Adding Driftwood

[Larkspur]

I would really like to try adding driftwood if/when my bf ever gets his 55 gallon set up so I can use his 37.

The tank is going to have a BN in it, probably cories, as well as guppies and possibly some platys. Oh and my misplaced female betta if she can handle it and not eat my guppies.

I've always liked the looks of driftwood in a tank. I'm big into making a tank heavily planted and natural looking and the driftwood really adds a BANG to the look.

I've seen from experience and also heard that driftwood is a pain and changes the water to a murky brown color. I want to avoid that! Maybe there is different kinds of wood I could use? I'm not familiar with it. I just know I would like to give it a try and plant some java fern in the crevices.

 

[england]

It shouldnt make it murky...just a tea'ish colour,which is more natural looking...
well if u dont like that look then look for fake bogwood

 

[stuuk1]

You can soak the wood in water which will bring out the tanning. But it can leak tanning for quite some times, leading in to many months!

I have a large piece of bogwood and love the colour it gives off. it doesnt make it murky at all. Give it a try and if you decide you dont like it, take it out and soak it. Although, give it a good wash first.

 

[Larkspur]

Thanks!

 

[pauld]

Thanks!

boil it for twenty minutes change the water do it again repeat a few times until water is clear and no tanning doesnt take long .

 

[nurglespuss]

The natural tannins released into the water will help keep the fish you describet in a healthy condition, and also displays their colouration in a more 'natural' format. You can get mopani wood (which has been sandblasted) which releases much less tannin, however it also provides no lignin (not that you have anything that really consumes lignin at presnt ).

Another method (although it will remove any medication you add to the tank) is activated carbon, either in the outflow of your filter, or as a packeage inside the filter iteself, this will remove the tannins (they become semibound and innactive) but must be removed regulaerly to prevent the carbon reaching carrying capacity and dropping tannins back into solution (along with any other solutes).

Hope that helps!

 

[Larkspur]

I already use a filter that has carbon in it. I've only had to medicate my tank once and when I did this the carbon was removed.

I guess I can try it and if I don't like it I can just simply remove the wood. My boyfriend wanted driftwood in with his cichlids, but it lowers the pH we heard so he's sticking to create tunnels and such with PVC piping.

 

[karin]

Hi. I don't know where you are Larkspur and what is available but I used manzanita wood, read it was safe for aquariums and no tannins, no boiling, just chose really dead pieces and cleaned them up. Search manzanita and tropical fish or aquarium and see if their are sources near you.

 

[Larkspur]

I live in SC. I might be able to find some of that. I really like the look of it. Looks really smooth and twisty. Would be kind of cool to have that as well as the typical driftwood for different textures in a tank.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I soaked my bogwood and it stopped turning the water in the bucket brown...I put it in the tank, forgot all about it as such and thought "my water looks dirty" I did a water change but the water was clean (doh)... the bog wood is still releasing tannins into my water but it's very pale; so long as I can still see the fish and it's ok for them then I dont mind.

 

[Ryefish]

my bogwood only releases a tiny bit of tannins. I compared the tank water to tap water and decided i wanted sparking clear water, did a big water change and then realised i didnt like the tank without the brown-ish water definately looks more natural

 

[james_fish]

My bogwood left no tannings because I went crazy with the boiling, did it for like a week straight every day boil and spray. My water is tanned now because of peat, but it looks great and natural!

James.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

my bogwood only releases a tiny bit of tannins. I compared the tank water to tap water and decided i wanted sparking clear water, did a big water change and then realised i didnt like the tank without the brown-ish water definately looks more natural

LOL. I don't mind the brown; the tank is just in a fairly dark corner so I'd like clear water but I don'd mind that much.

I bought my water pre-boiled hahaha.

 

[Larkspur]

Thanks for the info. I've already discussed it with my bf and he said we will definitely try it in the 37 once he moves his darn cichlids into his 55. I think he's letting me do some aquascaping to my hearts content. He even said I'm the better decorator.