Bog Wood

[barker_23]

Hi, i am just starting my tropical tank, i have seen a piece of bog wood available, it says its "real cornish oak bog wood"

Now is there anything i have to watch out for when purchasing bog wood, does it have to be a particular type or anything like that.

Many Thanks

 

[waterdrop]

I don't know the answer to that (hopefully others will have some good thoughts), but I have read some useful suggestions here that you can always put the bogwood in a bucket (after you do the usual several boilings/rinsings) and just start running the usual fishless cycling tests and see whether the wood is changing the water chemistry. KH and pH would be the most obvious (perhaps only) tests to run. If the wood gives off excessive tannins, yellowing the water, even after a good cleaning process, you can add a layer of carbon to your filter for a while.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[ALW]

Take the wood and rinse and scrub it under normal tap water then fill and put it in a bucket of tap water for around a week. If the water turns very dark brown then the wood probably hasn't been pretreated and you'll need to replace the water and re-examine the water every 2 days until it shows signs of lessening. This can take many weeks or months if it is a untreated piece.

If it is pretreated it should sink rapidly within a day and will not leak out high levels of tannins. Once you're happy with the way the wood is looking, add to your aquarium.

Alternately the Bogwood can be placed in boiling water for 2-4 hours, this is a quick alternative to letting it sit soaking in water for weeks. But this is a very smelly and dirty process for most home aquarists. Replace the water every hour using this process. Although this is quicker than leaving the wood in a bucket for a week it also destroys any beneficial fungus or bacteria there may have been on it.

 

[Duck and Dive]

Bogwood can make the water a bit more acidic and turn the water slightly yellow.

D&D

 

[barker_23]

Hi, thanks for all your replies.

I managed to purchase the piece of wood, its a very big piece, i have trimmed it down to get it in my tank and it looks very good. The only thing is that its touching the glass at the back of the tank. Will this be ok or will i have to trim it down more to stop it resting on the glass.

Many thanks again..........

 

[waterdrop]

Well you should wait for others to add their answers, but, for my 2cents...

Unless it is placing pressure, or could possibly settle and place pressure and unless the glass-resting area forms any sort of trap for small fish, it should be perfectly ok I would think.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[ALW]

As above , i think it should be alright as long as it isnt putting extreme pressure on the glass.

 

[waterdrop]

I must be learning, first time andy has ever agreed with me I think (I like your pic with your dad better!)