Indian Almond Leaf (IAL)
My fishroom would not function very well if I did not use IAL on a regular basis. In my extremely soft San Francisco water (0 kH and 0 gH), I can get away with adding a lot of IAL to drop the pH down past 5. At this low pH, the ammonia gets locked in a non-toxic form does not bother the bettas, and water conditions are essentially sterile. Despite these apparently extreme water conditions, my fish thrive and build bubblenests all the live long day, even when I keep them at room temperature. The wild Betta burdigala actually require this pH drop to initiate spawning. I believe that using lots of IAL keeps my fish happier, and allows me to avoid water changes :) Keep in mind that this technique might not work for people with harder water (which acts as a buffer to prevent pH drops).
How I use IAL: All I do is rip up the leaves into about 1 inch (2-3 cm) squares and scatter them onto the surface of the water. They will eventually sink. I use about 1/3 of a large leaf per gallon. For sensitive species like licorice gouramies, I add the leaves 24 hours before changing the water so that there is no pH shock. Bettas are so hardy that they can be changed 100% with no ill effects.
How I use IAL: All I do is rip up the leaves into about 1 inch (2-3 cm) squares and scatter them onto the surface of the water. They will eventually sink. I use about 1/3 of a large leaf per gallon. For sensitive species like licorice gouramies, I add the leaves 24 hours before changing the water so that there is no pH shock. Bettas are so hardy that they can be changed 100% with no ill effects.