Leaf litter

[Phoenix.L]

To anyone running a tank with leaf litter on the bottom, how often do you change out the leaves? My tank just ends up with tons of leaf debris in the water column, is this just unavoidable or am I leaving the leaves in too long or is there some other type I should be using, or maybe more fresh leaves?
Input appreciated.
Thanks

[2wheelsx2]

I stopped using leaf litter for this reason. It was just clogging up my canister filter. Maybe there is some way of avoiding this but I couldn't manage to figure it out.

[bekateen]

I let the leaves decompose until they start to clog filter intakes. It's at that point that I replace them with new dried leaves.

I stopped using leaf litter for this reason. It was just clogging up my canister filter. Maybe there is some way of avoiding this but I couldn't manage to figure it out.

Not just canister filters. They clog up my HOBs too. I use coarse sponge prefilters to reduce filter clogging.

Cheers, Eric

[Shane]

If you want to set up a leaf litter biotope go with a matten filter set up or sponge filters. Leaf litter normally accumulates during the dry season when there is very little current.
-Shane

[aquaholic]

You could use a 6cm thick sheet of sponge sheet covering the tank bottom with airlift or powerhead driven piping. Essentially an undergravel filter without gravel.