# Tadpole Tea help



## Cornish-J (Sep 4, 2011)

Just set up my tad system - added water, then some tap water treatment and some ENT tad tea - now when i've seen others, the water is a light brown colour, i added a reasonable amount in and it's still pretty much clear....


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## frogman955 (Feb 7, 2010)

I can`t help J as I don`t use the stuff, but I was wondering how the new tads are doing.
Mine are all hatched out now and started nibbling at food.

Mike


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## Cornish-J (Sep 4, 2011)

Mine look as though they are getting ready to break free - i'll get some pics for you now Mike .. and some pics of my truely professional tad system lol...

if anyone can help with regards to the tad tea, Stu - i'm sure i remember your water being a much darker shade.


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## berksmike (Jan 2, 2008)

I make my own mate - use indian almond leaves, thai banana leaf and black alder cones.
Ive got a tank of it set up with pothos and duckweed and just take what i need and top up with spring water or more leaves as necessary
That way also you get natural algae and microfauna that the,tads can feed on alongside the food you feed them


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

I just bunged it in until I got a nice hint of yellow colour. lol I know how to make it, but between not wanting to be bothered, and my wife not liking the idea of me boiling alder cones and Indian almond leaves, I just buy it. lol

I don't need to use nearly as much at water changes.

Ade


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## berksmike (Jan 2, 2008)

Wolfenrook said:


> I just bunged it in until I got a nice hint of yellow colour. lol I know how to make it, but between not wanting to be bothered, and my wife not liking the idea of me boiling alder cones and Indian almond leaves, I just buy it. lol
> 
> I don't need to use nearly as much at water changes.
> 
> Ade


Doing the tank way Ade you can just throw the leaves and cones in without the need for boiling. It does take longer for the tanins to leach out but as youre not doing batches of tea thats not a problem..
Good if you get lots of tads to deal with.


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## Cornish-J (Sep 4, 2011)

Ade, that's probably the answer i was looking for. I've added a little more and now it's a bit more of a yellowy colour.


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

berksmike said:


> Doing the tank way Ade you can just throw the leaves and cones in without the need for boiling. It does take longer for the tanins to leach out but as youre not doing batches of tea thats not a problem..
> Good if you get lots of tads to deal with.


Would take up too much space bud. 



Cornish-J said:


> Ade, that's probably the answer i was looking for. I've added a little more and now it's a bit more of a yellowy colour.


Cool. : victory:


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

he mate,i think you pretty much sorted,but yes you remeber right,i chuck a handful of cones in our rainwater boil cool seive and leave it ready to use,i don't make batches often,a little goes along way,a few drops to stain it say a sepia...light brown and thats it,stronger at first and just a bit each partial water change,slightly weaker for mysties,by the time they are morphing its pretty much straight rainwater Mikes method sounds really interesting:2thumb:,but this simple approach is just nailing it for me tad after tad,apart from the odd sls mystie,
J little things...tads will go straight when they have hatched,no need to get them swimming in water too soon,just keep that humidity right up.Do not be alarmed if they don't all come out together,they'll be fine for a while possibly better off for not going straight in the gizmo,rmember they are not geared to swim just after hatch,they have to go piggy back on dad first...hmm or mum:lol2:....24 48 hrs before gizmo i reckon
look carefully at the back of tad you'll see the shape change start to get thinner as the yolk is absorbed,tad probably wants its first feed now.
first feed lower protien and i STRESS tiny tiny amounts,bit of I almond,or we use oak leaf soaking in water now ready to use and acumulating algea ready for tad
Some little insights
Stu


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## marcuswinner1 (Sep 24, 2009)

Think you have plenty of info from the others already J but I shall comment for the heck of it:

I pour a litre of boiling water into a jug add two oak leaves and two alder cones and leave to stand till cool enough to bottle up. Sometimes I dilute it a but with tap water if it looks too strong but then use this exclusively for my tads. Prior to doing this I was loosing tads to fungal attacks regularly but as soon as I started making the tea this problem vanished.

Marcus.


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

marcuswinner1 said:


> Think you have plenty of info from the others already J but I shall comment for the heck of it:
> 
> I pour a litre of boiling water into a jug add two oak leaves and two alder cones and leave to stand till cool enough to bottle up. Sometimes I dilute it a but with tap water if it looks too strong but then use this exclusively for my tads. Prior to doing this I was loosing tads to fungal attacks regularly but as soon as I started making the tea this problem vanished.
> 
> Marcus.


tis the alder my friend,just nails fungal attack stone dead,good init:2thumb::2thumb:
now the burning question is .... how does one produce enough springtails for all those little froggies,just for those first few days...ha ha and beyond,without buying em of course...yeah working onit dude:whistling2:
Stu


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## marcuswinner1 (Sep 24, 2009)

soundstounite said:


> tis the alder my friend,just nails fungal attack stone dead,good init:2thumb::2thumb:
> now the burning question is .... how does one produce enough springtails for all those little froggies,just for those first few days...ha ha and beyond,without buying em of course...yeah working onit dude:whistling2:
> Stu


I let Spanner worry about that bit and buy them from him!!:2thumb:


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## Cornish-J (Sep 4, 2011)

Thanks Marcus, i'll keep that in mind if i experience any fungal issues.

my first ever tad hatched last night! ... will leave him in situ for a day or two and the move to some shallow water for about a week whilst increasing the amount of water each day?


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## soundstounite (Sep 6, 2009)

marcuswinner1 said:


> I let Spanner worry about that bit and buy them from him!!:2thumb:


Cheat he cried...lmao....:lol2:

Jaime massive grats mate good luck,this is where you really start to develope that method that works for you,but yeah nearly tad will possibly slow at first so increase the water level,as he gets stronger....i keep saying this ,but watch the tad,he'll tell ya.they call it stockmanship my friend,the ability to really look and appraise what livestock is doing,then react to it,works for plants too
bring it on
Stu


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