cattapa leaves for shrimp

[dw1305]

Hi all,

My onlyy concern is that in water changes I will effectively be bumping up the ph which would be stressfull to the fish, unless I treat with cones/leaves before the water changes and ensure PH is level?

I wouldn't worry, I actually took part in the Apistogramma forums post (link at the bottom of the page). From Apistomaster's post:

The Alder cones will help lower pH but only, as Mike Wise pointed out, in extremely soft water.

This means that they will only lower pH in water with very few carbonates, and at low dKH pH is a meaningless measurement.

I still add Alder cones to all the tanks, even though they don't soften the water very much, they add tannins and humic compounds, which mimic conditions in the Amazon basin, and they are definitely anti-fungal to some degree.

cheers Darrel

 

[Nathaniel Whiteside]

I wouldnt worry about it with smaller WCs. I would have thought it would have minimal effect at lower than 20% water changes.

 

[sr20det]

Hi all,

My onlyy concern is that in water changes I will effectively be bumping up the ph which would be stressfull to the fish, unless I treat with cones/leaves before the water changes and ensure PH is level?

I wouldn't worry, I actually took part in the Apistogramma forums post (link at the bottom of the page). From Apistomaster's post:

The Alder cones will help lower pH but only, as Mike Wise pointed out, in extremely soft water.

This means that they will only lower pH in water with very few carbonates, and at low dKH pH is a meaningless measurement.

I still add Alder cones to all the tanks, even though they don't soften the water very much, they add tannins and humic compounds, which mimic conditions in the Amazon basin, and they are definitely anti-fungal to some degree.

cheers Darrel

Thanks mate, will deffo gives thee a go, i would prefer to use local alternatives, but hey ho, ordered enough leaves to see me out a whilse I think so all is well

I wouldnt worry about it with smaller WCs. I would have thought it would have minimal effect at lower than 20% water changes.

yeah, i tend to do 20-30% weekly so I could also chuck in a alder cone in a 5 litre bottle as I always prepare water the night before. I d like having crystal clear water though, but will give this a go, if the fish are happier, then all that matters.