Bettawan : Catechu Bark (Acacia Catechu)
Catechu Bark great for simulating black water condition.
 
BASIC INFORMATION:
 
Both the amateur and professional Aquarist also use Catechu Bark to mimic the natural conditions of their fish in their aquarium.
As with Indian Almond Bark, if your fish comes from a habitat where leaves and other plant debris regularly falls into the water and decompose, your fish will be happier in that environment so trying to mimic it in your aquariums is strongly recommended. Leaves and bark that fall into the water release many different compounds, from dyes to trace minerals, and fish living in the water adapt to having different compounds readily available. If your fish comes from the type of environment described above, Catechu Bark is one way of stimulating black water condition which is the natural environment for most tropical fish.

Making your own Catechu Bark Blackwater Extract is pretty much straight forward:
 
1st you need a bag of Bettawan Catechu Bark (Acacia Catechu)
 
Next you need a pot big enough to hold at least 1 gallon of water, but the bigger the pot the more extract you will produce. Put 25g - 75g of Bettawan Catechu Bark for each gallon of water inside the pot.
 
Fill the pot with clean water.
 
Let the Catechu Bark soak in the water for 24 hours. It's best to put some type of weight on top of the Catechu Bark to stop it floating.
 
The following day boil the pot of Catechu Bark for 15-20 minutes. Put to one side and let it cool and stew for another 24 hours. The next day boil the pot again for 10-15 minutes.
 
Once the water as cooled you will notice that the water is black with a very strong fragrance. Filter the Catechu Bark blackwater extract through a coffee paper filter or an old pair of tights. This is to stop any undesirable matter getting into the blackwater extract.
 
The Catechu Bark blackwater extract can now be poured into plastic or glass bottles, sealed and stored in fridge or somewhere dark and cool. Great for simulating blackwater condition in the aquarium.
 
ADVANTAGES OF CATECHU BARK IN THE AQUARIUM:
 
1. Addition of Trace Minerals ( 100% Natural )
2. Anti-Inflammatory. Prevents a