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Father Fish, you the man. You don't just talk the talk, you walk the walk. You dumped that stuff in your tank to practice what you preach. Respect.

Long term aquarist and ecologist here. I *know* that leaves are the primary nutrient input in freshwater habitats - but i never made the connection to add them to my tanks for this reason. I was brainwashed by aquarium superstition. Thank you

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

We call it the LFS Mythology. Basically, everything we knew before dry goods became the foundation of the hobby is wrong.

@JavierPerez-qy7lv

Жыл бұрын

Does it make sense to put leaves on my grovel? How can I transform a traditional fish tank with grovel and a few plants to a more father fish tank? Is it possible to add the soil and the layers on the grovel to chsnge eveything? Or is it too late? I have fish there already.

Father Fish, you are a kindred spirit. I've kept aquariums for many years, and I want to truly thank you for educating and enlightening others to recognize and respect inherent ecological processes. Meanwhile, there's this other paradigm of overly manicured, sanitized aquariums that require constant maintenance and expensive materials. Some may view natural, balanced aquariums as "dirty" and unattractive, but isn't that what we all want - a slice of underwater nature in our home? Nature has it all done for you, just embrace and harness those processes, and success will happen.

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

Yes Keith. The gift is the opportunity to share nature's secrets. So many folk are afraid to do so. They need not be.

Father fish knows all and knows correct. He talks about spirituality in aquarium.👍🤗....

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

It is indeed a spiritual experience. TY Sunsun.

😂 Now your the leaf guy. Love it. 👍🏻

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

I'm just an old dead leaf!! lol

@RamKumar-ej3sy

2 жыл бұрын

@@FatherFish old is gold !!

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

@@RamKumar-ej3sy In every iteration> TY RAM

I could honestly listen to you for hours- your videos are packed with valuable information to help beginners. Cheers, mate

Been putting leaves in my aquariums for about a decade. My shrimp and snails love them.

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

Long time naturist you are!!!

@RAZASHARP

Жыл бұрын

DO YOU RINSE THE LEAVES OFF FIRST

@Auditing.northern.N.Y.

Жыл бұрын

@@RAZASHARP I suppose you could, but I never had. Also fighting parasites ATM, but think they came in on assassin snails not leaves

@RAZASHARP

Жыл бұрын

@@Auditing.northern.N.Y. ok.well i'm going to soak mine with the aquarium water for a week..then throw them in. als can i throw them in on top of gravel? cheers

@Auditing.northern.N.Y.

Жыл бұрын

@@RAZASHARP I just let mine float till they sink. Dry leaves absorb the water fairly fast. I'm no expert, but whatever works for you. Green leaves seem to take forever to sink.

I started collecting rain water and I top the tank off with it. When I do it’s full of mosquitoes 🦟 larvae 🐛 and all kinds of other critters that my fish go absolutely crazy for! They eat organic real food and I’m sure they are very healthy and happy! Thanks for the tips Father Fish 🐠

After reading Waldstad’s book, I stopped cleaning my leaf litter out of my tanks and stopped worrying about it all together. In nature, there are cleanup crews, we don’t need to be them.

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

THAT'S the spirit!

@AquaLady153

2 жыл бұрын

💯

It’s like Bob Ross I love it. Find your happy place and then just drop a big glob of dirt and leaves in it. Lol. Love it!! It totally brought me back to watching channel 11. ☺️☺️💙

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

So true! Loy comes in the finding wonder in the commonplace.

@RAZASHARP

Жыл бұрын

BOB ROSS WAS AWESOME!!! LOL

Oak leaf is the only thing I add. Haven’t tried any others.

@Papa-in-Tx

Жыл бұрын

I've used live oak, red oak, post oak, cottonwood, sycamore, and magnolia leaves. Cottonwood leaves break down quickly and quickly darken the water.

I'm getting leaves from my creek in the morning to add to my aquariums

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

Perfect Avery

I tried to explain to people that leaves are good and won't give their fish fungal infections a long time ago when I first tried it myself in 2015 but most laughed at me.

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

Those who laugh are hiding their ignorance in mirth.

