Soaking Bogwood

[ChilliPepper]

Got a piece of bogwood (think they called it Jati wood or something?!) and realised I needed to soak it before putting it in my tank as I don't want a brown tank.

Yesterday chucked several kettle loads of water in with it in bucket and have left it over night. If I repeat this process for a week do you think it will be ready to put in? If the water comes out clear?

Can you bake bogwood, does it make any difference to the tannins? Or can I buy something to paint it with to stop the tannins leaking out?

 

[Gilli]

It will take weeks before it will stop leaking and making your water brown. All you can do is keep soaking and boiling. I got round this by buying some that was already pre-soaked on Ebay. The added bonus was it had a live plant growing on it and my water is crystal clear.

 

[ALW]

Why not add the bogwood to the tank now. Yes it will leach some tannins out, but most fish perfer tannins in the tank. Leaving it in a bucket for the tannins to run out of it can take from a week to several months. You can coat the bogwood with a tinn coat of transparent polyurethane lacquer, this will stop it leaching any tannins. IMO though you should soak the bogwood in boiling water for a few hours, replace the water every hour. This kills any harmful bacteria that could have been on the wood. We dont know how long the wood has been sitting on the floor/shelf. Then after it has been soaked for 3-4 hours and no longer floats it is ready to add the the tank. Postition it where you want it and then enjoy. Your fish will feel much more at home with the tannins that it leaches out. Plus the stocking that you want (Bolivian Rams, Angelfish and an Acara) perfer to have soft acid water, the bogwood and tannins would provide this.

 

[Mystil]

I bought some bogwood and left it in a bucket in the garden full up with water and every few days replace the water. Left it for a good few weeks and it went straight in the tank no problems.

 

[SJ2K]

All depends on the wood, ive added mopani straight to the tank without any tannins leaking out, ive added soaked stuff which did. Either way wont cause any issues and a few water changes down the line will clear it all.

 

[ChilliPepper]

OK thanks everyone

As I still have a few weeks before my tank is cycled it won't do any harm to soak it for a week then add it to the tank. At least if it does leak some tannins I know it won't hurt the fish

I'll soak it for 24 hours in boiling water then repeat each day.

 

[shelaghfishface]

apparently.. tho i havent ever ever done this you can chuck it in the dishwasher on an intense cycle without chemicals, thats really hot and will sort it out even better if you do it a few times.. the things they use the dishwasherfor on ere i dunno

 

[D3m]

I actually borrowed my neighbours Berko Boiler thats used for boiling lobster etc and that boils the tanins out within a couple of hours.

 

[minxfishy]

apparently.. tho i havent ever ever done this you can chuck it in the dishwasher on an intense cycle without chemicals, thats really hot and will sort it out even better if you do it a few times.. the things they use the dishwasherfor on ere i dunno

Aye, Ive put loads in the dishwasher for a good ole boil up, works a treat

 

[ChilliPepper]

Don't have a dishwasher unfortunately... Think OH's mum would question my mentality if I asked to use hers

 

[shelaghfishface]

apparently.. tho i havent ever ever done this you can chuck it in the dishwasher on an intense cycle without chemicals, thats really hot and will sort it out even better if you do it a few times.. the things they use the dishwasherfor on ere i dunno

Aye, Ive put loads in the dishwasher for a good ole boil up, works a treat

it was you i was reffering too i confess i did it once and it worked nicely

 

[minxfishy]

I tried it because I read it on here one day so I wasnt the loon that suggested it first Mind you it saves boiling forever.

 

[drobbyb]

Or......run carbon in your filter. Carbon takes the tannins out of the water.

 

[ChilliPepper]

Or......run carbon in your filter. Carbon takes the tannins out of the water.

How and where would I add carbon to my filter? Also, carbon in what form?

I have a CF1000 external filter.

 

[drobbyb]

Or......run carbon in your filter. Carbon takes the tannins out of the water.

How and where would I add carbon to my filter? Also, carbon in what form?

I have a CF1000 external filter.

I'm unfamiliar with thet type of filter. Most modern filters have an insert that you can change. Some of these already have carbon in them. If your filter has a media basket you can simply buy the carbon at any LFS and fill it up. Make sure you rinse the carbon before you put it in the filter as lack of rinsing will put massive amounts of CO(carbon monoxide) and CO2 (carbon dioxide) into the water.

I looked up your filter and you have baskets. Just go to the LFS and ask for filter carbon.