale brown and facing down. Flower stalks are ready when black and dried out on palm.NoA round medium leaf , approx 50cm long. Hardy._Chamaerops humilis_LeavesxSame as above-A round small leaf, approx 20cm long. Hardy._Phoenix canariensis_LeavesxSame as above-A long long, suitable only for large aquariums, often over 1m long. Hardy in Southern England.Washingtonia robustaLeavesxSame as above-






Diamondleaf Fern (_Lophosoria quadripinnata_)

*Ferns *​
Ferns are a more difficult botanical to source, as many fall apart when they drop their fronds or shrivel up in autumn. This category of plants will be slowly added to over time, if you are a fern enthusiast who has kept a fern which makes a great botanical, let me know!
​
*Name**Part of plants**Photo**When to Collect**Does it tint?**Notes*Bracken (_Pteridium aquilinum_)Fronds-Autumn-*CAUTION* - Bracken contains the poison Ptaquiloside, which kills horses, it is unknown if this poison affects aquatic life. One aquarist has had success using this fern as a botanical in their aquarium, but they made sure to boil the fern fronds in water for 20 minutes with the idea that it would denature the poison. Use at your own risk.

Bracken is common throughout the British countryside and woodland areas.Diamondleaf Fern (_Lophosoria quadripinnata_)Fronds-Autumn, once the frond has gone fully brown, cut off at base.NoAn unusual fern that would need to be bought in a garden centre and grown at home,  makes a beautiful botanical._Davallia sp._Fronds-All times of year, usually one leaf at a time is ready. When fronds are dead on the fern - looking pale brown and facing down. Add to aquarium in this state, rather than when fully dried out as they become brittle.-These ferns can be kept inside as houseplants, and have beautiful small fronds. The delicate fronds last a few weeks whole, and will then make a beautiful natural leaf litter.

_To try  - Pyrrosia sheareri, Matteuccia orientalis, Lomariocycas magellanica, Polypodium 'Whitley Giant'_


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## shangman (26 Nov 2022)

Photo left @shangman, Photo right @Courtneybst

*Plants for Fish & Shrimp Food*​
All the botanicals in this guide are good for your fish and shrimps, often a great food source, but some plants are better than others! Below is a list of some of the best plants you can collect for food for shrimps and fish like otocinclus. Unlike the botanicals and leaves mentioned earlier in the guide, many of these plants can be added to the aquarium when green, though often need drying.



*Name **Part of plants**Preparation **Photo**Notes*Common Walnut (Juglans regia)Green LeavesCollect leaves from Spring to Autumn, allow to fully dry.-These walnut leaves are the favourite food of my otocinclus catfishStinging Nettles (Urtica dioica)Green Leaves & 'Pollen'Collect leaves when green, fresh growth is best. Collect pollen ....-Favourite food of shrimpsMulberry (Morus sp.)Green LeavesCollect leaves when green, fresh growth is best, allow to fully dry.--Fruiting treesGreen leavesCollect leaves when green, fresh growth is best, allow to fully dry.Apples, Pears and other fruiting tree leaves


*Poisonous Plants to Avoid*​
Plant matter often contains substrances which are toxic, which is sometimes an issue and sometimes not. Tannin, a substance found in many botanicals is poisonous to humans and other mammals if consumed, but healthy for fish in the aquarium, and so we use these leaves without problems.

But not all plant and tree matter is appropriate for aquarium use - the plants and trees on this list should not be collected because they contain substantial quantities of toxins which will most likely poison your fish. These plant's leaves look attractive, and often they are closely related to a tree which has botanicals you can collect, but you should avoid anything on this list unless you are a expert. If you are an expert, good luck and please record your findings for us!

If you are unsure about the suitability of a botanical, feel free to ask in this thread about it.


