Driftwood question

[Aces11]

Just got a small piece of driftwood from petco. The water at the store had no signs of tannins but I boiled it when I got home just to make sure. The water I boiled it in turned a nasty tea color I was wondering how long does it take to boil out the tannins? And how come the water at the pet store was crystal clear?

 

[My Fish Babies.]

I dont know if this will help but, I just purchased 2 medium pieces from petco as well. I boiled them for about four hours changing the water about every 45 min. I then let them soak over night in a bucket. They are now in my 55 and there is still some tannis coming out from them. Its not horrible but it is noticeable.

 

[Aces11]

I dont know if this will help but, I just purchased 2 medium pieces from petco as well. I boiled them for about four hours changing the water about every 45 min. I then let them soak over night in a bucket. They are now in my 55 and there is still some tannis coming out from them. Its not horrible but it is noticeable.

Thanks. I think I'll keep boiling and soaking it. What I don't understand is how the tanks at the store showed no tannins at all?

 

[Luananeko]

They probably had carbon in their filters. Carbon will take out the tanins but needs to be replaced regularly to keep up the effect. It's an option if you really hate the tanins though.

The driftwood should stop leeching after all the boiling and soaking you're doing, but if it doesn't then it should stop on it's own within a few months. Most fish actually like the tanins and the leeching won't be as obvious when in your tank compared to when it's in a small boiling pot of water.

 

[Fishandmusic81]

Boiling forces the tannins to come out because of the amount of heat
Just put it in a bucket let it soak for a day or two changing the water everyday and you should be fine
I just put it a piece of driftwood to my shrimp tank and it's been doing great

 

[Aces11]

They probably had carbon in their filters. Carbon will take out the tanins but needs to be replaced regularly to keep up the effect. It's an option if you really hate the tanins though.

The driftwood should stop leeching after all the boiling and soaking you're doing, but if it doesn't then it should stop on it's own within a few months. Most fish actually like the tanins and the leeching won't be as obvious when in your tank compared to when it's in a small boiling pot of water.

Well it's only a 20g tank. But im sure it won't be as obvious just like you said. I've only been boiling it for about an hour and a half and I've changed the water once. I'll prob let it boil until tonight and then soak it overnight. Will that help get most of the tannins out?

 

[Aces11]

Boiling forces the tannins to come out because of the amount of heat
Just put it in a bucket let it soak for a day or two changing the water everyday and you should be fine
I just put it a piece of driftwood to my shrimp tank and it's been doing great

Thanks. I'm gonna keep boiling it and then I'll let it soak.

 

[ReidILewis]

Tannins are harmless, it makes the tank more of a natural habitat for the fish. I personally like tannins. I pick up a lot of driftwood from my local swamps and rivers, I usually only boil them for about 30 minutes, and soak them for a day or two. I only boil it to kill any living thing on/in the wood. I think it was a good idea to boil the wood, because you never know what could have been on it, knowing Petco.

 

[Aces11]

I think it was a good idea to boil the wood, because you never know what could have been on it, knowing Petco.

Yes that's exactly why I boiled it in the first place. I'm still boiling it and it's still leeching tannins. I'm going to soak it tonight and boil it again tomorrow if I have to.

 

[Fishandmusic81]

Yes that's exactly why I boiled it in the first place. I'm still boiling it and it's still leeching tannins. I'm going to soak it tonight and boil it again tomorrow if I have to.

It'll leach for months the thing to it is to just boil it once for about 8 hours or break it up into more than one boiling and just let it soak in a bucket it won't leach anymore unless you force the tannins out with the heat from boiling

 

[Aces11]

I let it soak overnight and it still leaked some tannins. I'm gonna keep soaking it and then I'll boil it again this afternoon.

 

[ReidILewis]

This might be a bit late, but I think you're going a bit over board on boiling and soaking it. It doesn't have to be completely bare of tannins, in a tank you wouldn't even notice that it leeched any out.

 

[Aces11]

This might be a bit late, but I think you're going a bit over board on boiling and soaking it. It doesn't have to be completely bare of tannins, in a tank you wouldn't even notice that it leeched any out.

I hope not. Im still soaking it an it's still leeching some tannins. I just don't want to put it in my tank and have it turn my water nasty colors. I'll prob put it in my tank today or tomorrow.

 

[ReidILewis]

I hope not. Im still soaking it an it's still leeching some tannins. I just don't want to put it in my tank and have it turn my water nasty colors. I'll prob put it in my tank today or tomorrow.

I'm sure its fine..

 

[ReidILewis]

What I'm saying, is that it may look like a lot of tannin inside a small tub, or bowl, but inside a fish tank, its not even noticeable unless there are tons of it, which I doubt with the amount of times you've soaked and boiled it. I assure you, its fine to put it in right now.

 

[beernboots]

I boiled mine for about half an hour and put it in my tank. My tank is crystal clear.

 

[beernboots]

Bog wood is the best it been in water for a very long time. Could be 100 years or more. That what I got in my tanks now.

 

[Aces11]

What I'm saying, is that it may look like a lot of tannin inside a small tub, or bowl, but inside a fish tank, its not even noticeable unless there are tons of it, which I doubt with the amount of times you've soaked and boiled it. I assure you, its fine to put it in right now.

Ok. I'll put it in my tank later when I do my water change.

 

[Aces11]

I put the wood in my tank today. Hopefully my water will stay relatively clear

 

[Greenphantom]

I soaked a couple pieces for 2+ weeks and have not had a problem I changed the water every other day