Let’s go dark!

[PineSong]

I like the look of it, too. I think your tank looks great. I have accidental tannins in two tanks right now from new wood, and I like it a lot. I am still in love with this tank from Serpa designs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3N6U-gzux0

Edited November 4, 2021 by PineSong
Typo

[Atitagain]

On 11/3/2021 at 9:24 PM, PineSong said:

I like the look of it, too. I think your tank looks great. I have accidental tannins in two tanks right now from new wood, and I like it a lot. I am still in love with this tank from Serpa designs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3N6U-gzux0

I agree really great tank that white betta looks so good in the darkwater!

And thank you.

[Gator]

@Atitagain I don't know how far you are from Bloomington, but there are a lot of Oak trees and Sycamore trees in Bloomington and I'll bet that they're also in your area. Sycamore leaves, seed pods, Oak leaves, and whole acorns should do the trick for you.

I mentioned Florida earlier, Florida has Oak trees and Sycamore trees growing close to the lakes as well so their leaves, acorns, and seed pods fall in the water down there, there are also Cypress trees growing along the shoreline and in the water. If you look at a Cypress tree in the summer, you might be led to believe that it is a type of Pine tree, and that's understandable, but all Cypress trees drop all of their needles, and seed pods in the fall. 

I just thought of something else, you living in what may be a small town, I'm sure you know what a Black Walnut tree looks like, drop some Black walnuts into your tanks, but take the green hulls off first. Don't worry about taking food away from squirrels, there are enough people like me that feed them through the winter.

You'll score major points with your wife if you didn't use her pots and pans.

Sincerely 

Gator 

[Helan]

I tried this once and it ended hilariously, my aunt thought that I made her tea and drank a little tannin stuff , I laughed so hard 🤣

[Andy's Fish Den]

I bought an old stock pot at a garage sale several years ago to boil driftwood and botanicals in so I wouldn't ruin any of my nice pots and pans doing. It's probably a good thing because that pot has a slight brownish stain to it now. 

[Atitagain]

@Gatori do live fairly close to Bloomington so I will take a drive and see what I can find. 
I enjoy your descriptive way of explaining not only the how to, but the why it works. You create an image in my mind that I can be inspired by. An image I’m trying to recreate in a glass box. Just to feel nature in my home and share that with my family and friends. Thank you for taking the time to help me along this path.

On 11/4/2021 at 7:20 AM, Andy's Fish Den said:

I bought an old stock pot at a garage sale several years ago to boil driftwood and botanicals in so I wouldn't ruin any of my nice pots and pans doing. It's probably a good thing because that pot has a slight brownish stain to it now. 

Lol the pot of my wife’s I used did wash out fairly good, but I can tell it wouldn’t take very long to create a stain that would not wash out. I cannot use it again ive been told!

[Torrey]

On 11/3/2021 at 5:06 AM, Atitagain said:

Very happy with the results, ive been just adding 5-10 IAL and some cones every week- ten days. And yes it slowly has been tinting water but in 125G without making tea I would need way to many ingredients to maintain water on the budget I have. 

Are you somewhere near a natural supply of oak or maple?

Because it's fall🥰

Collect leaves and acorns, and bake on your lowest setting to finish drying them out, and you have an amazing, FREE, tannin source.

On 11/3/2021 at 10:42 AM, Atitagain said:

I keep trying to get time to go but wife finds other stuff that’s obviously “more important “ to do in my free time. 🤣I haven’t researched what I could find in these here parts. Midwest Indiana but I will research and put my foot down and go.(as long as she lets me)

Oak, maple, alder, birch, beech, and I will look up what else grows in your area if you want. 

 

Same thing, bake low heat to ensure no sap left in the leaves...or sugars😅

[Torrey]

On 11/3/2021 at 2:46 PM, Atitagain said:

@Gatorso what your saying is have patience. Ugggg I mess up there a lot. You are right there is no boiling in nature and for best overall results best to let nature do it’s job. 
I have been adding 8-10 IAL and 10 Adler cones a weekish. I now have oak acorn caps and lotus flower seed pods. 
Thank you for your responses you are being very helpful and encouraging. It is very much appreciated 

 Sincerely Brian from Indiana 

Yes, sadly, patience. 

 

Remember my Walstad tank at the beginning of the summer?

It took a *lot* of patience.....

It's turning into the most lush, and healthiest tank I own.

 

Slowly.