*Name **Why you should avoid it**What it's similar to**Photo*Rhododendron Sp.Some Rhododendron sp. contain the poison grayanotoxin, a neurotoxin.Similar to some species of magnolia and often grow together in large parks. Although the leaf of this large bush look attractively tropical, avoid them.-Azalea sp.Some Azalea sp. contain the poison grayanotoxin, a neurotoxin. Azalea Root Wood/hardscape bought from shops is not dangerous, and can be used without worry.Grayanotoxin tends to collect at the tips of leaves, shoots and flowers, and so although azalea root is used as an aquarium hardscape material, it's best to avoid using the leaves.-Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)Black walnuts contain a high proportion of juglone, which can cause a skin rash when collected, and may harm both creatures and plants in the aquarium.Related to the common walnut (Juglans regia), which is non-toxic to aquatic life, as it contains a relatively small amount of juglone.-Pines and ConifersWith the exception of Swamp Cypress, Pines and Conifer trees (and their leaves) all contain large quantities of oily sap and resin which would soil your aquarium water.Swamp Cypress is the only coniferous tree with leaves that are confirmed to be useable in an aquarium.-CycadsCycads (Cycas sp.) have potentially dangerous toxins, and often very stiff sharp leaf ends which could easily skewer a fish.Palm fronds can be used in aquariums, so better to use those than cycads.-


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## shangman (26 Nov 2022)

*Botanical Aquarium Inspiration*​
wip

Inspirational aquariums featuring botanicals from UKAPS users

Inspirational links showing botanicals and fish together in nature - videos & photos


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## John q (26 Nov 2022)

Thanks for doing this @shangman 🥰
Thought it might be useful to some folks to see what effect various botanicals have on water tint. So to start the ball rolling I'll begin with Alder cones, 3.5g added to 500ml of 60 tds tapwater. Will add more pictures to this post over the next 7 days.












Will also do the same experiment with catappa leaves.







T + 7 hrs.









24 Hours.



48 hrs.




80 hrs.




Final picture at 104hrs.




Thought I'd add one final picture. I drained the water and rinsed the Alder cones, then added 500mls of new tap water. After 12hrs this was the result. 




Tint release has slowed, but seems Alder cones are the gift that keeps on giving.


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## Courtneybst (26 Nov 2022)

Huzzah!


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## tigertim (26 Nov 2022)

Good timing, i've just being out and collected these this morning, mostly Beech with a couple of Oak hitchikers, to be used in a Cryptocoryne potting mix further down the line.


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## Tyko_N (26 Nov 2022)

I didn't have any accurate enough scales, so these are 1ml of ground leaves (thoroughly dried beforehand) in 2dl of rain water. Top row includes (from right to left): Maple (_Acer platanoides_), black currant (_Ribes nigrum_), and hazel (_Corylus avellana_). While the bottom one has: Apple (_Malus domestica_), oak (_Quercus robur_), and birch (_Betula pendula_).



Seems like apple could be useful for a yellow tint @Courtneybst , this is after only a few minutes so it'll be interesting to see what it looks like in a week.

Edit: After 1 week:



Turns out apple leaves wasn't such a good idea if you wanted yellow water, maybe birch is instead the best option. It's not that clear on the photo, but the water with maple and hazel leaves in it has turned slightly cloudy. In my previous experience these leaves tend to decompose quite quickly, so I use them when I want to create a lot of "mulm" in little time (such as when starting a new setup) or to provide food for various microorganisms in fry setups.


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## The Miniaturist (26 Nov 2022)

This is great @shangman, thank you for starting the botanicals list!
I use mainly oak & beech leaves with alder cones but this year I have collected some hawthorn so I can see how they go. Hawthorn & beech seem more in proportion with a nano tank, I think magnolia leaves would take up too much space!
The best botanical I've found for tannins is alder cones, you can control the tint by how many you add & there are bagfuls available from even a fairly small tree.
I pour boiling water over them 24hrs before using them so they sink straight away.


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## Tim Harrison (26 Nov 2022)

Great work @shangman 👍
These articles might be of interest too.









						Using leaves in your tank
					

Collect fallen leaves from a nearby forest and use these to decorate your tank.




					www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk
				












						Free Tank Decor! - Collecting Your Own Botanicals
					

Let's discuss how to safely collect, clean, and prepare locally collected botanicals for your aquarium.




					bettabotanicals.com


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## Courtneybst (27 Nov 2022)

Tyko_N said:


> Malus domestica


Amazing! That's the colour I'm going for, for sure. So you literally got leaves from a random apple tree? Were they green or brown when you collected them?

