About a month ago I bought a new piece of bogwood, the wood has been leaking tannin into my tank constantly, whenever I do a water change I take the wood out, replace the water and the water goes clearer again, I’ve also took the wood out and boiled it and a lot of tannin came out then but it’s carrying on, is there anything I can add to my tank to reduce the amount of tannin or do I just have to wait?
Tank water help
- Thread starter gejegeb69
- Start date
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Activated carbon in the filter will take the tannins from the water.
Make sure you change it regularly. It will only be effective for a couple of weeks, 1 month at most before needing changing.
Make sure you change it regularly. It will only be effective for a couple of weeks, 1 month at most before needing changing.
The filter is quite small so I doubt I could get any carbon inside the filter, is there any other way I could do this?
What type of filter is it? Is the type that takes cartridges? If so there might be a replaceable carbon cartridge that needs changing.
Ptera
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Perhaps add a filter that can have a bag of carbon added to it?
Otherwise, I suppose you could try putting in a few (depending upon tank size) Fluval or ExoTerra moss balls. They are fake marimo balls that have carbon inside of them, but just like a bag of carbon/cartridges, they will need changed out.. so long term, a new filter is probably more cost effective. These go directly into the aquarium, not in a filter.
Otherwise, I suppose you could try putting in a few (depending upon tank size) Fluval or ExoTerra moss balls. They are fake marimo balls that have carbon inside of them, but just like a bag of carbon/cartridges, they will need changed out.. so long term, a new filter is probably more cost effective. These go directly into the aquarium, not in a filter.
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You mean something like this?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Superfish-aquarium-filter-addition-Affect/dp/B00CSZB4E6
The other option would be to get a fine grade media bag, put some activated carbon in, rinse thoroughly to remove finer particles and place that in the aquarium. Some fine carbon particles are bound to get out though, but wont harm the fish.
earhtmother
Aquarium Advice FINatic
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I'd use Seachems Purigen to remove the tannins as it is reusable, unlike the carbon and works awesome. I hide it behind decornor plants in the tank if I can't get it in my filter.
Ptera
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Yes, Aiken Drum; that looks similar, though the other brands have more fuzzy green "moss".
So do you just put the purigen in the tank and it will help remove the tannins without it having to be in the filter?
Purigen is an alternative to carbon. Like activated carbon it can be bought loose or already in a small media bag. If you cant fit it in the filter you can either place it in the tank pre-bagged or put loose material in a media bag yourself and put that in the aquarium.
Purigen is more expensive than carbon, but once its used up you can reactivate and reuse it. Purigen removes organic wastes so will help with controlling ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. I believe it isnt as good as carbon for removing medication.
rlederer
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I've found with some of this driftwood that it takes several months to leach out. I'd take it out and put it in a bucket and change the water every few days until it leaches the tannins out if you don't want to deal with them in the tank.
