Help Before I Shut This Bloody Tank Down.

[mark7616]

I have 4 large bits of bogwood in my 5x2x2 I had them soaking for 2 weeks untill they sank then put them in the tank and they have been in now about 2 months and are still leaching tannins I cant stop it. Also the wood is really crumbly well not crumbly I have fine wood dust from it like the fish have been chewing on it and I end end with piles of it. The water is always brown with all this crap on the floor does any one have any ideas or know of anything else I can use cause im gonna bin it other wise its doing my head in.

 

[DiscusAngel]

remove it, and pressure wash it. then do a 20% water change eveyday for 2 weeks, and ad carbon to the filter. this should get rid of it.

 

[mark7616]

Where am I going to pressure wash it it will still leach tannins wont it.

 

[jaarus]

All depends on whay type of wood it is?

To show an example - I bought a load of mopani - I heard it leaches pretty badly and that boiling it was a way to increase the leeching process.
So I boiled it......for 6 hours changing the water regularly until the water between changes went from gravy to about the colour of weak apple juice.

Popped in in my tank and it continued to leech tannins for about another month!

Now though the water is crystal - the fish dont mind the water discolouration but granted the tank doesnt look like most people want their tank to look!


With a piece your size (guessing its pretty damn big?) I would suggest you soak it in something big (a say a plastic dustbin) until the water remains clear and then re-add it to your tank?

 

[DiscusAngel]

Where am I going to pressure wash it it will still leach tannins wont it.

yes... power wash all the leaching tannis out...

trust me itll work

 

[FreshwaterMike]

I soaked my 2 pieces of bogwood in boiling water for a couple of hours, then scrubbed them all over for about half an hour with a nailbrush, then let them soak for another hour and they've never left tannins in the water.

Give them a real good scrub

 

[craigybaby37]

prehaps this is why my small tank looks kinda brown i brought 2 pieces of drift wood one big piece for my comminity tank and a smaller piece for my rekord 60. the bigger piece is a very dark brown colour and the smaller piece is a very very light brown and wheni added it to the tank it disscoloured the water could i be having the same problem....would you reccomend pressure washing it and then carrying out 20% changes for 2 weeks after???

 

[DiscusAngel]

yes, because power washng the leaching tannis out means then no tannis will go back into to the tank. then leave the wood tfor 1-2 weeks do 20 w/c everyday for 1-2weeks and add carbon to the filter. this will end up removing it. then add the wood back to the tank. with luck there will be no tannis. but once youve pressure washd it make sure u leave it in a bucket of water for the weeks its not in the tank.

 

[craigybaby37]

ok thanks very much for the help ill do that rite away woulc you recomend doing this for both pieces or just the small piece as the big piece has caused no problems?? or has it as my nitrites are still high but thats another problem i need to sort asap. the small tank has never been the same since i planted it and added the drift wood it used to have such a healthy glow especially with the 7500k fresh water lamp.

 

[DiscusAngel]

just the small one if its making te water chage colour.

 

[vinylman]

For each of the three (large-ish) pieces of Mopani wood I've added to my tank, I bought them all on my way to work a night shift. I soaked each piece for ten hours, replacing the hot water every two hours. I've never had any noticeable tannin leeching into the water when I've got home and added the wood to the tank.

 

[Night_Market]

Leave it be - it'll disappear in time and if the fish are 'acidic lovers' then they'll enjoy it - my one of my tanks is now the colour of a weak brew due to 5 big lumps of bogwood.

 

[PoPoV]

This old nut shell again huh I did the tannin dance for about 6 monthes!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Where am I going to pressure wash it it will still leach tannins wont it.

take it to the car wash! you know you get those jet wash things, so long as it's just water you use it's fine and should give it a good blast out.

 

[smurfyy_2k3]

well this may not work for you as your pieces are big, but i throw mine in a pan of boiling water on the hob replace the water every half hour after its started to boil and keep doing it till the water runs clear, cant really see pressure washing it doing any good