I would like to get some apple leaves in that case. I'd just be wary of which tree I get it from since apple trees often get sprayed with pesticides.


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## Tyko_N (27 Nov 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> So you literally got leaves from a random apple tree?


Yes, we have a few in the garden so I can make sure that they have not been treated with anything. The leaves are picked freshly fallen, or if I'm lucky (and we have had calm weather) stripped directly from the tree. You can easily check if the leaf is "ripe" by very gently tugging it backwards towards the trunk, a leaf that's ready to fall will then pop off with a clean break. I mainly do it that way because I'm lazy (it's easy to just run one hand along the branch and let the leaves fall directly into a paper bag), but it also saves you the trouble of having to sort them out from any others on the ground as well as avoids getting dirt on them.


Courtneybst said:


> Were they green or brown when you collected them?


Yellow when collected, with no gren left, but during storage and drying (or if picked later) they turn a light brown. If I kept shrimp I would probably try a couple of green ones though, they should be more nutritious.


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## AlecF (28 Nov 2022)

I've been using gingko, birch, beech, oak, and some alder cones.


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## Wookii (28 Nov 2022)

Well done @shangman great start here 👏

I was going to suggest adding images, then I spotted you'd already got a column in the table waiting for them. it might be useful to have some photos of the leaves when they are brown and ready to collect, when they are green and still on the tree and an image of the whole tree, as the latter two will help ID a tree in the summer ready for collecting in the Autumn.

If you want me to start collating some images for you, to share the burden, drop me a PM.


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## Witcher (28 Nov 2022)

@shangman
Tilia (cordata, platyphyllos and european which is a hybrid of the first two) - not directly useful for changing water parameters etc. (folks, if you know any use please comment) but dried block of tilia is probably the best (and cheapest) air stone you can make with little diy needed:





Ps. Not an "aquatic" info but:

Young leaves of tilia are edible and can be used in salads, flowers of tilia can be made into a tea (linden tea) and tilia honey is a very tasty one.
Young leaves of European beech which is on your list are also edible  and have nutty flavour. Nuts are also edible (and very tasty) but moderation is needed if eaten raw as they are slightly toxic if eaten in large quantities - they contain lots of tannins (which can be leached out by soaking), they also contain trimethylamine (also called fagin) - an alkaloid causing hallucinations when lots of nuts are eaten. After boiling or roasting (in my opinion roasting makes them an absolute delicacy) they are perfectly safe to eat as toxic compounds are broken down by heat.


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## shangman (28 Nov 2022)

Thanks everyone!! Feeling much more motivated to get it all going now 



John q said:


> Thanks for doing this @shangman 🥰
> Thought it might be useful to some folks to see what effect various botanicals have on water tint. So to start the ball rolling I'll begin with Alder cones, 3.5g added to 500ml of 60 tds tapwater. Will add more pictures to this post over the next 7 days.
> 
> View attachment 198176
> ...


This is a great contribution, thank you! I've linked your post to the Alder's tint info. 



Courtneybst said:


> Huzzah!


Thanks for the continuing harrassment! It's good to finally do this tbh



tigertim said:


> Good timing, i've just being out and collected these this morning, mostly Beech with a couple of Oak hitchikers, to be used in a Cryptocoryne potting mix further down the line.


Beech! Totally forgot about that one, I've added it in thank you! They're great leaves to use.



Tyko_N said:


> I didn't have any accurate enough scales, so these are 1ml of ground leaves (thoroughly dried beforehand) in 2dl of rain water. Top row includes (from right to left): Maple (_Acer platanoides_), black currant (_Ribes nigrum_), and hazel (_Corylus avellana_). While the bottom one has: Apple (_Malus domestica_), oak (_Quercus robur_), and birch (_Betula pendula_).
> View attachment 198182
> Seems like apple could be useful for a yellow tint @Courtneybst , this is after only a few minutes so it'll be interesting to see what it looks like in a week.


Another fabulously useful post, thank you! I've added links to this post in the tables, and will add the trees/bushes I haven't put in already too (apple, birch, blackcurrant, maple)



The Miniaturist said:


> This is great @shangman, thank you for starting the botanicals list!
> I use mainly oak & beech leaves with alder cones but this year I have collected some hawthorn so I can see how they go. Hawthorn & beech seem more in proportion with a nano tank, I think magnolia leaves would take up too much space!
> The best botanical I've found for tannins is alder cones, you can control the tint by how many you add & there are bagfuls available from even a fairly small tree.
> I pour boiling water over them 24hrs before using them so they sink straight away.



