Mopani wood

[Jennet]

I have from what my best recall is a lovely piece of twisted mopani wood from my snake keeping days. Have soaked in in bath for last two days. I read on here about a water clarifier called Beachem Purigen. Would that be ok to use to remove tanins from water for a clearer tank? Also, would wood be best to put in whilst cycling tank or after please?

 

[anewbie]

I can't answer your question as to if that stuff is safe but I can comment that despite some people not liking it tanins is good for fishes and a few weekly water changes will remove it (unless you keep adding fresh wood or leaves. I have several aquariums where i add new leaves very few weeks to keep the water nice and dark.

 

[Naughts]

I would add that it is best to leave out tannins until after cycling just so that your test colours show true.

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello Jennet. A piece of Mopani wood this size isn't going to discolor the tank water very much. Not much at all in a larger tank. Putting any chemical into tank water other than the standard water treatment can be risky. You don't know how the living things already in the tank are going to react. Since the piece has been rinsed, just add it to the tank during the next scheduled water change and leave it. Just follow your regular water change routine. By the way, large weekly water changes are best for whatever you have living in the tank.

10

 

[Jennet]

Hello Jennet. A piece of Mopani wood this size isn't going to discolor the tank water very much. Not much at all in a larger tank. Putting any chemical into tank water other than the standard water treatment can be risky. You don't know how the living things already in the tank are going to react. Since the piece has been rinsed, just add it to the tank during the next scheduled water change and leave it. Just follow your regular water change routine. By the way, large weekly water changes are best for whatever you have living in the tank.

10

Thanks, I am only just setting up the tank and going through cycling at the moment, but will add it once I am sure of my parameters and then do a last test before I start adding fish.

 

[anewbie]

If you are keeping south american fishes this is how they like hte water (looking straight down from the top):

 

[GaryE]

If you are keeping south american fishes this is how they like hte water (looking straight down from the top):

View attachment 383998

Some do. It depends on whether they're blackwater or whitewater (if they're from the Amazon region), and if from elsewhere on that vast continent, where they come from.

The only reason I'd buy Mopani would be for the tannins. I'd be very disappointed when the wood stopped colouring the water. But I keep mainly rainforest blackwater fish.

 

[anewbie]

Some do. It depends on whether they're blackwater or whitewater (if they're from the Amazon region), and if from elsewhere on that vast continent, where they come from.

The only reason I'd buy Mopani would be for the tannins. I'd be very disappointed when the wood stopped colouring the water. But I keep mainly rainforest blackwater fish.

Actually if i am not mistaken most white-water areas are quite dark not from tannins but from mud. Still i would think most fishes kept in the home are from dark water areas with the whitewater being larger fishes like those geo and pleco that love the rapids but of course i suppose the easier route is for @Jennet to list the fishes they will be keeping and go from there

In my case this aquarium has a bunch of green neon tetra (can't you see them all in the picture?) which love dark waters or at least in theory - as for me - they only like it when i put food in there

 

[Jennet]

Decided I cannot put the mopani wood in as it is a fraction too wide (and only a small tank), but will keep it until I have MOT'd and serviced my car, and have enough money to get another tank to fit my hopefully new tank hole in a few months. Thanks all for your input.