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Testing out the Tantora Liquid GH+ .. Micro Active .. Humic Black Water .. Catappa Essence


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Came across these products on Discobee and the description of benefits as standalone liquid conditioners as well as the benefits of using them together, has interested me enough to give this a shot and share my results.

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Using distilled water, a Nutrafin GH/KH test kit, and a Sun leaves TDS pen...I first checked the conductivity and it checked out at 000.

Next the GH test came out at 0.

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Directions for the Liquid GH + call for 2ml for every 10 litres. With 2ml = 20 drops.. that's 2 drops per litre. This is to raise the GH 1 degree.

So to make 1 litre of water with a GH of 6 you use 12 drops, that's easy enough ^^b

To keep the test clean and simple, I'm using a gallon of water that equals 3.79 litres. This is close enough to 4 so I'm going to go with it.

Following the directions and doing the math, my target was a GH of 6, the most recommended for caridina shrimp tanks.

And after adding the correct dosage, here are the results of the water with just the Liquid GH+.

GH 5.6

(5th drop turns water from pink to blue)

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KH 0

124 ppm

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Humic Black Water .. Micro Active .. Catappa Essence

These came out to be 1 drop Micro, 2 drops Humic, and 1 drop Catappa.

This addition to the water brought up the conductivity to 126 ppm.

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This was a relief as I was hoping it wouldn't raise the ppm any higher.

So everything looks to be on track and I'm going to be using this water for top off on a 10 gallon with TB, CRS, mischlings, and SPB.

Any advice or tips, questions or comments are very welcome. Please let me know if I made any errors or need to do anything different to the testing method.

Thanks shrimp peeps ;)

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Great test/experiment. This test seems to demonstrate that at 124ish TDS, 6dGH is achieved. This also further solidify that the original test conducted by an anonymous tester that BostonEric sent samples to did not know what he was doing. He reported that gH was achievable without altering TDS.

Besides showing that the mineralizer can achieve said TDS to gH, what do you like about the product?

SL-Blue Wizard Water

Ca+

Mosura Mineral Plus

..and MK.. All very efficient mineralizers.

(I heard MK is highly potent and worth every penny)

Moreso on the micros, how would the liquid Cappa be different than those already adding IAL into their tanks. The leaves should also have everything the bottles does. I see that the IAL extract (I assume this is what it is) might provide less of a benefit because at least with IAL you add decaying matter where shrimps can naturally graze (this is the main attraction and appeal of IAL).

Humic and Fluvic have known benefits, but a healthy ecosystem with decaying matter also releases Humic substances as it recharges itself. Besides using it to see a very young tank, it doesn't seem to have long term benefits.

Also, I do feel like Kelp4Less would give crazy value for anyone seeking cost savings alternatives. They sell dry powders of humic and fulvic acids.

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From another thread in reference to mk.

http://www.shrimpspot.com/index.php?/topic/1612-remineralizing-with-blue-diamond-in-ro/

......Yes you can use it right away. A TDS of 180 should put you at GH 6 - 7 .

So 180 TDS for mK and 124 for Tantora at same GH. That's a big difference. One puts you towards the higher end of the before even adding it to your tank which most likely already has TDS. So even with a water change you'll be over 180.

The other brings you in much lower allowing for some room to increase over time.

As for Tantora as a company to show their dedication to fish/shrimp hobby.

"Did you know that the Amaranth leaves are organically grown by Tantora in their own garden...even the cow manure they use is organic and the leaves are 'selected' i.e. they hand select the fresh young tips of the plant... :)"

Based off the quality of Jays test I will send him Shirakura and SL to test for the benefit of us all.

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Nice results when using the 3 combine.

 

yes pretty awesome that with all 4 liquids you only get 126TDS per G.

 

I understand with the liquid catappa you are missing out on the leaf litter but you are adding the liquid for their health so its a trade off.

 

from Tantora's site description of Catappa Liquid

 

The main ingredient of Catappa Essence is Catappa leaves. 1 liter of Catappa Essence is extracted from 2,500 fresh leaves. The extract method Tantora has adopted is superior to other techniques as it can extract 2 times higher level of Tannin and nutrients from the leaves than others. Therefore, Tantora Catappa Essence’s concentrate is the top of the market; therefore, only minimal amount is needed to deliver satisfied result.

          In addition, Tantora Catappa Essence consists of various vitamins and nutrients benefits to strengthen aquatic animals health such as Vitamin C, required for essential metabolic reaction and ease stress; Vitamin B complex required to improve immune system and Sodium Chloride (NaCl) that helps healing injuries, killing parasite found in water and reduce water stress.

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Ch3f, thanks for sharing all that info, very happy the test so far is good to go. What I like about the products is hard to say since I just dripped that gallon in today's water change. Which is every other week.

What I can say so far is there is no smelly odor from any of the liquids, and it was easy to squeeze the drops...there was no ..."oh crap was that one or two drops?"

Thats pretty much all I got for now until the tank is fully changed over from its current SS GH+ and IAL leaves (which are coming out soon)

I considered the loss of leaf litter when deciding if I would get all 4 liquids. And my thinking was that I would save money from not having to buy IAL anymore and just use native shrimp safe leaves in my area instead, (burr oak, mulberry)so I don't lose all the effects of detritus from the decomposition of the leaves. will have a supply of leaves very soon to last a year :)

And High5, the combo is pretty sweet so far, I really hope the results are what I'm looking for to keep a certain species in. Want to setup a tank with this liquid and keep some shrimp at gh4-5.

bostoneric, thanks again for answering all the questions I had about these liquids before the purchase. It really cleared up some things that was also mentioned by ch3f. Thanks bro!

I think this stuff is gonna be a winner, especially combined together.

And thanks in advance for the shirakura and sl liquids ^_^!!!!

As you know, I have that divided 55 gallon you helped me out on that I can dedicate sections to, for those liquids for more testing.

Still learning and always open to suggestions comments and criticisms to get my shrimp game up ;) Thanks for the comments everyone !

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