Swell Natural Leaf Litter

Our Natural Leaf Litter is made from a mixture of natural British leaves, including Oak, Beech and Sycamore, all of which are harvested and safe for aquatic use. They will naturally release tannins into your aquarium, adding a yellow tint, the same as you see from a cup of tea, that is perfect for Blackwater set ups and many other biotopes.

Our leaves will float when first added to your aquarium, but will start to sink after a few days, or alternatively you can boil them for around 30-60 minutes to waterlog them and ensure they sink straight away. Whilst in your aquarium they will sink down and release their tannins, which not only affects the water colour but also reduces the pH levels slightly, making them ideal for South American and Asian style set ups, especially Betta fish and many Cichlids.

This leaf litter is great for breaking up and scattering across the substrate, which will create a grazing area for shrimp and catfish through the biofilm that the leaves create whilst breaking down. Each of these leaves has their own unique properties and benefits. Oak has a higher volume of tannins, making it great for reducing pH and colouring water, whilst Beech leaves only faintly tint the water. Sycamore have a strong and quick colouring effect, but the effects don't last as long and they tend to breakdown much quicker than others.

If you like the look of the leaf litter, but don't want the colouration of the water, boiling the leaves will remove a lot of the tannins and reduce the effect on your aquarium drastically. As these are all natural leaves, they will vary in shape and size, and will contain a mixture of Oak, Beech and Sycamore leaves per pack.