u/Andrew31605

I have access to some dried Acer palmatum (Japanese maple) leaves and I was thinking about trying them in a freshwater aquarium to add some tannins and a more natural blackwater look.

I know people commonly use catappa, oak, magnolia, etc., but I haven’t found much information about Japanese maple specifically. The leaves would be naturally dried, collected from a pesticide-free tree, and rinsed before adding them.

I’m mostly wondering if they’re considered safe for fish and shrimp, or if they break down too fast or release anything undesirable into the water.

Has anyone here actually used them before? I’d really like to hear real experiences before testing them myself.