I think in an ideal world you'd use as diverse an array of ingredients in your blackwater as circumstances allow. I've not noticed any difference since I started using alder cones as well as rooibos but I only began doing so last week when I found an alder tree. Purely based on how effective the rooibos on it's own was I'm pretty keen to get ahold of some other stems, bark, seed pods etc. to enrich the mix. I've boiled Savu pods from Cariniana legalis prior to adding them to my vivarium and they released more tannins even than alder cones.
Right now I have an empty water bottle that's filled 1/3 with alder cones and a rooibos teabag and it's turned the colour of black coffee. I wonder about the value of 'fresh' blackwater compared to something like this though. There's a couple of alder cones in the tank for shrimp to graze on but maybe it would be better to add sufficient alder cones and rooibos to the tank directly in order to achieve the desired tint/results? I can also see how the opposite might be true though.
Seems like there's quite a lot to learn.
Do you not just add your rooibos teabag direct to your tank then Louis? I have some botanicals (alder cones, catappa leaves, and bark) that I add to my tank, but I only have limited space to add them currently.
Something else that makes me wish I had a sump filter - I know I could add these to a canister filter, but I don't like to have to open those more than every 3 months!
EDIT: Any recommendation on brand that know works well?
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