# black extract??? use it or not???



## penngomifan (Jan 25, 2007)

Well i was visiting a websight i forget which one, but they sell black water extract, that darkens the water for your fish, imparticular fish like rhoms i heard feal more comfortable in water conditions like this........ so my question is do u guys use it??? or not??? i have a 4.5 incher, (rhom) that i just baught from em1, and i was wondering if i should bye some of the black extract to add to his tank??? what do u guys think?


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## 1005 (Nov 11, 2006)

Your Rhomb and Plants will love it.

I hate it because it tints your water and I cant really show off my tank as well.

I also get asswholes who think that my water is tinted because i never do a water change and then I have to explain that im using BWE.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

I've used it off and on a few times. My piranhas really like it a lot!

Despite not having carbon in the filters or anything, it still did fade really fast.
~Taylor~

_*Topic Moved to Water Chemistry Forum*_


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## jhickman (Apr 1, 2007)

No i wouldnt because i tried it my first time two days ago and it on last about half a day just stick to normal water conditioners. It didnt my my rhombeus's any wilder.


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## badman (Oct 29, 2006)

I used it for a while i actually used KENT's Black water it made the tank look pretty cool and my rhom loved it but i didnt really like how it was turning my white gravel all brown and stuff! But its all about preference!


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

badman said:


> I used it for a while *i actually used KENT's Black water* it made the tank look pretty cool and my rhom loved it but i didnt really like how it was turning my white gravel all brown and stuff! But its all about preference!


See, I should try that before I judge all blackwater extracts, because I used the Tetra brand. I wasn't happy with it at all.


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## penngomifan (Jan 25, 2007)

taylorhedrich said:


> I used it for a while *i actually used KENT's Black water* it made the tank look pretty cool and my rhom loved it but i didnt really like how it was turning my white gravel all brown and stuff! But its all about preference!


See, I should try that before I judge all blackwater extracts, because I used the Tetra brand. I wasn't happy with it at all.
[/quote]
O ok, well the filter i have has white stone looking things and the black carbon??? do i leave thoughs in there when i put the etract in or what??? and how often should i use it..........


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

I have very skittish reb Bellies, would this BWE help them feek more at home? or is the darker water not something rbps really care about?


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## dalyhawk (Apr 30, 2007)

All the BWE does from what i've noticed and read is that it just puts the natural amazon environment into your tank through the vitamins and minerals it has in it. It makes your Ps more aggressive and active since they're in their "natural" environment

Not sure why people are saying it makes their water a yellow tint, b/c i've never had that problem. My water begins a little yellow, and goes away within an hour at least, then it's crystal clear. Perhaps too much BWE was added than it recommended.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

black water extract will usually help but it will tint the water yellowish so you may not like that

THIS IS ALSO AN OLD THREND


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## the_skdster (Aug 15, 2006)

dalyhawk said:


> All the BWE does from what i've noticed and read is that it just puts the natural amazon environment into your tank through the vitamins and minerals it has in it. It makes your Ps more aggressive and active since they're in their "natural" environment
> 
> Not sure why people are saying it makes their water a yellow tint, b/c i've never had that problem. My water begins a little yellow, and goes away within an hour at least, then it's crystal clear. Perhaps too much BWE was added than it recommended.


You are probably using Carbon in your filters is why your yellow water clears up.
Those who don't use activated carbon keep the yellow water until they do a water change.
Even when you use carbon to remove the yellowness you keep all the other benefits of BWE in your tank.
I personally prefer the tint of the water.


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

the_skdster said:


> All the BWE does from what i've noticed and read is that it just puts the natural amazon environment into your tank through the vitamins and minerals it has in it. It makes your Ps more aggressive and active since they're in their "natural" environment
> 
> Not sure why people are saying it makes their water a yellow tint, b/c i've never had that problem. My water begins a little yellow, and goes away within an hour at least, then it's crystal clear. Perhaps too much BWE was added than it recommended.


You are probably using Carbon in your filters is why your yellow water clears up.
Those who don't use activated carbon keep the yellow water until they do a water change.
Even when you use carbon to remove the yellowness you keep all the other benefits of BWE in your tank.
I personally prefer the tint of the water.








