"boil the botanicals"
People often ask this simple question that what to boil from packs and for how long :
There are some myths and facts regarding this topic. Boiling hard botanicals like seeds,seed pods,bark pieces,twigs,root portions is the most common thing to understand. Those hard aquatic botanicals release secondary tannin called "PYROGALLOL" which is responsible for lowering the pH, but boiling too much is going to ruin it because more boiling means more releasing of the vital component. So it is essential to know the timing throughout the process of boiling. Just take a pot, put it on oven and pour RO water. Then toss in hard stuffs into thr water. After 5-10 minutes turn off the oven and let it cool down.
The materials will release tannin a bit and soak the warm water in them. Dispose the water into drain and remember not to just throw it to anywhere because it cantains pure tannin with acidic factors. Later put those cold hard botanicals into a different pot and fill it with normal RO water. Let it soak for over night and then introduce them in the main tank [for start up or existing set up]. Boiled water kills 90% germs in them and they are totally safe to use for the blackwater tank. Now the next day place them accordingly into the tank as per choice. most of the parasites colonize in those hard parts of trees. So killing them is a "must do job" for all.
From the aquatic botanicals pack there are two more packets of leaves. One is for almond leaf variety and another is mixed leaf variety. Boiling leaf is just a myth so that hot water can kill germs/parasites, but for leaves it is of no use !!!! BECAUSE- leaves contain essencial vitamin C which has antifungal property and boiling it will break down the chemical formation of vitamin C. So it is not going to work over harmful free radicals and remove toxic gasses anymore. This is the reason for "DON'T BOIL ANY LEAF" instruction which is mentioned behind the packets. Just wash them and use directly into the tank water.
Now the question often comes simultaneously that how long does it take to sink for hard botanicals and leaves? the answer is for hard botanicals it will take typically 3 to 7 days to sink and most leaves just sink in 4 days totally. Some hard materilas like few seeds and pods don't sink at all because they often capture air bubbles in them. In that case rinse them well in tank water and leave them as they are ove rthe surface after few hours they will sink. Leaves contain primary tannin only which we know as "CATECHOL". leaves only add colour and vitamin C. They have minimum effect over pH buffering... {another myth_ leaves gear down pH but actually they don't}. Condensed tannin is stored only in hard botanicals by the tree itself just to kill insects, harmful larvae, fungus and harmful bacteria.
we will discuss and share more informations regarding tannin classification, plants anatomy, various effects of biotope correct dry stuffs for balckwater aquariums till then ___
STAY COOL.
ENJOY THE HOBBY.
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