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Easy way to color the water ?

eminor

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Joined
5 Feb 2021
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784
Location
France
Hello, what is the easiest and cheapest way to color the water, I know that peat has tannins, I have blond peat, if I add it in the filter it can work?

Will it disturb the parameters of the tank ? I use the estimative index method so water change every week

thx
 
Hello, what is the easiest and cheapest way to color the water, I know that peat has tannins, I have blond peat, if I add it in the filter it can work?

Will it disturb the parameters of the tank ? I use the estimative index method so water change every week

thx
@eminor Peat moss will release tannins and give your water a brownish tinge, also it will acidify the water (lower the pH slightly) depending on your waters buffer capacity (KH level). If your KH is high you probably wont register any acidification. The peat have certain health benefits for fish such as anti-fungal and antibacterial properties - which are all good for your livestock. I do not know the specifics of blond peat with respect to filtration - it seems very finely grained to me which may not be ideal for canister filters as it may restrict flow too much(?) - Just a thought. I do not know. You could just drop the peat in a fine-mesh bag such as this and place it close to the filter outlet instead of putting it into the actual canister. Will give you the same effect.

Cheers,
Michael
 
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The cheapest way would be dried leaf litter collected from nature

Alder cones, grow all over the place and work also pretty good. Acorn cups and or Beechnut shells can be used.

And all can be placed in the aquarium as decoration, no need to put any in the filter.

A bag of tea could be used for that. (Since tea is dried leaf litter)

If it changes parameters is hard to say, depends on the water parameters you start out with before adding any. And it depends on the quantities you add, in my personal experience never really noticed any parameter changes in PH nor in GH nor KH. Especially not with a weekly water change/reset with untreated water. BUt as said hard to say, I can only speak for myself and the water from my tap.
 
thanks guys, i got some alder cones, so far no changes, maybe tomorrow, i don't want totally black water just a nice tint =)
 
thanks guys, i got some alder cones, so far no changes, maybe tomorrow, i don't want totally black water just a nice tint =)

Alder cones usually work pretty well, but even if you get light-tinted water it's nothing long term... The tannins or as they are also named humic substances, and the last word says it all is microscopic-sized substance, you could compare it with the smallest grain of powder possible. Over time it will precipitate on the biofilm and slowly is filtered out again.

Once you've found the right amount to add to get your desired colour, you will notice that it's only for a few days and it slowly will disappear again. :)
The lighter in colour you want it, the more difficult it will be to maintain the same colour.

Maybe a larger chunk of never soaked Mopani wood could be a good option for you... This type of DW is readily available in the trade and contains loads of tannins that will slowly leach into the water. I remember it took me over 6 months to see my tank water from a Mopani DW scape get lighter again. But nothing is forever.
 
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