 

And with very, very dark water.😅

On 11/3/2021 at 2:46 PM, Atitagain said:

@Gatorso what your saying is have patience. Ugggg I mess up there a lot. You are right there is no boiling in nature and for best overall results best to let nature do it’s job. 
I have been adding 8-10 IAL and 10 Adler cones a weekish. I now have oak acorn caps and lotus flower seed pods. 
Thank you for your responses you are being very helpful and encouraging. It is very much appreciated 

 Sincerely Brian from Indiana 

Yes, sadly, patience. 

 

Remember my Walstad tank at the beginning of the summer?

It took a *lot* of patience.....

It's turning into the most lush, and healthiest tank I own.

 

Slowly.

 

And with very, very dark water.😅

[Atitagain]

On 11/5/2021 at 3:58 PM, Torrey said:

Collect leaves and acorns, and bake on your lowest setting to finish drying them out, and you have an amazing, FREE, tannin source.

I’m going Sunday to my wife’s parents house 20+ Acres

Thank you for the help and encouragement. Hopefully Sunday will be a fruitful day

On 11/5/2021 at 4:15 PM, Torrey said:

And with very, very dark water.

It really looks amazing! That water is daarrrk I love it.

[Patrick_G]

On 11/3/2021 at 8:33 PM, Gator said:

just thought of something else, you living in what may be a small town, I'm sure you know what a Black Walnut tree looks like, drop some Black walnuts into your tanks, but take the green hulls off first. Don't worry about taking food away from squirrels, there are enough people like me that feed them through the winter.

I like all your suggestions, but walnut trees are allelopathic. I’m not sure about the nuts, but I’d do some research before adding them to a planted tank. 

[Patrick_G]

Random Amazon find just in case you get tired boiling leaves. 😆

Fritz Aquatics Dark Water Almond Leaf Extract for Betta's 4 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MKT97FF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_QC27M0ZQM0Q60ZRE93YK

 

[Atitagain]

On 11/7/2021 at 5:12 PM, Patrick_G said:

Random Amazon find just in case you get tired boiling leaves. 😆

Fritz Aquatics Dark Water Almond Leaf Extract for Betta's 4 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MKT97FF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_QC27M0ZQM0Q60ZRE93YK

 

Thank you, from what  ive seen  that sounds like a good price. Im trying to do this without those products but will definitely look into them if I can’t get what I’m looking for

[Atitagain]

On 11/3/2021 at 12:27 PM, Atitagain said:

experiment with aquatic peat pellets. Using a 20G aquarium that has some new driftwood already leaking some tannins in the water

It took a few days but water did darken up a bit. PH stayed steady maybe lowered by .2 at most 7.1-.3ish need to get the liquid test probably. But things are going well enough I decided to add some to the 125G. Added 1 cup in a filter bag hanging in the tank. No pics as it’s in the back corner behind my root structure. Will monitor for a day or two then I’m gonna set up a HOB with more peat pellets. 
Ive also added 2 lotus seed pods and a few more IAL, caps, and cones.

Went Sunday and foraged on my in-laws property. Found a lot of oak caps, oak leaves, and leaf litter. Will be baking at low heat to kill off any stow aways. All this is white oak and there are plenty of those trees and more red oak if I want it.  Also got a few stones and I picked some moss of a mound to see if I can convert it to my tanks.

[Brandon p]

I take the organic peat and tie off sections of panty hose with peat in them. I put the in the canister or hang on back. It worked well but sometimes to well. The ph would get low 6.0. It take a long time to get from 7.8 to that. I checked often in the beginning and then it got longer in between. The color was great and now I get manage it by removing the peat for a bit.

[Guppysnail]

Something that may save you a lot of work but maybe I missed something I reread the thread and the only thing I seen was not wanting to cover plants. I put a 1/2 a plant weight through the bottom stem of an almond leaf through the leaf itself around the stem.  The top portion floats. When I want the tannins and not the excess leaf litter I do this and line the back wall and sides with them. 2-3 days it’s nice and dark. You could even do 2 layers across the back to get really dark without all the work. I’m all about simplifying things. Hope this saves you a bit of work. 

Edited November 11, 2021 by Guppysnail
Add

[Atitagain]

On 11/10/2021 at 7:19 PM, Brandon p said:

I take the organic peat and tie off sections of panty hose with peat in them. I put the in the canister or hang on back. It worked well but sometimes to well. The ph would get low 6.0. It take a long time to get from 7.8 to that. I checked often in the beginning and then it got longer in between. The color was great and now I get manage it by removing the peat for a bit.

