pine cone vs. oak tree leaves

[sasikan]

in a 6 oz water glass i added 5 dry oak leaves in another 6 oz glass i added 2 pine cones after 3 days the ph in the oak leaves water glass was ph 6.6 and the pine cone water ph was ph 5.4 big difference right! my question is ,are pine cones safe in a apisto aquarium?

 

[tjudy]

I do not think so... there are a lot of different chemicals in pine sap than there are in oak leaf tanin. Pine cones (and needles) are the source of 'pine oils', which contain several compounds that are probably not very good for an aquarium (terpene alcohols, hydrocarbons, ethers and esters... flammable). An old, dry cone may have fewer of these compounds, but I would not risk it without testing.

 

[Mike Wise]

Are the cones from a true pine tree or from an alder tree?

 

[sasikan]

they are (old) brown and dry. from a pinus pinea

 

[apistodave]

No

Dont use the pine cones

 

[Mike Wise]

Alder cones - yes; pine cones - no!

 

[apistodave]

Pitch------turpentine