IAL

[ineke]

Hi all,

is there a ratio of how much IAL per litre? I am only using partial leaves in my small tanks and am worried that I may use too much. In a 34 litre tank I have used just under half a small leaf. I guess it is hard to judge when I say small as I'm not sure if the leaves come in different sizes. The water has a brown haze which I know is normal, shrimps seem happy but I would be happier knowing I am not over or under using. Can you use too much. Help please

cheers

ineke

[CNgo2006]

A whole leaf or 2 for your tank is fine it is just that it reduces ph a bit (check if using a lot of leaves) and it tans the water. To remove the brown/tan color just use macropore or purigen or carbon.

[Squiggle]

I've had a lot of experience with IALs breeding Bettas for the last 10yrs, I'm not sure about most shrimp but I'm pretty sure you can't OD on IAL, I've had cherries in water that is almost too dark to see through the tank, lol. I usually make a tea by boiling a few leaves & I sometimes put banana leaves in as well, the water ends up incredibly dark. All you do after that is add some of the tea to your tank until you get the colour you desire, this way the leaves don't keep making the tank darker, only downfall is the shrimp don't have the leaves to munch on. Bit of a catch twenty two there, maybe another member has a better solution :encouragement:

[ineke]

Thank you CNgo2006 I just didn't want to lose the babies in the tank by overdosing

[ineke]

I've had a lot of experience with IALs breeding Bettas for the last 10yrs' date=' I'm not sure about most shrimp but I'm pretty sure you can't OD on IAL, I've had cherries in water that is almost too dark to see through the tank, lol. I usually make a tea by boiling a few leaves & I sometimes put banana leaves in as well, the water ends up incredibly dark. All you do after that is add some of the tea to your tank until you get the colour you desire, this way the leaves don't keep making the tank darker, only downfall is the shrimp don't have the leaves to munch on. Bit of a catch twenty two there, maybe another member has a better solution :encouragement:

[img']http://i1284.photobucket.com/albums/a580/Betta_lover/image-74_zps6821db27.jpg

Hi Squiggle I like the idea of the tea might use that and then give them a bit of the leaf to munch on as it will be soft already:encouragement: I like the look of crystal clear water but I think I can learn to live with a bit of colour. The tank in question is my breeder tank full of babies. The ph sits at 7.4 and I don't want to lower it too much hence only putting in a small amount of leaf.

cheers

Ineke

[Squiggle]

Yeah, IAL softens the water & lowers the ph so just keep an eye on those two parameters, it also conditions the water & gives off beneficial enzymes :encouragement:

[ineke]

Yes I need to be careful not to let the ph go down to far as my water comes out of the tap at 7.4 and it stays at that level between water changes. I test my tanks on mondays so will see how it is affected buy the IAL. the shrimp have been breeding quite well as it is without the IAL. I guess if the ph changes I will start adding the tea to the new water before I put it in the tank- just have to find something to keep enough water in for my changes.