Thank you, I’m sure where I want to get to 6.4-6.7 I will need to use actual peat. That is my next step 

[Atitagain]

On 11/10/2021 at 7:54 PM, Guppysnail said:

I put a 1/2 a plant weight through the bottom stem of an almond leaf through the leaf itself around the stem.  The top portion floats. When I want the tannins and not the excess leaf litter

Even tho I want the litter this is another really great idea. Like your saying I could line the back wall let them soak for a couple days then place them where I want them (not covering plants) 

😃Thank you😄

[Atitagain]

Add more peat pellets to the 125G today. Used 2 cups of PP in a HOB with filter bags then used coarse sponge in front of that. May remove the sponge and add more PP if necessary. Also added another piece of driftwood fairly large log that used to keep my 20G pea puffer tank dark and has been getting my African cichlid tank 75G looking like light tea over the last month. 
Was reading today and “learned” that having to much surface agitation can really affect plant growth by “ it will drive off the carbon dioxide plants need” is this true in anyone’s opinion?

[Guppysnail]

On 11/10/2021 at 11:22 PM, Atitagain said:

Was reading today and “learned” that having to much surface agitation can really affect plant growth by “ it will drive off the carbon dioxide plants need” is this true in anyone’s opinion?

When I got the Marineland filters that jetted across the surface the book it came with said extra oxygenation not ideal for heavily planted tanks. (Don’t quote me on exact wording) but I seen no problems. I can only offer that anecdotal account. I also keep all my canister returns either part out of the water causing extra surface agitation or just below pointing up to get agitation. Also airstone sand hobs on those as well. Again my plants do fairly well no super hero growth (had to reference the hulk tank😉). But then maybe that’s why the siestas have really helped in mine 🤷‍♀️  

[Atitagain]

@Guppysnail I have a lot of agitation in all my tanks. Most have at least a sponge filter and an air stone. My plants seem to do ok just wondering so maybe I get better growth. In my 125G I have a canister with the return halfway out of water, large sponge filter, a 4” air stone, 2 small circulators (on timers 10m every 2h) both pointed at surface, and I just added a HOB. That’s a lot of agitation. I changed it up last night. Removed the 4” stone, put a power head on the sponge, removed the circulators, then added the HOB. I think I will add a small air stone back to keep some movement.

[Atitagain]

I’m my 125G it is proving to be difficult to get to the tint I’m looking for. I only want to use natural means to get there, then possibly use rooibos herbal red tea to give it an extra punch if needed. Tonight I added IAL I went with 1 for every 5 gallons so 24 of them.

I need to clean up the oak leaves, twigs, and acorn caps that I collected and start adding them as well. Going to try to get to that tomorrow. I tested my water after adding the leaves nitrates 20-25 nitrites 0 ammonia 0 GH 300+ KH 100ish PH 7.4 . Want the PH low as possible along with the tint to give my rummynose best chances of spawning, this entire tank is set up with that in mind.

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

I think you’re well on your way. With all those botanicals you’ve started adding and the peat you’ll get there. When it’s grown in it’ll be spectacular.

[Atitagain]

On 11/13/2021 at 11:09 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

I think you’re well on your way. With all those botanicals you’ve started adding and the peat you’ll get there. When it’s grown in it’ll be spectacular.

Thank you, it’s an interesting project to me. I just keep getting deeper into the darkwater rabbit hole. 

[Torrey]

On 11/13/2021 at 9:50 PM, Atitagain said:

Thank you, it’s an interesting project to me. I just keep getting deeper into the darkwater rabbit hole. 

"Come to the dark side" 🤣

I had to skip tank maintenance this weekend, aside from the turtle pond (bugger tried to dismantle the pump again) because the apartments notified us on Friday housing inspection and changing out filters tomorrow... so next Wednesday's housework had to get finished this weekend 🤦‍♂️

By next weekend, I should have some very, very dark water in the Walstad tank, and I will let you know how far down I've gotten the pH. It started at 8.2 (out of my tap). 

I do know that the endlers had babies, and I don't have any more damselfly larvae for population control 🤔😅

Two of the endlers I **thought** were males (developed a rather pointed fin that looked like the beginning of a gonopodium🤷‍♂️) were not. I had planned on catching them during water change yesterday... but they were born in the tank today.

Next weekend should be fun🙄

Your looking great!

 

[Atitagain]

@Torrey thank you so much, you have helped so much and been an inspiration during my learning process. Still ongoing of course!  You’ve made me think of something I don’t remember ever testing my water out of the tap here. I will do that today. Good luck next weekend 🤪and BTW your turtle does sound like quite the bugger 🐢