@bettyb.7971

10 ай бұрын

Lol, I was even boiling my Indian almond leaves. You know, fungus, bacteria on it ;)

Your songbird chose the most perfect soundtrack for this video! To share an experience: Our local park has a very healthy creek that grows hornwort and guppy grass. One day I took home a clump of guppy grass with some of the mud it anchored to and put it in a 2 gallon glass vase with about 3 inches of sand and fresh rain water and some of the creek water (this was long before I knew deep-substrate was a thing). In a few days, it exploded with all the creek animals hiding in the guppy grass. Snails, planaria, huge infusoria, rotifers, water spiders, ramshorn snails, pond snails, detritus worms, and much to my great joy a damselfly nymph! I kept water in it and everything stayed alive for about 9 months. Then something happened that killed the grass - I can't remember, I think I used the wrong water container by accident and it had some cleaning chemical residue - and the whole thing crashed. I wanted to try again the next year, but the city did some nearby construction, and we had a hard rain, and the runoff from the project contaminated the creek and killed off everything but a few brownish wisps of hair algae. 😢 I hope next year the plant life comes back. I'm planning to do my first dirted deep-sub tank conversion on Tuesday to save my dwindling H. Formosa school and I have tons of water logged pin oak leaves and twigs that the fish are going to LOVE. Thank you for giving me hope back. I stumbled across your videos only yesterday, just as I was thinking of throwing in the towel on the hobby! (After a very infuriating weekend in the fish room!)

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

Happy to hear from you greencaller14. We have LOTS of opportunity to share. Streams m,w,f,sun. A DISCORD forum with lots of informative and chatty channels, Video meetups, and so much more. Join us. Get you joy back.

I've been planning on trying it for a while. I just haven't got to it yet. Thanks Father Fish for the motivation!!!!

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

Go for it. Nice to hear from you Ed/

I have a koi pond and let@the fall leaves blow in. I always have huge goldfish and Koi schools every spring! They survive on leaf litter critters!

@joe51261

3 жыл бұрын

Works the best on egg layers like tetras and rasboas, the fry are the right size to eat the tiny critters!

@joe51261

3 жыл бұрын

Make sure you don't use a hanging filter with floss pads or canister filters. Let the critters thrive!

@joe51261

3 жыл бұрын

And lastly start with liter that's broken down at least somewhat. Digestion happens slower in a tank...

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

You betcha.

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

Agreed Joseph. I like sponge filters.

Yesterday I took some leaves from a creek in Australia and put it in my tank.. I have never seen my shrimp move so fast! They loved it! and so do the snails. Now I will get more.

Father fish, you not onpy revived my tank, but you've cured my insomnia!

Hello Father fish. Until recently my fish kept dying. So , I changed every tank your way. I corrected leaves ,twigs and muds from the pond. And kept them in well water in the bucket for more than a week. I was afraid to open the lid. I thought it smell bad or got slimy. And ,. I opened it! Water was clear than before and no smells at all !!! I don’t doubt you at all but I was so amazed ! I put them in my tanks. Thank you for your educational video! I am so glad I found you.

Done a dirt bottom aquarium over 20 yrs ago . Standard fluro lighting . Have had a number of tanks since then , even with led lighting and decent grade substrate . I've never really managed to grow a decent planted tank like I did all those yrs ago .

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

Know what you mean

@heidilecompte4198

Жыл бұрын

Maybe it’s just me and I haven’t got the hang of it but I liked the old lighting bulbs better years ago for my aquariums vs the LEDs now. I find these new lights very disturbing to my eyes.

Yes yes yes, do not be afraid of nature. My favorite thing about leaf litter is looking at the skeletons of the leaves after they have been munched on by all the little critters, so cool.

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing!!

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea

2 жыл бұрын

I gave my snail a boiled cabbage leaf the other day and he ate everything but the veins. It looked pretty neat. It was like a cabbage leaf skeleton.

Thankyou so much Father Fish, I am learning so much and following your wisdom …..this is your calling ❤

I’ve only just discovered your channel and I’m loving every minute your talking learning so much from you thank you so much 🙏🙏

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

Welcome Drone! Be sure to visit our Discord server.

I love your humor, keep at it Father Fish!

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, will do!

Just wanted to thank you for all of your videos. I created my first dirted tank and it is so stable. I only have to add water on occasion. No water changes needed in over 3 months.

I sunk one of those plastic kiddy pools into my back yard and filled it with water so that I would have somewhere to soak bits of wood and branches for hardscapes. Then I thought, why not turn it into a little pond. So I threw some dirt in there and old leaves and put a few floating plants too. Then I bought some pond plants and water plants in pots, and stood them in there too. I've been harvesting mosquito larva out of it and the leaves for my nano tanks. I've been using these big leaves that look like Maple leaves, although I don't know what they are. They look lovely in my tanks and the shrimp and snails love them. Scrunched up orange and red leaves in strategic places around a tank make it look more beautiful. If your light isn't good enough to grow red plants, this is a way to get some natural looking warm colors in there.