Hawthorn! Another one I forgot, will add that for nano tanks thank you  



Tim Harrison said:


> Great work @shangman 👍
> These articles might be of interest too.
> 
> 
> ...


These are great links, thank you! I've added them to further reading in the first post, and nabbed a few extra species from their lists 



AlecF said:


> I've been using gingko, birch, beech, oak, and some alder cones.


I haven't seen anyone use gingko before in a tank, that's awesome. It's got such a good unqiue leaf shape too, I'll add it to the list. Would love to see pics of it in your tank!👀 



Wookii said:


> Well done @shangman great start here 👏
> 
> I was going to suggest adding images, then I spotted you'd already got a column in the table waiting for them. it might be useful to have some photos of the leaves when they are brown and ready to collect, when they are green and still on the tree and an image of the whole tree, as the latter two will help ID a tree in the summer ready for collecting in the Autumn.
> 
> If you want me to start collating some images for you, to share the burden, drop me a PM.


Thanks Wookii! yeah I want to add pics, but just threw something up on Saturday. Today I've moved things around a bit, and at least added links for every species to websites which some what the trees look like. It would be great to get pics of botanicals in the aquarium or a small pile. 


Witcher said:


> @shangman
> Tilia (cordata, platyphyllos and european which is a hybrid of the first two) - not directly useful for changing water parameters etc. (folks, if you know any use please comment) but dried block of tilia is probably the best (and cheapest) air stone you can make with little diy needed:
> 
> View attachment 198252
> ...


That's super interesting! Do you ever use lime leaves in the aquarium?

@Courtneybst you could make some fascinating delicious meals from these.


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## shangman (28 Nov 2022)

I’ve started updating things a bit more.. (and will do a bit more tonight as well with ferns and palms)

In the first post I’ve added a pic, edited the intro slightly and added the titles of some bits of info I want to add later, as well as begun adding links to further reading. Please send me more links for that, and any other info you think should be on here. Will later write a longer introduction, and a guide on preparing botanicals and other things to consider( a bit about pesticides, etc) LMK if there are other things like this to add.

In the second post I’ve edited the tables a bit more, splitting 'Trees you can find in UK Parks' into - 'Common UK Trees & Plants' like the oak, beech, alder, apple, chestnut, hazel. Then the rest of the trees as 'Trees Often Found in Large British Parks' ... I have found most parks have a few more unusual individual trees. Perhaps could even list a few locations for the more unusual trees if they are big  specimens. I’ve added links to each tree so far so people can see what they look like in various seasons, and changed around some other bits too so it all makes more sense, and added tint info from posts heres too. 

In the third post I’ve added a table listing plants to collect for fish & shrimp food. @Wookii, could you write how/when you collect nettle pollen? Would love to add more to this if anyone else can think of good examples!

In the fourth post I’ve added a short list of plants to avoid, including rhododendron, azalea, pine and black walnut. If you can think of any other plants that should be avoided, let me know so I can update them.

I was also thinking maybe later could list some notable parks around the UK for their great range of trees. Last year I went to Windsor Great Park and collected a fabulous selection of magnolia leaves, some over 30cm long, and I think there is a camelia section in there too. Something I like about the hobby is that we have these great destination shops to visit, and it's nice that in the Autumn you can go on a destination walk, collect a few leaves and look at some fungi. The only ??? thing is IDK if someone official there would frown upon us collecting leaves in parks? I haven't had anyone have a go at me yet, though I don't take that many and do it discreetly lol.


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## Courtneybst (28 Nov 2022)

shangman said:


> @Courtneybst you could make some fascinating delicious meals from these.


One tilia salad, coming up!

Young tilia with fermented tilia honey and roasted chilli tilia nuts.


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## AlecF (28 Nov 2022)

I have azalea wood in my tank and haven't had any problems. Should I expect any?


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## shangman (28 Nov 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> One tilia salad, coming up!
> 
> Young tilia with fermented tilia honey and roasted chilli tilia nuts.


