# Oak Leaves... Hey, it's fall, might as well embrace it :(



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

So we've got a 50' pin oak, I'd like to put leaves in my tanks because I love the way it looks. Do I have to do anything to the leaves first? Besides pick them up and put them in the tank...

Thanks  TFG


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## FLGirl1977 (Jul 24, 2007)

Boil em' 

This reminded me of http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/taters :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

Provided they are from a pesticide free zone, you are fine to just add and wait until they sink.

IMHO, boiling them just makes them break down faster... who needs the mess. Hope that helps.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

OMG... that was interesting... My wife wants to know how one even finds those things on the net :lol:


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## duaneS (Aug 31, 2006)

When I put maple leaves in my tank, I boiled them a couple times, changing the water with each boil. Don't know if it was needed, but they sank like a stone after the boiling and cooling, and didn't have any problems. Because I live very close to Lake Michigan, I wondered if there could have been airborne pathogen cysts, so I got a little anal.
couple old phone/cam pics.
















They tore the leaves up soon after, and what they didn't rip up, they buried.


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## HiImSean (Apr 5, 2007)

i've heard that boiling will make them sink faster. put a strainer on top of them to keep them down. also they'll leak tannins in the water like driftwood


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

OK, what about leaves from a buckeye tree? There's a chance they may get mixed in....


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## Rift485 (Dec 3, 2004)

I think people use oak leaves because they are thicker and last longer underwater. I have never heard of a buckeye tree, probably because I am not a buckeye!


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Not a buckeye!!!!!!!!!! Become one..... I sell them on ebay, would you like some? Buckeyes that is


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## becadavies (Apr 2, 2007)

:lol:


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## LJ (Sep 12, 2007)

Would love to see some pics once you get the leaves in the tank. I did this last fall and it was pretty cool looking.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Well, I might as well tell everyone... The 800 is leaking... so mo leaves this year :?


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## becadavies (Apr 2, 2007)

your 800 is leaking and your worried bout no leaves?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Just goes to show you.... life's what happens when you're making other plans.....


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## LJ (Sep 12, 2007)

Ouch man, I'm sorry to hear


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## sirdavidofdiscus (Dec 8, 2006)

That sucks! If need a hand give me a call.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

It's going to be a long hard process this time. I need to remove the glass and bulkheads and re-line the tank... But after this time it'll be good for 25 years.


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## sirdavidofdiscus (Dec 8, 2006)

What are you lining it with?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Pond armor.


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## Desi&lt;3 (Feb 13, 2008)

I saw this thread and decided to try it. Well I did and my cichlids and catfish love the leaves plus it makes my tank look like fall! Thanks guys!


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Well now you've got to post a picture or two!


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## Desi&lt;3 (Feb 13, 2008)

Ok so I took some pictures but I couldnt get a good picture, they just love me too much. I sat and waited for them to get bord with me and when they did I would rais the camara and bam they would all come to beg for food again! :? So I didnt get any good one with the fish in it but you can see the part of the tank where the leaves are, They all landed on the open gravel I left for them to pick through. O and I couldn't use flash so they are a lil dark. here it goes . . . 
















You cant see but there are 3 catfish under there!


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## LJ (Sep 12, 2007)

Well since someone else did I guess I will also. :wink: I followed TFG's lead too Desi.

These were taken before the leaves sank.


























The fish love it....I think.


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## FLGirl1977 (Jul 24, 2007)

LJ, nice tank! Where did you get that awewome driftwood??? I just got a 120 for my discus and your tank is EXACTLY how I would love mine to look! Tell me more! :dancing:


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## Desi&lt;3 (Feb 13, 2008)

It took the oak leaves a lil while to settle but the maple went right to the bottom! I know my fish love it and again thanks for the idea! :dancing: :thumb: opcorn: =D> :fish: :fish:


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

They look great guys! I like the keyholes :thumb:


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## LJ (Sep 12, 2007)

FLGirl1977 said:


> LJ, nice tank! Where did you get that awewome driftwood??? I just got a 120 for my discus and your tank is EXACTLY how I would love mine to look! Tell me more! :dancing:


Thanks FLGirl1977!! 

Well the substrate is a mixture of play sand and fine river gravel. The rocks were collected from a local stream in MD. I mostly tried to choose rocks that did not have a smooth surface appearance.

As for the driftwood, I purchased it at a LFS here in Knoxville, and there it was sold as Red Spider Wood. I think this is a common name for this type of wood. It is pretty expensive, but I love the way it looks. The piece I have is one of the simplest pieces I have seen. Most pieces are larger and much more complex with many twists and branches. If I had a nice big tank like yours, I'd use some these more complex pieces. In fact the LFS where I bought it has a huge display discus tank with many large pieces hanging down from the back to form the looks of a root system at the edge of a river bank.

Good luck with your tank, and be sure to post some pics when you get it ready. :thumb:


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## mithesaint (Oct 31, 2006)

Desi<3 said:


> It took the oak leaves a lil while to settle but the maple went right to the bottom! I know my fish love it and again thanks for the idea! :dancing: :thumb: opcorn: =D> :fish: :fish:


Keep an eye on the maple leaves. Those tend to not last as long as the oak leaves, and make a much bigger mess, at least IME. Looks good otherwise.


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## blairo1 (May 7, 2006)

Hey TFG, so you finally got around to this idea, I did try and get you out there (or rather the kids :lol back when I did mine.

Do you remember? I miss that set-up it was very fun to watch the fish interact with the environment in such a way. Much more foraging and predatory behaviour. To do that in a larger tank, you could really make it like a river environment!










Where's mcluggen these days he had some excellent tanks with leaf litter....


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## LJ (Sep 12, 2007)

I definitely remember this tank Blairo....stunning. In fact I had in mind as I was dumping leaves into mine. All your tanks (at least the ones you post on here) are scaped awesomely.


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

Hmm, I never had thought of using real ones. Only just the big bags you can buy of fake ones from craft stores.


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## Desi&lt;3 (Feb 13, 2008)

Yeah I know the maples donr last long but their still holding on, though I plan t pull them out sometime this week.

You guys have great tanks, they look awsome!


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