i have been searching and cant find a thread on all different kinds of leaf litter.i thought maybe i would ask about the types of leaves and maybe get a few pics too.im not sure what the "football" shaped leaves are but i like those
micro-whata? yes i do want something that looks good.(small 3in or so)
haha - some will keep the springtails and other small bugs going better like maple, it sounds like you probably want magnolia. you can buy them from sponsors on here
what are these?........something like this .is this a leaf that will break down too quick?are there any other leaves simaler to this that are native to ohio
Not to be rude, Im pretty certain that those are oak leaves. Thats what I use in my tanks. The Magnolia leaves are much larger than oak, but oak breaks down quicker. The oak leaves are fairly common in North America and can be found and used as long is it is not in an area that has been treated with pesticides. When I gather my oak leaves I always put them in warm bleach water and let them soak. I then rinse them with just water and lay them out to air dry, just to make sure all the bleach residue evaporates. Hope that helps....sara
I think the leaves of magnolia trees in the northern climates are quite smaller. I took a bunch from a neighbors tree last week and they ranged from 3 to 5 inches. That being said oak and magnolia leaves hold up better over time in the high humidity conditions of a vivarium. Many people use leaves just for looks, but they can be great homes for microfauna (springtails, woodlice, etc). These small creatures are great food for young frogs and they keep the adult frogs active as they forage through the leaf litter. I think a blend of a variety of species of leaves helps maintain a constant decay which the microfauna lives on. Keep with mainly magnolia and oak, but throw in a little maple or something different to give a little variety to your growing microfauna population.
best leaf litter?
but look at the shape that's how to tell a leaf from a leaf 
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