Can't wait for it at the Spring supper club!



AlecF said:


> I have azalea wood in my tank and haven't had any problems. Should I expect any?


No it's fine!

It's a complicated topic because some 'toxins' (like tannins) in plants would hurt us if we ate them, but are harmless for fish. Other toxins might be harmful to fish, and the only way for us to test it is to try it. The azalea/rhododendron toxin is a neurotoxin, which to me seems more dangerous than most. However, azalea root has been used in aquariums for years by thousands and thousands of people, it'll be fine.

Generally the poisons in rhododendrons and azaleas are in the growth which might get eaten - tips, leaves and flowers, rather than the roots or hardwood. Not all species of azalea & rhododendron are toxic, but from what I've read the ones which are are VERY toxic so I just thought better to tell people to not bother unless they're an expert/willing to risk things. Particularly because often these plants are grown together in mixed species groves where it would be hard to tell which leaf is from which plant.

I really wanted to try some rhododendron leaves last year as they look perfect for aquascaping in a tropical way, and I even have an expert dad who could probably identify them, but then <read that honey made by bees using the pollen of rhodendron flowers has been used to poison armies> and thought... hmm, maybe not. 
____

This evening I've added a bit more to Palms & Ferns, let me know if you have any additions to here. For the ferns, I've added some plants I hope to try soon.

I've also moved the 'Poisonous Plants to Avoid' section into the third post, so that the fourth post could be an *inspiration post featuring aquariums with hand-collected botanicals*. Tomorrow I'll add some photos from my tanks to that section, and I would really really appreciate it if you post/link yours here so they can be added too. @Courtneybst @Wookii


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## Tyko_N (29 Nov 2022)

Very impressive work @shangman , I definitely understand why you were a bit overwhelmed before.


shangman said:


> This evening I've added a bit more to Palms & Ferns, let me know if you have any additions to here.


I can recommend _Davallia_ ferns and parlour palms (_Chamaedorea elegans_) as something that you can easily grow indoors and get an interesting leaf from now and then. I have used small amounts of _Davallia _fronds numerous time without ill effects, and they hold up well under water, the leaves are also much smaller than many other ferns so it could be useful for nano tanks. _Chamaedorea _leaves look great, and could again be more of a nano option compared to those of date palms etc.. They are not that sturdy though, so expect the leaflets to come off after a couple of weeks or so (depending on how boisterous fish you have), but they still take a while to break down after they have fallen off so you could probably make a very natural display if you kept adding new ones.

Avoid _Nephrolepis_ fern fronds, the leaflets are both quick to decompose and quickly detaches leaving you with an empty leaf stem.


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## Myrtle (29 Nov 2022)

I picked up some crab apple (Malus sylvestris) from my local park yesterday, often found in front gardens too if you've no local park!


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## shangman (29 Nov 2022)

Tyko_N said:


> Very impressive work @shangman , I definitely understand why you were a bit overwhelmed before.
> 
> I can recommend _Davallia_ ferns and parlour palms (_Chamaedorea elegans_) as something that you can easily grow indoors and get an interesting leaf from now and then. I have used small amounts of _Davallia _fronds numerous time without ill effects, and they hold up well under water, the leaves are also much smaller than many other ferns so it could be useful for nano tanks. _Chamaedorea _leaves look great, and could again be more of a nano option compared to those of date palms etc.. They are not that sturdy though, so expect the leaflets to come off after a couple of weeks or so (depending on how boisterous fish you have), but they still take a while to break down after they have fallen off so you could probably make a very natural display if you kept adding new ones.
> 
> Avoid _Nephrolepis_ fern fronds, the leaflets are both quick to decompose and quickly detaches leaving you with an empty leaf stem.


Thank you! Yes it was quite a lot, especially as before I started with writing the guides and got overwhelmed with the writing lol. I prefer doing it this way though, makes it feel a bit easier - get all the bulk info out there and then write up bit by bit. It feels like already it's a good way there, and already got useful lists for people to try, even if they have to do some more googling for pics. 