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

Delightful!!

@hydrostream76

Жыл бұрын

you know what that's a great idea for the summer , im here in canada

Even though I already seen the video I always come back for aquarium study📈

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Oshawn. Happy to be helpful. Join us on DISCORD> Lots of good friends and conversation and pictures of tanks. discord.gg/FPQMGx9n

Oooh father fish slapping out some more hot bars

I would love to have all the knowledge you have in your head

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

It just takes time, like filling a bucket.

I was paid to clear those litters frm fish ponds when i was young. Well that's the price u pay for beauty i guess. Lets face it, those litters arent beautiful to look at but they definitely serve a purpose.

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

Amen to that Bob.

@brickstep8424

Жыл бұрын

I think it looks pretty good…

This does make complete sense when you stop and think a minute.

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

Precisely

shrimps and leaf eaters catfish surprisingly like to eat mulberry leaves

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

I think they must be very delicious.

Ff I always put death Indian almond leaf in my aquarium my fishes are happy And breeding well.

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

Good job Naresh.

Yes. all my tanks have handfuls of oak leaves added every fall . my khuli loaches breed in it as it decays.

@janecre1025

3 жыл бұрын

I put oak leaves in my tank about 6 months ago. I didn’t know at the time but my kuhles had bred, I moved a piece of wood to plant some more plants and there they all were, just less than an inch long..

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

That is awesome!

Love your message and love your t-shirt.... And you rock Father Fish! cheers from Australia x

Thank you 🍁

I did it. Thanks ^^

Good stuff!

I added leaves for my shrimp , but my fish love them they go under them , and pick at them alot , really enriching i now consider them essential

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

That is awesome! Leaves are the foundation of the food web in fresh water.

This tank is absolutely lovely!! Nature at its finest within a glass box ♥️🌿🐟 I can never get enough of your teachings when it comes to setting up these beautiful aquariums! I've ended up with a lot of Catawba leaves and some botanicals I think I'm going to take some of the excess of the leaves and actually crush them up and put them into the soil substrate of the next aquarium I put in! Sometimes I just like the plain black sand look and that way it will add to the humus at the base! THANK YOU Father Fish as always for your incredible teachings 🙏🌿🐟🌿♥️

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Mary for your constant support.

Aw man, this is stuff that I should know in my gut but I haven't been listening until now. More leaves

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

It is the heart that knows.

Hi, really knowledge info

Oh this is the first time old dry leaves with fungus come to my mind for something useful. I’m getting outside to get some to get some foundation for the food chain for my fish tanks.

I just did this today. Thank you so much!!!! I’m gonna learn a lot from you!!🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

You’re awesome

You're the best . it's amazing how little people know at the fish store . You give me great knowledge, and i appreciate you . Merry Christmas!

I always wondered, about people that bake stuff, lol! I have used Oak leaves, in my tanks!

Father fish, what about plants that have died that are already in the tank, such as lotus leaves and stem, should I pull them out or let them stay in there and further breakdown

@FatherFish

11 ай бұрын

I prefer to leave as much as possible in the tank. It is nutrition for microfauna.

Bring life! 🙌

Glad I found your channel!!

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

Me too Nats! Be sure to visit DISCORD. link in description

father fish... i love you🙃

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

Right back atcha

You've lit up joy in me from the way you are. Love your passion for this hobby.

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

WOW! Wonderful to be inspired to do more. Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm.

Sparkling, crystal clear water is actually abnormal for most aquatic creatures. It only occurs in nature in springs, or glacier melt, which are usually devoid of fish. Most tropical exotics come from jungle rivers, that are full of decaying leaves, twigs, etc, and are of an amber color. Natural Amazonian aquariums are becoming more popular, since they provide a more realistic environment for the fish.

@erickborling1302

7 ай бұрын

Glacier runoff isn't anywhere close to being clear. Lots of rock dust.

I love it when you get your hands dirty :)

Happy fish

Have you ever seen "Life in Jars?" KZread channel? He does alot of videos about aquatic biospheres and the microorganisms. It is a great visual representation of what you're talking about with bringing "life" into our aquariums. Thank you for all your great content and knowledge

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

Yes I have talked with him and cannot get him to put dirt in his jars.

