Tannins, Yes Or No?

[SmallFishGuy]

So I’ve always had tannins in my tanks due to wood and or almond leaves but recently did a big water change on my 57L tank to rid it of tannins to see if I preferred it and I did, so I had the task of doing it for my 177L and many many buckets later the water is 99% clear of tannins and I think I prefer it what do you guys think of tannins?

 

[Hunter1]

I prefer crystal clear water.

But that’s just my preference.

 

[KinsKicks]

You’re tank looks great!

Personally, I really like tannins in their respective biotope tanks; it really adds to the whole natural look and feel.

On the flip side, the times I don’t want tannins is when the tank is purposely aquscaped/not exactly a biotope because it doesn’t quite look right (at least in my opinion haha). Clear water looks better in these situations

 

[sloughdog]

Personally I like the look of tannin water and my fish seem calmer and more out going in tannin water. But really it’s a personal preference and in most instances, tannins have no appreciable effect on water chemistry...it might drop pH and hardness slightly but nothing significant.

 

[CloudTheFluffy]

I can’t have a tank without tannins I really like them. Even with a ton tannins it barely affects my ph as it’s still super high

 

[DuaneV]

Almost all of my tanks are now blackwater tanks. I think they just look better. Super clean water just look unnatural to me. The more wood, the more plants, the more tannins, the better. My fish seem happier and healthier in general too, and theyre living longer. Oscars, tons of different tetras, hatchetfish, plecos, corys, guppies, rams, bettas, etc. The blackwater seems to bring out their colors better too. Maybe its just me though. lol

Your tank would look KILLER with super dark water.

 

[-Mak-]

I LOVE blackwater biotopes, I did one (link in signature) and it's so nice to have a natural tank. However, in my specially aquascaped tanks, I wouldn't like tannins.

 

[Mick Frost]

My girl has a tank with clear water, and every time I see it I swear I go blind (it's mostly pink and purple). My tanks range from "dirty" to full blackwater. It's difficult to compare, but my fish have more color and stronger immune systems than anything out of the fish stores, even after they spend some time in a clear tank.

 

[DoubleDutch]

LTLT (Learn To Love Tannins)

 

[Fanatic]

I have accepted tannins, and given up on "clear" water, my community is going to be a murky riverbed.
It's only because I have Cherry Barbs, which naturally come from silt bottom rivers with tannin-stained water.

 

[sloughdog]

Tannins and blackwater for me add an aesthetic of mystery and the impossibility of possibly discovering something new.

 

[Jellibeen]

I like them, the main reason being that my fish and shrimp love leaf litter. I just ordered a bunch of leaves and other goodies from Tannin Aquatics. I am so excited to give them cool seed pods to hide in and tasty bark to munch on! I am more or less indifferent to the look of the water in my own tanks, although they look great in natural, biotope aquariums.

 

[DarkOne]

Tannins are beneficial to healthy fish so it's more than just aesthetics.

 

[Seasoldier]

I love the natural look of tannins as long as it's not too dark & use banana & almond leaves to provide leaf litter on the tank floor as well as colouring the water I just feel crystal clear water looks unnatural & as said above tannins are good for the little critters in the tank & my shrimp love the leaf litter.

 

[wodesorel]

I did a blackwater tank for about ten years, and it got to the point where I was hating how dingy it looked and was unhappy with the entire thing. Before that it was a clear tank, and I hated how 'fake' it looked at the time. Change is never a bad thing! I would suggest looking into Purigen if you are in a no-tannin phase, it clears my tanks right up. If you ever decide to go dark again just pull it and the tannins will slowly return. Wish there was an easy way to keep the water partially tinted! I wouldn't mind something in between myself, but I don't want it to yo-yo too much.