Excellent suggestions, I've added them! The ferns and palm sections are ones I've like to update with more options, as they're probably the most exotic looking leaves which need to be collected yourself rather than bought. With the Davallia ferns, when do you collect them? It is in particular season, or just one or two at a time year round?

I have the same problem with fern fronds like the nephrolepis, my dad keeps a big collection of ferns and the majority of them fall apart before I can ever get them in a tank. Very rude and their leaves and stunning! But there are a few more options I can try... 



Myrtle said:


> I picked up some crab apple (Malus sylvestris) from my local park yesterday, often found in front gardens too if you've no local park!
> View attachment 198268


Ah of course! I've added these to the list. At the same time as collecting the leaves, you can collect the fruit too and make some fabulous jelly from it, the best is crab apple jelly with sauternes wine and herbs, with cheese at Christmas it's DIVINE.

___
Another edit this morning - added a Shrub & Bush section, with a few contributions to that list. Also added everything from the 'to add' list to the trees, and a few palm & fern updates.
Please let me know if I've made any mistakes which need updating, it's quite a lot to add all together so it's easy to miss things.


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## Tyko_N (29 Nov 2022)

shangman said:


> With the Davallia ferns, when do you collect them? It is in particular season, or just one or two at a time year round?


I grow them indoors (not sure if any species would be winter hardy in the UK) just picking any dying or fallen fronds, so yes you only tend to get one or two every now and then, depending on how many you have  If you put freshly fallen ones into a tank they tend to retain their shape, but if dried they get wrinkled and a bit more brittle, so best used directly.


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## shangman (29 Nov 2022)

Tyko_N said:


> I grow them indoors (not sure if any species would be winter hardy in the UK) just picking any dying or fallen fronds, so yes you only tend to get one or two every now and then, depending on how many you have  If you put freshly fallen ones into a tank they tend to retain their shape, but if dried they get wrinkled and a bit more brittle, so best used directly.


That's perfect, a really good option for someone who wants to grow their own botanicals but doesn't have a garden  I've added the extra info to the table.


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## shangman (29 Nov 2022)

I've added a bit of an introduction and started doing other bits to the first page.

Would anyone like to volunteer to write about how to prepare botanicals? I am very lazy and just chuck them in! Maybe someone else who does it more properly could write that section.

It would also be AWESOME to get some pics of your collected btoanicals in your tanks for the inspirations post


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## Courtneybst (29 Nov 2022)

shangman said:


> sauternes wine


One of the best.




Did a forage at work today. Picked up Apple, Hazel, Walnut, English Oak and Nettles 😍 All from a 10 second radius!


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## Buggy (29 Nov 2022)

This is right up my street. Thank you for your efforts @shangman 

I have been collecting all Autumn and finally started to cycle the new tank last week.
It's purely based around botanicals, and has all kind of mulch, cones and leaves.

I met with my mother tonight and she had a small bag of alder cones. She joked about how I've encouraged her to walk around looking at the ground. Which I find amusing. I even bought her a tree identification book for her birthday in August. It's almost like I knew I'd be roping her into collecting botanicals come autumn time.


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## Buggy (29 Nov 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> Picked up Apple, Hazel, Walnut, English Oak and Nettles 😍 All from a 10 second radius!


I still need to get some nettle leaves. I got stung a couple of weeks back and eventually ended up walking home rubbing myself with a doc leaf. Gave me childhood flashbacks!


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## shangman (29 Nov 2022)

Courtneybst said:


> One of the best.
> 
> View attachment 198275
> Did a forage at work today. Picked up Apple, Hazel, Walnut, English Oak and Nettles 😍 All from a 10 second radius!


It's so satisfying when you realise how many 'botanicals' we're surrounded by in Autumn! Makes collecting them for your tank a breeze. 

This guide has got me to finally think about setting up my South American 200l again, and I'm v into searching out for the more tropical looking botanicals. We need to try some more London parks ! 

I basically made this guide because I'm a leaf snob lmao



Buggy said:


> This is right up my street. Thank you for your efforts @shangman
> 
> I have been collecting all Autumn and finally started to cycle the new tank last week.
> It's purely based around botanicals, and has all kind of mulch, cones and leaves.
> ...


