Tannins Wont Go Away

[sawickib]

So in my 75 gallon , i bought 3 large pieces of driftwood to put in it. I put the 3 pieces in a cooler outside for 2 weeks changing the water whenever it went brown. So when i thought they were good i put them in, and they turned my tank black, so ive done around 8 50% water changes since then, and the water gets a dark brown color then turns black again. Its really frustrating and im wondering if i should just keep doing a whole lot of water changes, is this my only opttion? Just wait months for it to go away, its been about 2 since i added them. Its mopani wood by the way.

 

[brittgs]

I boiled a small piece of mopani wood, then soaked it in a bucket for 3 weeks. I changed the water every day. I put it in my 5.5 gallon tank and it still stains the water over a month later. Not dark brown but there is still a tint to the water.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Keep doing water changes since they're still releasing tannins. Or take them out and continue soaking them so it doesn't make it hard for you to see into your tank. You can add carbon as well.

 

[sawickib]

It's been hard to see into the tank for months but my fish seem to like it, lol I don't, I'll just do a lot more water changes and see if I can get my hands on a hefty amount of carbon.

 

[Lillefishy]

Mopani can leech tannins for a long time, I have a piece over a year old still leeching.
The fish won't mind the tannins & it does have some health benefits especially for fish from blackwater areas.
It's also said to have anti bacterial properties

 

[sawickib]

I know it's harmless, I just can't see my fish, and actually my geophagus keeps getting random abrasions and wounds and then healing the next day, and there's only wood in the tank which is weird. The tank mates don't bother him either, I need to get him a friend or rehouse him though.

 

[cobden28]

I have Mopani wood in my tank, and despite soaking the wood for three days before putting it in the tank, the water still resembles the colour of weak tea. But my fish like it and seem happy, so I don't worry.