# Blackwater For Serrasalmus Compressus



## 4tog

Hello,
Ive seen some pictures on the internet aquariums black water biotope (amazon). And since i got quite good light in my aquarium with compressus ive realized that i could do smth like black water to make fish feel better.
But my question is, does black water chemistry lvl will be good for compressus ? I mean, chaning my actual water to black water would be bad for compressus ? 
Currently in my aquarium my chemistry is:

300 litres aquarium (~80galons)
NO2 - 0 mg/l
NO3 - ~15mg/l
GH - 16d
KH - 8d
pH - 7d


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## THE BLACK PIRANHA

It will not harm your fish, it will soften your water and bring your ph down to 5.5 or 6. Also if you have plants remove them cause they will die off in the black water.


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## bricklr

If it's too much light your worried about...candystripe your bulb with black tape. Cuts light in half, but my plants are fine.


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## Piranha_man

I'd go with some peat man...
That'll give you what you're looking for.


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## 4tog

THE BLACK PIRANHA said:


> It will not harm your fish, it will soften your water and bring your ph down to 5.5 or 6. Also if you have plants remove them cause they will die off in the black water.


Im having around 25 anubiases (diferent kinds) in my 80 galon tank. Does black watter will kill em cause of chaning water chemistry or because of lowering light lvl ?

Are you guys totaly sure that my piranha wont feel bad in soften water ?


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## r1dermon

agree on the peat...load up a cartridge or two in your filter with peat. makes the water look very natural.


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## 4tog

So, in nature, compressus lives in black water ?

Thanks for answers !

because, id like to make smth like this with my tank:


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## THE BLACK PIRANHA

It will kill the plants from the lac of light but a black water tank looks awesome.IMO Thinking about doing it with my Tern tank.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS

Going with a blackwater tank shouldn't hurt your fish -- just experiment with adding peat or you can make your own blackwater extract using peat like I do. You'll want to make sure you keep an eye on your pH while making the switch so that there isn't a big swing. Plants usually don't do all that well in acidic water, that's why they aren't found in blackwater rivers, but you could experiment a bit.

This is my 75 gallon...


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## CLUSTER ONE

4tog said:


> Im having around 25 anubiases (diferent kinds) in my 80 galon tank. Does black watter will kill em cause of chaning water chemistry or because of lowering light lvl ?
> 
> Are you guys totaly sure that my piranha wont feel bad in soften water ?


Some p's live in black water so it will be fine. Not all do and im not sure specifcally about compressus though i'd think somewhere in their range they are in some blackwater region. You could check opefe to find out more about compressus' natural habitat.

Blackwater generally has alot of wood and little to no plants. I'd think some hardy plants would be fine but I wouldn't try anything more then hardy plants. If you want a true black water look I'd remove the plants and do wood, a bit of rock and then some twigleaf litter.


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## Piranha-Freak101

bricklr said:


> If it's too much light your worried about...candystripe your bulb with black tape. Cuts light in half, but my plants are fine.


no do not do that , i did it and i had to buy new bulbs cause ivery 15min of the lights being on would burn the tape and cause this horrible smell. STAY AWAY FROM IT


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## PhantastickFish

piranha-freak101 said:


> If it's too much light your worried about...candystripe your bulb with black tape. Cuts light in half, but my plants are fine.


no do not do that , i did it and i had to buy new bulbs cause ivery 15min of the lights being on would burn the tape and cause this horrible smell. STAY AWAY FROM IT








[/quote]

i didnt know florescent lights could get hot enough to burn tape???


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## e46markus

Ya man, hence the reason some even come with exhaust fans built in. I just wrapped the middle of the bulb with tin foil since i have no plants in the middle of my tank.


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## notoriouslyKEN

JoeDizzleMPLS said:


> ....just experiment with adding peat or *you can make your own blackwater extract using peat like I do*....


How do you do that? Just boil peat and reduce it?


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## JoeDizzleMPLS

Just boil some peat moss in RO water for about a half hour and then strain out the peat moss


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