Catappa Leaves

[rhowell21]

Has anyone used Catappa Leaves in their aquarium as a way to raise and stabilize their pH? I have two fish in a 10 gallon tank dealing with fin rot at the moment and have done some research that suggests catappa leaves have anti bacterial properties on top of their ability to stabilize pH. However, I need to RAISE pH levels, not LOWER them and I have seen that these leaves mostly deal with lower pH. Does anyone know if they can help raise pH levels?

 

[JasonG2003]

If anything, catappa leaves lower the ph; they, like most pieces of wood, bark, leaves, and etc contain tannic acids, which are generally weak acids.

You should try to achieve a stable ph rather than to chase after a specific number. Also remember that a 0.1 in ph represents 10. For example, 7.1 ph to 7.6 is a difference in 50 and a ph from 7 to 8 is a difference of 100. If the ph increases or decrease by 30 within 24 hours, it’s harmful. My key point is to just keep the ph stable; stop worrying about achieving the perfect number. You should worry if the ph is below 6 or higher than 8.

As for water hardness, if your water is hard, than it’ll be harder for the ph to go lower. Tap water in many of the states in the U.S is hard, so even if you put lots of leaves and wood that theoretically lower ph, the ph could potentially swing back to a higher ph due to high water hardness.

And most plants that have bark, wood, leaves, and etc, contain tannins. Tannins are evolutionary advantages; they protect the plant from microbes. A lot of leaves have antimicrobial properties like guava leaves, oak, and etc. However some leaves, wood, and bark contain more antimicrobial properties than others. Guava leaves are also an excellent alternative!

I know this is long, but I really wanted to make sure that you at least get some help. [emoji4] Good luck!