Thanks Buggy, I hope the guide is useful to you and your new aquarium  

I really like this about botanicals, it encourages us all to get out, explore local parks and see plants in a different light. You could even pair it with a bit of mushroom foraging too for maximum fun scavenger hunt vibes.


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## Buggy (29 Nov 2022)

shangman said:


> I really like this about botanicals, it encourages us all to get out, explore local parks and see plants in a different light.


Absolutely! That's the real beauty of it. I meet up with my mother and sister once a week for a walk now. That wouldn't have been a thing without my interest in botanicals.


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## Courtneybst (29 Nov 2022)

Buggy said:


> I got stung a couple of weeks back


I avoided being stung right up until the last minute when I was picking the bag up to go home. 🥲 Nettles 1 - Humans 0.


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## Witcher (30 Nov 2022)

Buggy said:


> Absolutely! That's the real beauty of it. I meet up with my mother and sister once a week for a walk now. That wouldn't have been a thing without my interest in botanicals.


I got completely shocked when realized that my mum is true expert (and my grandpa was a master of mushroom foraging, but that's another story) in herbs etc which we can find around us  - not a placebo ones but those which are really useful in daily life (I've tested majority of them). The best moments of my life are when we go to the meadows and woods and she is like: "oh, look! yet another wild carrot* here but be careful as there are toxic plants very similar to them (I think she meant poison hemlock/conium maculatum - this is an extremely dangerous plant, most of its parts can be deadly toxic even in small quantities, so please make sure you know what you're picking if you do. There are certain sources saying that deadly hemlock and not cicuta virosa/water hemlock was a poison used to kill Socrates), and there are wild hops climbing on that viburnum tree, very useful when you can't sleep - just make a tea of them, you can also make wonderful jam of viburnum fruits" etc. etc.

I miss that a lot because unlike you it happens to me only once/twice a year.

A little story: my daughter got warts on her feet, most probably from the swimming pool. We've tried a lots of "official" medicaments which didn't worked. After one year or so we've visited my parents and my mum obviously noticed warts and went straight away to the nearest meadow (my parents live in small city surrounded by forests/meadows etc.). She brought few stalks of the greater celandine (chelidonium majus) and squeezed out just few drops of orange sap directly on the warts. Within 4 days or so the warts turned black and fell off  and they never turned back.
And that's when I've became a wannabe herbalist.

*surprisingly wild carrot root is usually white-ish and its taste (unlike cultivated one) varies depending on the soil it grows.

@shangman I'm sorry for trashing this topic with no aquatic info but I can bet most of botanicals useful for our little friends are also useful for us humans. And other way round.


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## Jaseon (30 Nov 2022)

Im always collecting dried leaves for my shrimp tanks, and have nettles growing in the garden which they enjoy.

What about live plants though? Ive always wanted to have a tank with native plants that are suitable for the aquarium.

The only one i have tried native to the UK  is water starwort that did ok. 






Common water crowfoot,


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## Tyko_N (30 Nov 2022)

shangman said:


> It would also be AWESOME to get some pics of your collected botanicals in your tanks for the inspirations post


I have a recently started blackwater tank, although I think I went a bit overboard because the water is the colour of very strong tea, hopefully this will clear a bit over the coming weeks. Some ambiance shots:


 

 


Also, me trying to photograph a tank where you can't see a thing:



A couple of better pictures of what leaves start to look like after a while, along with the nice thick layer of detritus that develops (rife with ostracods and other little critters), from my _Fundulopanchax gardneri_ grow-out tank:









Jaseon said:


> What about live plants though? Ive always wanted to have a tank with native plants that are suitable for the aquarium.


The straggly stem plant in the tank above is _Utricularia intermedia_, which has done pretty well for a few months so far.


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## John q (1 Dec 2022)

Experiment 1 with Alder cones and Catappa leaves now concluded, will tackle Beech and Oak leaves at the weekend.


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## Tyko_N (3 Dec 2022)

Results from week one of leaf trials done, added to earlier post for ease of comparison. The next batch is for top row: rooibos tea, benjamin fig (_Ficus benjamina_), and _Davallia sp. _fern. Bottom row: Grey alder cone (_Alnus incana_), parlour palm (_Chamaedorea elegans_), and bracken (_Pteridium aquilinum_). Interested to see how the alder cones compares to rooibos tea, also, not sure if you have experienced the same @John q but to me it seems like alder cones tint the water to a certain colour and then keeps that, if you then add fresh water the cones will start tinting heavely again until the colour has returned to previous level. When I was experimenting with making my own blackwater extract a few years back I found that I 2 or 3 batches of water (with about the same colour) from one batch of alder cones.




