Argh, Tannins!

[StingrayKid]

This isn't an emergency so, I tought this would be the best place to post. I bought this really nice peice of Driftwood and the seller told me that it had no tannins in it and it wouldn't discolor the water. (I thought they ment they pre-soaked/boiled it already). This is what the tank looked like at first:

Then the water started to get brown. I cleaned the tank three times now, and the browness keeps coming back. Heres what it looks like:

What should I do to get the browness out?

 

[karrihug]

water change, water change, water change.

sorry, i just got through the same thing with my 37 gal. i changed water every couple of days for about 2 weeks, and it is still kinda yellow. the good news is that most fish like it that way.

 

[Paul_MTS]

either take it out soak it for a few days, replacing the water daily.

use carbon in your filter

or do all the water changes!!

 

[Teelie]

The tannins are harmless and some fish actually do seem to enjoy the brownish water more so you can take your pick of either letting it stay or doing lots of water changes/soaking.

 

[StingrayKid]

Well, if they are okay with it, I am! Thanks for the help.

 

[Teelie]

They probably would be. Darker water means less light penetration and more security to the fish as they're not in an "exposed" brightly lit area.

 

[StingrayKid]

I think I'll let the tank do what it wants to. (The wood I mean). If the fish like it I have no problems with it. But, after a while wont the color go away? I mean, after a bunch of water changes wouldn't it be gone?

 

[Teelie]

Yeah, eventually the color will clear up as the last of the tannins leach out and the water keeps being replaced with fresh, clear water.

 

[bunjiweb]

I would however reccomend still doing some water changes just to make sure as you never know what lurks in bogwood... caused one of my synodontis catfish to get fungus on his tail (which thankfully he is fully recovered from fairly quickly).

Better safe than sorry.

Ben

 

[Teelie]

Water changes wouldn't help that, though they do still need to be done on a regular basis. For fungus problems, you'd have to treat it with a fungal remover.

 

[CFC]

I actually routinely add new pieces of bogwood to my tank to keep the water with a slight yellow tannin tint in it, the fish preffer it and it actually brings out the natural colours more as the water is more like the colour nature intended them to be in.

 

[Discomafia]

I actually routinely add new pieces of bogwood to my tank to keep the water with a slight yellow tannin tint in it, the fish preffer it and it actually brings out the natural colours more as the water is more like the colour nature intended them to be in.

But what does that do to your lighting? It surely decreases the wpg right?

 

[CFC]

I actually routinely add new pieces of bogwood to my tank to keep the water with a slight yellow tannin tint in it, the fish preffer it and it actually brings out the natural colours more as the water is more like the colour nature intended them to be in.

But what does that do to your lighting? It surely decreases the wpg right?

Sorry should have added that my tanks are all unplanted (apart from a couple of bunches of giant vallis and a java fern in my main tank) so lighting WPG is not a issue, in fact i try to keep my WPG levels as low as possible while still having enough light to view the fish as many of the fish i keep are light intollerent or nocturnal, my 200 gallon tank has just 74 watts of light at its peak lighting time.

 

[Discomafia]

Should have thought of that...

 

[freshmike]

Two words. Seachem Purigen. It is a filter media that does WONDERS for removing tannins.....should be clear in 24 hours.