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The leaves of the Indian Almond Tree, (Terminalia catappa), provide numerous benefits for tropical fish. The leaves, when steeped in water, impart a beautiful golden-brown color, reduce the pH, and release rich organic compounds, such as tannins, humic acids, and flavonoids. Some of these substances are known to science to be antimicrobial in nature, while others may absorb and detoxify zinc, copper, and aluminum.
Tannin Catappa leaves are harvested for us by hand by a family-owned operation from a small village in Sandakan, Malaysia, free of pesticides, herbicides, and pollution. They're gathered after having fallen from the trees, rinsed and sun dried, with the bottom part snipped off for ease of use and packaging.
Our Medium Size Catappa Leaves average about 5.5" x 4" ( 13.97x10.16cm)in size
ORIGIN: Sandakan, Sabah Malaysia
PREPARATION: Before using the leaves in your aquarium, we recommend soaking them in fresh water for a few days to let them become waterlogged and to leach off some of the tannins. Then, you can place them on the bottom of your aquarium as a functional and aesthetic substrate enhancer, or place them into a filter sock and use them simply as a filter media to help foster "blackwater" conditions in your aquarium.
NOTE: Just how many leaves to use depends upon what type of effect you're looking for. We recommend starting off slowly, with about 2 Medium Size Catappa leaves for each 10 gallons of capacity. There is no real "recipe" for how much...This is just a "rule of thumb" that we've used over the years. Your experience may vary!
#tanninmediumcatappaleaves
All of our aquatic botanicals are intended for ornamental aquarium or terrarium use only. Please use common sense and take the time to boil or soak all botanicals prior to using them, to reduce the possibility of problems. Always go slow when introducing any botanicals into your systems, so you can judge the effect they have on your fishes and plants. They are not intended for human consumption. DO NOT INGEST!
NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
NOTE: Due to natural variations of leaves, each one will appear different. The photo is a representation of what to expect.
SEE OUR SHIPPING AND HANDLING PAGE FOR OUR SHIPPING POLICIES
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