Edit: After 8 days, looks like my alder cones might have been a bit old, I would have expected them to tint almost as much as the rooibos tea.


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## John q (3 Dec 2022)

Tyko_N said:


> to me it seems like alder cones tint the water to a certain colour and then keeps that


Yeah I'd agree with that. The alder cone tint seemed to peak around the 24hr mark and then remained constant, even though they were clearly still leaching. Unfortunately I only left the cones in the new water for 12hrs, so didn't get chance to see if the original tint colour returned.


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## AlecF (3 Dec 2022)

Just to say, while it isn't contributing to tint, I find that gingko leaves last very well, and the golden ones add an unexpected bright colour to a tank.


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## fishandting (4 Dec 2022)

Thanks for taking the time to put this together, looks like a great resource.

I've collected a load of leaves from magnolia, English oak and what I think is Chinkapin oak (had to use a plant ID app to find out) and have had them in the tank for a few weeks. There's not much of a tint, but the amano shrimp seem to love them.

I'm definitely inspired to forage and try a few more after reading this thread.


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## John q (4 Dec 2022)

Oak and Beech.
24hrs.




48hrs.



72 hrs.



96hrs.



120 hrs.



.


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## Tyko_N (11 Dec 2022)

Fresh batch, but I'm running out of species, so this'll be the last one from me for this year. Top row: Bamboo (_Fargesia rufa_), Willow (_Salix sp._), and Rowan (_Sorbus aucuparia_). Bottom row: Pear (_Pyrus communis_), Cherry (_Prunus cerasus_), and _Amelanchier spicata_. Note that cherry leaves are mildly poisonous though, I have not had any trouble using them in the past, but maybe don't go and dump bucketfuls of fresh ones in your tanks. For reference, 1ml contained about 1 crushed cherry leaf (ie about 500 for a 100l tank).



Edit: After 1 week. The bamboo leaves might have been collected a bit old (meaning that a lot of colour had leached out already), but the others should be fairly representative.


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## John q (11 Dec 2022)

Thought it might be interesting to compare some botanicals that aren't native to the UK. 
Preparation of these were different to the other tests I've done, so bear this in mind when comparing tint. 
4 Parviflora pods, rinsed, scalded with boiling water and left for 24hrs. The contents of the jug will be added to tank this afternoon 😀


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## Steve Buce (11 Dec 2022)

Great article, I love having lots of leaves n twigs n pods in my tanks, nothing better than seeing a fish foraging amongst the botanicals,IMO it promotes more natural behaviour, better colour and is a source of free food, as microfauna have a place to hide and multiply


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## Courtneybst (12 Dec 2022)

I tested out using Apple leaves after @Tyko_N 's experiment. I have to say it's produced the exact golden colour I was looking for and it really didn't take many leaves to do it! My top off water only has one Apple leaf in it and all of the water is stained beautifully gold.

I'll definitely be collecting more if I get an opportunity before Christmas.


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## Hanuman (28 Dec 2022)

Went on holidays to the beach to Phuket last week. The hotel I was in had Catapa trees next to the sea front. Tree was shedding all its leaves so I collected a few fallen ones unsure if they were suitable for tank use. I suppose they are.




This is after just a few days of being hair dried.




Leaves are huge. To give a sense of proportion here is a picture. They are the length of my forearm (~30cm) and ~15 cm wide.




Leaf underside with all sort of pest.




I decided to boil them for 5 minutes to remove all sort of unwanted critters and perhaps also remove any salts that could be on the leave. I then dried them under a book to flatten them. This is purely because I have OCD and I need to fill my day with useless tasks. No need for such flattening shenanigans.
I'll leave them there for a few more days then I'll air dry them again and expose them to sun light so they can fully dehydrate. They need to become more brownish and crunchy.




After boiling.
Upperside:




Underside. they look much cleaner now with all the pest gone.


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