Driftwood

[feinhorn]

I have bought some small pieces for driftwood to put into my tank. I have boiled it 3 times for 30 min at a time then cooled it in tap water. It keeps staining the water and I dont want to put it into the tank. I have finally got my tank clear and don't want to make it look like iced tea. I have a pleco and have heard that they like it. How long does it take to get rid of the brown stain that comes from the wood? Also if I put it in the tank how long would it take for the color to disappear? It almost seems not worth using.

 

[d9hp]

In time, it will settle down, but if you have carbon in your filter it will work a whole lot sooner.

 

[targaboy78]

Hi feinhorn,

It is not a matter of boiling the tannins out, it is more of a 'letting them leach out over time' scenario.

Just get a bucket that is large enough for the driftwood, put the driftwood into the bucket and fill it with enough clean, dechlorinated water to cover the driftwood.

Let it soak, when the water turns brown like tea, dump it out and replace it with fresh water. Sometimes this takes several days, sometimes it takes up to two weeks. Sooner or later, you will notice that the water will stop changing color.

BUT with all that being said, tannins incidentally, are good for the fish, it's what they experience in the wild. Actually some fish from mangroves actually prefer tannins in the water.

I hope this helps.

 

[littlelouie]

As advised to I am currently soaking my piece of driftwwod I got yesterday in a bucket to leech out the tannin. I will let you know how long it takes if you would like

 

[loganj]

Something else to consider when adding driftwood to the tank is that the tannins are in the form of tannic acid. This may soften and acidify the water. The degree to which this happens depends on the buffering capacity of the water. Something to think about.
Logan J

 

[feinhorn]

Boil it!! It worked very well for me. I boiled it 4 times at 30 min and then soaked in declorinated water for 30 min each time. (boil..soak....boil...soak) I put it in the tank tonight and it has not leached at all! I was told at the LFS that boiling is a faster way of soaking in room temp water. It worked for me and I am very happy with the results. After I boiled it the 4 times I soaked for 2 hours and them put it in the tank. Good luck!

 

[littlelouie]

Cheers for the info

 

[MINIATUS]

Plecos require wood in there diet, helps with there digestion and adds some kind of minerals ,that they require to survive. Some people dont use it but the Plecos dont do as well as the tanks with the Driftwood. Just my obsevation from keeping freshwater for the last 30 years. As mentioned above it will soften the water somewhat. Ideal for Discus tanks.

MINIATUS

 

[mansiz]

Are those livebearer fishes and tetras suitable for drift wood? Won't it be difficult to see below the drift wood if there is any fish died? Must we boiled and soak it after we bought it? Last time I had a drift wood, but I did'nt boiled and soak it, I just place it in the tank, but it did'nt dirty the water after all particles settled down, but last time the fishes in the tank was African Cichlid. Are those particle on the drift wood before boliing bad for the fish?

 

[pocketrout]

I got a piece of maylasian driftwood that fits into a 5 gallon bucket and it was a pain to change the water every day. So I went to Wal-Mart and got one of thoes plastic organizer bins that was plenty big enough for the driftwood. Then I got my gardenhose hooked it up to a battery operated timer for watering your lawn (think I got it at Home Depot or Lowes) and set the timer for the hose to run for 5 minutes, once per day. The timer allows the bin with the driftwood to be flushed out once a day and I don't even have to think about it. I will check the wood in a couple weeks. It's working great! I think I will line the bin with a sheet of black plastic from one of those big yard waste garbage bags and set the contraption in the sun. In theory the sun should make the water pretty warm with the black plastic in there and help the tannins leech out quicker.

P.S. I have the bin outside in my backyard where the water run-off is good and I have well water.

 

[d9hp]

That is a great idea! Welcome to AA

 

[Jack]

Pocketrout, I also got some Malaysian driftwood. Though they are not supposed to, both pieces float. Did yours float?

 

[targaboy78]

Hi Jack,
( Boy! I would not want to say that too loud in an airport nowadays )

Sometimes the driftwood will float. How long have you had it submersed?
Eventually, they will get waterlogged and sink.

For the time being, you can use a rock to hold it down or use some thread and tie it to a rock.

 

[ghettorigged]

I have well water and due to the mass amounts of rain lately, I decided to added another piece of driftwood. I let it soak in a bucket for over a week. It finally sunk and I added it. PRESTO! Instant water conditioner.

 

[Jack]

I've had it soaking since Thursday. I noticed this morning that it is finally starting to sink. I thought the "Malaysian" driftwood was supposed to sink, immediately. I don't mind the soaking, just thought it would be different.

 

[littlelouie]

I soaked my piece for 1 week with the water being changed each day. Finally the water was clear and i added the driftwood to my tank. Within 5 minutes my 5 cardinal tetras and clown loach were exploring it like crazy. The water was clear and the fish were all bright and colourful too.

After 2 days in the tank (water temp 26.5 deg cel) the driftwood started to leech a little more. The fish still seem to be brightly coloured and love to swim in and out the nooks and crannies. Only the water is a little tea stained.

Maybe the boiling idea or the soaking in the sun on black plastice would have helped prevent the discoloration but I don't think the fish mind it at all.

As I am cycling the tank I am watching the levels closely.

LL

 

[shawmutt]

Actually, the tannins that color the water may slightly lower the ph and soften the water a bit. Don't know about the clown loach, but my tetras love that kind of water. They seem to act more natural in it.

 

[littlelouie]

Yes I know what you mean shawmutt. My 5 little cardinal tetras have seemed a whole lot happier since adding the driftwood. I guess having such a nice play area and the addition of the tannins in the water is well suited to them.

My clown loach hasn't stopped fossicking in and over the driftwood since I placed it in the tank. His little lips must be working overtime.

What is it about the driftwood that the fish love
Are there minerals in it? Like a salt lick to a horse

Anyway, I am so glad that I got it for my tank and recommend it

LL

 

[pocketrout]

My piece of Malaysian driftwood sunk like a rock the day I got it. It is a very dense piece of wood has a good bit of thickness to it and I was not very surprised when it sunk. The "auto flushing" method I spoke of in my earlier post worked great. The water is pretty much clear. I think I will give it a good boiling just to wipe out any mico-critters that could be on it.

 

[enpharedskin]

Question...

Do you thinkthat bake-soak-bake-soak-bake-soak will work in the same way that boil-soak-boil-soak-boil-soak will in speeding the tannin leech? I have a piece that is too big to boil, but just barely fits in my oven...any sugestions? I have a brackish water aquarium with a dragon goby, 3 bubmble bee gobies, and my favorite...2 green spotted puffers! How much will the PH be affected? Is it only affected by the tannins? Is there a way to be sure the wood wont rot? If it does, how will you know? Will rotting wood kill my fish? I know...aolot of questions, I just want to be sure that I keep my fish happy healthy and alive!




(sorry for the accidental double pic post)