How Long Do I Soak Bogwood For?

[shang hi]

i recently bourght 3 peaces of bogwood for my new tank, the man at the store said they have already been soaked for a year of so, but i don't want to have brown water and i've heard that there soaking sucks. i have ages to do it like a month, should i soak it for the month or just a week or so?
thanks for any help, shang hi.

 

[pauly]

Until the water you're soaking it in becomes clear I presume. Keep changing it daily until that happens. Mine took about two nights, and is now ready to put in, woohoo!

 

[juwelfan]

I only had one bit of bogwood (in 70L), but i soaked it for 24hrs, the water was boiling from the kettle. There was still some browning of the water, but it cleared after a few days and a 10% water change. If i had 3 bits in there, i guess the water would have gone very dark.

 

[shang hi]

oh no the small and make like 1 good sized bit together. there small because the tank has a suport section and i can't get a realy big bit through to hole but im happy with my bits as ill posttion them so they look like 1 big bit.

 

[mark.w.jones]

Bog wood can stain water for literally months. Don't be surprised if even after a couple of week soaking in water replaced daily it still leaks tanins into your water. Boiling water in my experience tends to make things even worse. I think boiling it breaks down the wood to a certain extent.

I would advise soaking it for a few weeks in a bucket of water replaced every day then see how things go. Carbon in your filter will help to reduce the staining although you will need to replace the carbon every month. If it still isn't great after a few months go for something like mopani wood. This is all I ever use now as it leaches far fewer tanins than other types of wood.

 

[shang hi]

my filter kicks.... as its a Aqua One Aquis 2250UV-C. and im going to soak the bogwood for up to 5 weeks if i have to.

 

[Luketendo]

I can't be bothered to soak it because it's actually beneficial for tetras, can lower pH, soften water and the tea colour makes them a lot happier.

 

[ronanphilip]

good topic on wood here click

 

[Darkstar]

another good article:

http/www.plecofanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42826

 

[Squid]

It really depends from wood to wood, but if you have a month, then just soak it for a month. One of my bit really needed it. People soak it for different reasons. Mainly to get rid of the excess tanins, but also to make it sink. If it sinks you 'could' use it straight away.

As somenbody else mentioned, I have also been told that hot water will just keep producing more and more tanins. I'm sure cold water would do fine.

Squid

 

[Luketendo]

Ok well my bogwood isn't staining my water.

It was in 35L for a week and stained the water, I then boiled it for a few hours and now it's not stained the water.

 

[shang hi]

Ok well my bogwood isn't staining my water.

It was in 35L for a week and stained the water, I then boiled it for a few hours and now it's not stained the water.

you boiled it? i guessing you used a big pan..

 

[Luketendo]

Ok well my bogwood isn't staining my water.

It was in 35L for a week and stained the water, I then boiled it for a few hours and now it's not stained the water.

you boiled it? i guessing you used a big pan..

I didn't boil it actually, I soaked it, my mistake.