Indian Almond Leaves

[McTackett]

Hey everyone
Not entirely sure if this is the right place for this question. I wanted to ask members if they use Almond leaves to improve water quality (the package claims to have beneficial ingredients that help)? Also do you use them for pleco and shrimp food as well as water quality?
Would you soak the leaves in a bucket of water in the sun prior to adding to your aquarium or just add them straight in?
If they are useful for water quality should you remove carbon? Some websites suggest different opinions.
Thank you every one :hi:

 

[Nat's Fish]

They are great! A natural way to keep your fish happy, lower ph, food source & also a natural medication. If you've bought them already dried out put them straight into the tank without soaking and that's how you get the benefit
I don't use carbon so am not sure about that sorry

 

[leisure_man]

Activated carbon needs to be replaced frequently as it will get saturated with impurities and eventually leeches them back into the water column. There are extracts of IAL available in bottle now so it is a less messy way to getting the benefits of IAL without all the decomposed leaves and bits left in the tank. Unless you are keeping one of the few plecos that come from low pH water, it is not really necessary to use IAL. In fact, even plecos from those water can tolerate wider range of water parameters and only requires the optimal conditions for breeding and egg hatching.

 

[McTackett]

Thank you
Yep I change the carbon regularly.
I was wondering about using them as a food source as well and I read somewhere was spose to remove the carbon.
Thank you much more informative then some websites

 

[Brengun]

Every little bit helps and IAL is good. I throw one or two in each tank. Not sure of all the benefits but makes me feel good.
Fish and shrimp will nibble on them a bit. Its an antibacterial which may help with any stomach problems, in particular fry who have not yet developed the good bacteria to process foods.

 

[McTackett]

Thank you. Think will give them a go

 

[Pufferpunk]

I would never run my pleco tanks without them! Makes for a natural-looking environment, too.

 

[johnbetta397]

they are very good to use for plecos and other fish one of the fish i used them alot for was the fighting fish for a few reasons one it conditions the water for breeding and 2 it thickens the skin of the fish and helps with the slime coat and makes fish less prone to getting sick its good for most tank set ups not good for african cichlids