# DIY Black Water



## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

I am currently doing an experiment to create black water using leaves and tiny branches I have found in a housing area. I have no idea what leaves are those because I collected the dead leaves as I walked along the road. I am not good at identifying trees as well. So, I have a mixture of various dried dead leaves.

Day 1: I added the dead leaves and tiny branches into a bottle filled with tap water. At the end of the day, I found the water turning brown a bit.

Day 2: The water has turned darker. I have also found bubbles on the water which look like some kind of alcohol. I hope I am creating black water instead of alcohol.

Day 3: Less bubbles today. I could smell tea-liked kind of smell in the water. I think the smell comes from the branches I added in.

I have no idea what is the outcome I am expecting. I've decided to do this experiment because someone managed to create black water without using Indian almond leaves. He used Oak leaves instead. So, I am curious whether leaves from other tropical plants will produce the same result or not.

I am a bit concern about adding fish for my experiment. I don't know what's inside the water in my experiment. I have no idea whether it's toxic or not. I am aware that some plants produce leaves and branches that contains some toxic. Up to now, I am not sure whether I should add any fish inside - I don't want to kill any of the fishes. In the wild, black water is formed by various tree leaves (not just Indian almond leaves) but I have never thought about toxic being swept away by rain or water flow. In a tank environment, I don't know what to expect.

By the way, I have found Indian almond tree not too far from my area today but this experiment will go on.


----------



## SuperWen (Aug 26, 2010)

IME using cocopeat is the easiest and cheapest way to create the black water


----------



## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

Oh...coco peat works too? I didn't know that. Thanks.


----------



## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

I just use normal peat.( the none treated stuff) load up a media bag and throw it in the water.


----------



## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

I know about peat moss but I have not seen any after searching for years in my country. None of the nursery stocks it. Actually I saw some once but they were sold ridiculously expensive for pathetic portion of 1-2 inches in diameter


----------



## James0816 (Oct 9, 2008)

Indian Almond Leaves work outstanding as well.

Locally here, I like use Oak leaves.


----------



## SuperWen (Aug 26, 2010)

THIS LINK will be helpfull


----------



## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

Thanks, SuperWen. That's an interesting link.

Ketapang leaf (IAL) = pH <4.0...isn't that a bit too extreme for most of the fishes? Most of the common fishes live in the range of pH 5 - 7. Any further explanation? Am I right to assume that our tank will not go as low as pH < 4.0 because there is more water?

Honestly, after decades of keeping fishes. I have never bothered about pH until I got curious about black water.


----------



## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

Day 4: The water really smells funny. It smells like black tea that you have left overnight for several days. Too bad I don't have the equipment to test the pH.


----------



## GitMoe (Oct 10, 2010)

totziens said:


> Day 4: The water really smells funny. It smells like black tea that you have left overnight for several days. Too bad I don't have the equipment to test the pH.


You might wanna grab a test kit. I cant imagine having an aquarium without one. Using Mopani wood can also leach tannins and make tea water...


----------



## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

I think I should keep the black water in the fridge. That should allow it to last longer especially when we are going through an extremely hot weather or heat wave now. In another forum, someone from my country using Indian almond leaves experienced similar problem which the water was spoiled within a short period.

The reason I don't use any test kit is they are very expensive in my country. They are also not selling well in my country. Some of them do not even have expiry date. So, the likeliness of buying expired products are high. I have bought them in the past but once the tanks are well established, I don't use them at all. So the money went into the drain and all the test kits expired. Furthermore I know pretty well that my area has soft water and I don't keep sensitive fishes. I know Americans and Europeans highly depend on test kits but not us Asians. I believe there is only 2 groups of people in my country using the test kits:

Group 1: Those who keep very expensive fishes which are very sensitive to water parameter.

Group 2: Those who are currently facing problems with their tanks and desperate to eliminate the problem.

Once I purchased some test kits, the salesperson asked what fish I kept. The moment I answered guppies & tetras, he burst into laughter. Thinking I was :der:


----------



## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

I also have several test kits that have expired from non-use. I do use them (well, some of them) when I am moving the fish from tank to tank, or when I notice a problem.


----------



## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

I have almost forgotten to update this thread. The experiment using non-Indian almond leaves has failed. The water turned very smelly that I could not stand it. I got rid of it.

To obtain black water, the most effective method is to boil some Indian almond leaves and store the water in a bottle inside a fridge. 

Leaving the leaves in the filter does not produce quick result. I tried leaving the leaves in one of my tanks. After 3 days, I still did not see any black water.


----------



## James0816 (Oct 9, 2008)

Yep, it's just like using driftwood. they will slowly release it over time.

Sorry the other experiment didn't go as well.


----------



## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

Something went wrong yesterday. 5 fishes died in 4 tanks.

1. Two lemon tetras died in a tank that has been very stable. One jumped out and killed itself a day before. This is the new black water tank. I suspect something has gone wrong with the water parameter. I changed some of the water and remove the leaves. I regret for addling the leaves for this tank because it was in perfect condition in the past - the tetras were breeding once in a while. Now I have reverted it to its original form. I suspect the issue is caused by the leaves but not sure whether the leaves were contaminated.

2. 1 female black phantom tetra died in another tank that I added the leaves. All the while the female black phantom tetras were not doing that great. They seem weaker than the male ones. It may not have anything to do with the black water. So I will continue leaving the leaves in the water. Only 1 female and 4 male black phantom tetras remain (The tank had more female initially. Can't find any female black phantom tetras to replace). No plan to add anything into this tank until everything is stable.

3. 1 CAE died in an outdoor tank which was not added with the leaves. So, it has nothing to do with black water. The CAE has been with me for years. I guess it's a coincidence.

4. A platy is found dead in another outdoor tank without the leaves. So it has nothing to do with the black water too.

Four other tanks seem to be ok. I am just a bit concern that it may be other water parameter issue unrelated to black water.


----------



## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

For a single fish to die now and then is completely natural. 
For 5 fish to die in one day is a lot, when you are as experienced as you are. 
:-(


----------



## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

Yeah, losing 5 fishes is a lot to me. Sounds scary too. I have faced a few very bad situation in the past when I kept guppies. I had 1 dead fish per day. At the end of the month, I had an empty tank. I even lost the entire tank of guppies in 1 day when I was a boy - they were all cooked under the sun. 

Thank goodness the death does not continue. Keep the fingers crossed. Everything seems stable now. Will continue to monitor the tank which I continue to use the IAL (Indian almond leaves). I am quite confident that the rest of the tanks are ok now. 

I am a bit suspicious that the leaves could be contaminated. I live in the city which may be polluted. I collected the leaves after the rain..maybe acid rain. Maybe the authority sprayed insecticide as well.


----------



## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Perhaps it would be a good idea to wash the newly harvested leaves with some very mild soap, then lots of rinsing.


----------



## totziens (Jun 28, 2008)

There's a type of detergent used for washing vegetables. It is claimed to be able to wash off insecticide. I wonder whether it will work since human can consume it. However, I think the detergent costs more than a bottle of black water extract


----------

