BlackWater Humic Water Conditioner

Recreates Blackwater Biotopes

• Provides humic & fulvic acids for all planted & blackwater aquariums
• Provides complex bio-organic molecules known to increase the availability of important nutrients to plants
• Establishes similar water conditions to those found in blackwater rivers
• May help simulate onset of rainy season to encourage spawning
• Formulated using extensive research on aquatic plant nutrient requirements & river water chemistry

Adding Brightwell Aquatics BlackWater to the aquarium will slightly acidify the water, change its color, make it softer, and encourage fish spawning, due to the increase in humic substances.

Humic substances are natural compounds found in soil and forested streams and rivers. They are made up of humic and fulvic acids, which come from the breakdown of plant and animal materials. When soluble humic substances are present in water, they help plants absorb important nutrients (such as iron, calcium, magnesium, molybdenum, copper, manganese, zinc, cobalt, and nickel) more easily. 

Blackwater rivers have dark brown water due to the presence of these humic substances. There are many important blackwater rivers in the Amazon and Orinoco River drainages, as well as throughout forested regions of Southeast Asia, which are home to many common aquarium fishes. Recreating a blackwater environment is desirable when attempting to maintain these fishes. 

Gradually increasing the amount of humic substances in the aquarium can also encourage fish to spawn, especially species like Discus and Cardinal Tetras that are found in blackwater rivers like Brazil’s Rio Negro. 

Instructions & Guidelines

Chemical filtration media that aggressively absorb organic material (such as macroporous resins) will quickly extract humic substances from aquarium water, which is useful when trying to eliminate these substances but is otherwise to be avoided when dosing this product. Activated carbon has limited effectiveness for this purpose.

Basic: Add 5 ml (1 capful) of BlackWater per 20 US-gallons (75.7 L) of aquarium water once each week; when used in this fashion, 250 ml treats up to 1,000 US-gallons (3,785 L). If desired, dosage may be increased to obtain specific degrees of water coloration and/or increased bioavailability of certain nutrients to plants (see opposite panel); see comments regarding spawning below. In general, daily, rather than weekly, dosing is recommended; daily dosing maintains a more stable and natural environment than dosing weekly, in which nutrient concentrations spike just after dosing and then gradually decrease throughout the course of the week. To dose daily, add 6 drops per 20 US-gallons per day; adjust dosing volume after 3 – 5 weeks in accordance with appearance of plants and fishes, and perceived need for nutrients.

As a Spawning Aid: Consult reference materials for the specific spawning requirements of fishes in your aquaria and use this product and the following instructions to your best advantage: over a period of 6 days, increase basic daily dosage to 6 drops per 10 US-gallons (37.9 L) by increasing the number of drops administered by one drop each day (resulting in 6 drops per 10 US-gallons per day on the 6th day). Maintain this dosage (or increase it if desired) until fishes have concluded spawning and eggs have hatched, at which point dosage may be gradually decreased back to basic dosage. Adding BlackWater directly to water being used in water changes, particularly when made on a daily basis, may have the most positive impact; when using this method, add the appropriate amount of BlackWater for the entire system volume for that day. An increase in water temperature and the amount of live foods fed, in conjunction with following the above dosing instructions, will often encourage fishes to spawn. Be aware that an increase in feedings will generate increased waste and the need to remove it from the aquarium via more frequent water changes.

Caution: Keep out of reach of children. Not for human consumption.

Ingredients: Purified water, Humic acid, Fulvic acid, Niacin, Calcium pantothenate, Thiamine hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Biotin, Folic Acid, Cyanocobalamin.