[/quote]
The BWE worked great!!! they seemed much happier, next i'm going to get the dimmer light for them and plants...i have one question about the Filter part...will keeping the carbon part of the filter out for an extended time cause any problems?


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## Guest (Dec 6, 2007)

eddyhead said:


> ...i have one question about the Filter part...will keeping the carbon part of the filter out for an extended time cause any problems?


No, you're not required to use carbon in your filters.

The carbon adsorbs organic chemicals from the water. This is why it causes the 'black extract' to fade and clear up.

Although some of my aquariums employ Emperor filters that have the carbon included in the cartridge, I never use carbon in any of my aquariums that use filtration systems where the carbon isn't included in filtration media. This has never caused any problems.


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

Bullsnake said:


> ...i have one question about the Filter part...will keeping the carbon part of the filter out for an extended time cause any problems?


No, you're not required to use carbon in your filters.

The carbon adsorbs organic chemicals from the water. This is why it causes the 'black extract' to fade and clear up.

Although some of my aquariums employ Emperor filters that have the carbon included in the cartridge, I never use carbon in any of my aquariums that use filtration systems where the carbon isn't included in filtration media. This has never caused any problems.
[/quote]
Awsome Thank you Very Much!!! i'm excited now for my fish and for me!


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## pirayaman (Nov 3, 2007)

just get a thing of peat moss and boil a small clump and pour the water in your tank buying a bottle of bwe is a waste of money for about 10 bucks you could get enough peat to last you 2 years


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## dalyhawk (Apr 30, 2007)

pirayaman said:


> just get a thing of peat moss and boil a small clump and pour the water in your tank buying a bottle of bwe is a waste of money for about 10 bucks you could get enough peat to last you 2 years


Explain further.... Quite interested... I have a huge thing of peat moss that i used for my snake, but just recently died... (unfortunately... but a different story)


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Try peat in the filters.


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## dalyhawk (Apr 30, 2007)

Piranha_man said:


> Try peat in the filters.


Not a whole lot of explanation....


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## eddyhead (Nov 6, 2007)

Yes please explain more about this peat!!i like 2 years for 10 bucks!!


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## the_skdster (Aug 15, 2006)

eddyhead said:


> o yah! well good for you! and you don't have the coin get a job!


Dude, you have any idea how much Tetra BWE I'd have to buy to replace roughly 700 gallons of water a month in water changes?
Seeing as 10ml is "required" per 10gallons of water, and you get 250ml per big bottle... 
At average $10 a bottle. Thats $28 a month I'd have to buy.
I'd rather upgrade my filtration with that money or use it to save towards another fish or setup.

Then one medium bag of peat costs under $5 and I can make over....
over... over.... 30litres+ of really concentrated BWE! Thats 30,000ml.








So there. Enough to last me a long, long, long, long time.







[/quote]


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## dalyhawk (Apr 30, 2007)

the_skdster said:


> o yah! well good for you! and you don't have the coin get a job!


Dude, you have any idea how much Tetra BWE I'd have to buy to replace roughly 700 gallons of water a month in water changes?
Seeing as 10ml is "required" per 10gallons of water, and you get 250ml per big bottle... 
At average $10 a bottle. Thats $28 a month I'd have to buy.
I'd rather upgrade my filtration with that money or use it to save towards another fish or setup.

Then one medium bag of peat costs under $5 and I can make over....
over... over.... 30litres+ of really concentrated BWE! Thats 30,000ml.









So there. Enough to last me a long, long, long, long time.







[/quote]
[/quote]

Has no significance to me.


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## pirayaman (Nov 3, 2007)

dalyhawk said:


> just get a thing of peat moss and boil a small clump and pour the water in your tank buying a bottle of bwe is a waste of money for about 10 bucks you could get enough peat to last you 2 years


Explain further.... Quite interested... I have a huge thing of peat moss that i used for my snake, but just recently died... (unfortunately... but a different story)
[/quote]

its simple get a big pot get a large hand full of peat and put in in the pot put in water and put it on the stove and boil it for a while then strain it real good to get out the fibers of peat add some to your tank and put the rest in a couple old milk contianers and refrigerate till next use make swure you smell it before use though as im sure it could go bad over time in the fridge


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