@AquaLady153

2 жыл бұрын

@@FatherFish oh my

Makes sense..!!

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

It's nature.

6:30 deserves a "Thriller" music 🤣🤣🤣 I can see PetSmart & others alike having a heart attack right there: It's "dangerous" stuff FF your doing (and you are having fun while at it) 🤣 Break those stupid rules we've been fed for so long. I saved my fish because of you. And I'm having fun now finally. God bless 😘

[thank, you father fish for you're helpful video]🙏

Hi again! I've put a dead bonsai into my aquarium. I can't wait to see what happens next. Thanks for posting such a valuable video.

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

Very cool. Send pics via Discord!

Thank you

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

You're welcome

We call that mulch in gardening.❤

Just got back into the hobby back in April love your videos using cattapa leaves my neons love them 👍

@FatherFish

11 ай бұрын

Great to hear! Add some other species of leaves that break down more quickly l;ike Ash, Maple, and fruit tree leaves.

awesome video ✌✌

Love this idea

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

Us too!

My favorite thing to add to a fish tank!

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

I know. Right?

FF preaching the aquarium gospel, keep it comin’!

Lol ! Getting people to put dirt in there tank is hard enough ! Now I’m telling people to put leaves in there tank ! Thanks for the laugh I did my dirt tank and topped it with sand . I should have rinsed the sand . Ooops!!😮 I went to the lake I pulled out whatever plants I could find growing in it and gathered leves I have to say, it was different with the leaves they were already black And I pulled out some drift wood Too. But it had bark on it and my gold fish. Just love to pull up my plants and chews off the bark from my drift wood And then the black leaves So the.bottom of my tank doesn’t look so pretty But will get use to it. Thank you for educating me g us on how to do a new melenium Fish tank. In 2024. It’s time to do it different . No more sterril tank mate 😅 And I love making the dirt tank aquarium . I enjoyed making this tank so much Keep educating about bring life into your new aquarium

Thank you Father Fish, your videos have been so helpful. I was on the verge of giving up due to alot of fish loss, but your practical and common sense approach has helped me to stay with the hobby and invest in 2 more tanks😊

Awsome, I used to trim my plants then take the trimed parts an let them dry totally near the window, they are dead after some period, then store them and put some of them back to the aquarium as fertilizer and food source

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

OK. That's good. You can also leave the plant cutting in t he tank, either planted or floating. They will provide nutrients for microfauna as they deteriorate or they will grow new plants.

Absolutely love this FF!!

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

YU Patrick

Oh that is an awesome topic for a video. I need to go find some leaves for my new tank

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

Go for it!

Leaves are fantastic

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

They are they are!!

Great video!

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

TY Adam

Wonderful tip indeed ❤ some advice on lighting a natural Aquarium please 🙏🏽

@father fish it is because of u i learn to appreciate putting leaf litter in my aqurium after then i never turned back ...thank for teaching me to adapt to ur knowledge of this

You talked me into it “Let’s do one more”

I cleaned out the gutters on the house and put some of it in a few of my tanks. I am looking forward to seeing the changes.

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

You go mo if from last fall they will be deteriorating. Excellent

@matthewburley880

Жыл бұрын

Great idea.

Look at that!

@roberthoffmann3313

Ай бұрын

I can't stop laughing.

I added chopped leaves to my garden this fall. It will enrich my sandy soil. Didn't realize it would work in my aquarium. Getting ready to splash back in and get my fins wet again.

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

Aquarium is just another form of gardening.

Well Done and Said Father Fish Salute

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Alfred.

I use fresh branches of mulberry leaves in my community tank, and when fall comes around i use the dried maple leaves. I love the detrimus it creates. My fish are all super healthy in that tank. Now I have a goldfish tank and right now its bare bottom. But I plan to add sand and do the same thing in this tank (minus the branches of mulberry leaves, as I will be adding live plants)

Best way of fish keeping.

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Jackson. I certainly think so too.

great video.....

