Dried Oak Leaves And Thin Driftwood

[StandbySetting]

Item Wanted: Oak leaves dried and thin drift wood to go in a black water nano set up
Condition Required: ??
Price Limit: £5 inc postage
Location: Derbyshire but I'd need it posting.

 

[ApistoNut]

why pay for oak leaves mate? just drive about and find a oak tree im sure there will be a nice pile of dried leaves in the vicinity of the tree not to sure on thin pieces of driftwood though, you can use dead oak branches. you need to peel off all the bark and boil at least 3 times for 20min a time

 

[StandbySetting]

That's the thing though, dead oak leaves aren't very common in spring, though I'll head out today and see if I can find some.

 

[StandbySetting]

No longer required, thanks

 

[StandbySetting]

Required again, the wood I found is no good

 

[ApistoNut]

why whats wrong with it?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Use almond leaves (catappa)- you will have to buy these. They work way better than oak. Look for alder cones, they really work well too.

Blackwater is normally acidic. If you are heading for a pH much under 6.5, you will likely need to deal with cycling issues.

 

[StandbySetting]

The wood I found wasn't properly dead, the inside was still moist so it would require some thorough drying out and I'm wanting to get this set up ASAP. I've thought about using catappa leaves, most I've seen are a little too big though, I may end up just using a catappa leave bag instead to make up some black water extract, that way I can control the pH more easily, also my water is as hard as nails too so it has a good buffering capacity, the tank is only 2.5 Gallons so will only be having a Betta in it (unlike me I know, I've always hated them) and possibly a few shrimp.

 

[Tolak]

Look into cheap garden peat moss. Works in filters, and is one of the few things I do end up using as a thin layer of substrate in bare bottom tanks.