@FatherFish

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for the visit

@SAMMYJR00777

11 ай бұрын

@@FatherFish thanks father fish... learned a lot from you. keep them coming... this is the best channel ever.

thanks for sharing your knowledge, Sir

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

So nice of you

@awakenedanarchism4202

Жыл бұрын

@@FatherFish I live near the Saint Johns River here in Deltona Florida and I'm going to get me some sand and aquatic plants from there soon

Hello, much respect for someone that clearly just wants to share with others! Just found your videos and nothing i can say feels it can match your amazing willingness to share knowledge with others. So Thank you! I have my tank for about 2 years and been a "victim" of the mainstream mambo jambo speech of the shops and industry. Until a few days ago (when i ran into your videos) I kept wondering why my tank keeps always a steady water chemistry and the "few" type of fish and shrimp i have there do not show any problems. All i ever did was just plain ignorance and apart for a major disaster i created myself all runs fine and like self sustained way. I almost felt guilty for having a tank so stable in terms of measured water quality and apparent good conditions for life on it. Now when i see this video i can not stop wondering if i should also add leaves to it. In there live 2 small pleco (sorry i have no idea of the species - yellow colcor that do not grow more than 20cm), many clear color shrimps and also now many red color shrimps also), like 50 guppys and a lone tetra neon. Guppyes were a mistake in the past that i regret but as i mean no harm to the fish i have to live with it. So i kindly ask your advise for two things: - how can i introduce some fish to control guppies reproduction as they are filling up my 200l tank? I wish no harm to fish but this is getting our of hand and i have no one to give them away. - should i introduce leaves/mud as you show here or as my tank seems to be balanced and self sustained (i just add water as needed)? Or this is like a best practice action we should do anyway? Thanks in advance for your time and help!

I live in Australia and surrounded by eucalyptus trees. Would their dry leaves be ok to put in as they’re rich in oil?

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

I do not use pine needles for the same reason. Look in local bodies of water and see how the catalpa leaves are doing.

Niice 👍

@FatherFish

3 жыл бұрын

Yep. It's really cool.

They all gna hate him but we love you ❤

I picked some aquatic plants from the community pond, I'm gone just add those in no treatment, I've become wiser

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

Bravo Oshawn. Keep up the good work.

@calvinjones4480

Жыл бұрын

Just to be on the safe side of things make sure any predatory insect larvae wasn’t attached to any of the aquatic plants 😅 it happened to me once and lost some nice fish due to and water scorpion lol.

@ChillCarnage_229

Жыл бұрын

@@calvinjones4480 I have seen shrimp like larvae hidden months after adding the aquatic plants. Lucky for me the tank is home to guppies and giant danio. I thank you for your concern because i see some weird insects at the bottom. I have nerite snails also and they enjoy eating whatever plant I add.

Hi from the UK Father Fish! Love you videos and your methods for fish keeping are fascinating. I’m going to give the leaf litter a go (I’ve collected some from a local freshwater lake). There’s loads of scaremongering online about potential harmful parasites I could be introducing to the tank, is that something I should be concerned about? Keep up the good work and thanks for all your knowledge!

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

Those who are frightened of nature cannot maintain a healthy tank for long.

I like the science involved in his way of fish keeping. Nothing wrong it but definitely not the only way to get it done

@FatherFish

6 ай бұрын

But maybe the best way.

Some leaves are just too tanic for me. Like red oak, black oak, etc. I have been using maple leaves. The shrimp and snails love them.

father fish can you suggest how many guppies can be put on a 25gallon tank with that set up?

OMG you are amazing. I’m going to set up my tank real soon. I wanted to know should I use a heater.

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

I use heaters always.

I made the mistake of putting dead leaves of a Sycamore in my tank and it made it smell so foul I had to flush it out 3 times! The smell was so bad I gagged and they where only in it for 1 day!

@FatherFish

2 жыл бұрын

Guess you won't do that again. I might have made the same mistake if you had not shared that bit of your experience. Thank you. We will be sure to never use sycamore leaves. Partially rotted leaves from a body of water are best. They contain many microorganisms beneficial to your aquarium.

@AquaLady153

2 жыл бұрын

@@FatherFish and parasites

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea

2 жыл бұрын

@@AquaLady153 your fish can get parasites regardless. I just bought some fish from the pet store and they showed signs of ich within a week.

I love the sound of the birds in the background. What are they?

@FatherFish

6 ай бұрын

canary

hey father fish, i have a question: do you boil the leaves before you put in the aquarium? thank you! Alejandro from Argentina

@FatherFish

11 ай бұрын

NEVER! I want the little bugs and bacteria on the leaves.

@AleRovella

11 ай бұрын

@@FatherFish got it got it!! i promess it was the last time i do that :)

Your automaton sounds like actual birds; it’s uncanny. Thanks for the info

@FatherFish

Жыл бұрын

TY William