Preparing my driftwood

[Mr.Albiman]

I've had this piece of driftwood in my tortoise table for a few months and decide that it would look better in my fish tank. So as of two days ago, I've been putting it in a bucket of boiling water and leaving it for 24 hours and then replacing the water and repeating. I'm just wondering if this is the right method or if there's a quicker way, and also how long it might take for the tannins to disappear.

 

[molliwopp]

Sounds like the best way to me. I actually just soaked mine in the bath.

 

[candymancan]

Just get a big carbon filter that will remove the tannins... I've had my driftwood for probably 10 years... and it still leaches a small amount of tannins in the water... You will never fully get it to stop... The majority of it will leach in the water for like 1-3 weeks and then itll slow down considerably.

 

[Mr.Albiman]

If I just put it in the tank, will my non-carbon filter remove most of the tannins? Or will it just stay that horrible tea colour? I'm thinking I might just put it straight in the tank, but I can't afford a new carbon filter.

 

[jtez]

If you don't have filter media designed to clear water (like carbon or purigen) then it's not gonna take out the colour. Regular water changes will clear it up over time though.

I have a dirted tank that is pretty heavily leaching tannins right now (only a couple of weeks old) and I'm doing 50% WC's each week. It makes a considerable difference.

Some woods are worse than others for leaching, is it making the bucket water really dark now?

 

[Mr.Albiman]

The water is now this colour, and that's a couple hours after putting it in. I might buy some carbon filter media and put it in the filter though. Even if I do wait for the tannins to leach, the carbon can't hurt anything right?

 

[jtez]

The water is now this colour, and that's a couple hours after putting it in. I might buy some carbon filter media and put it in the filter though. Even if I do wait for the tannins to leach, the carbon can't hurt anything right?

Hmm that seems to be prettily heavily leaching. It's a nice piece you have though.

Unless you have plants the carbon can only do positive things. If you do have plants, I've heard the carbon can absorb some of the nutrients that the plants need. But it wouldn't kill them.

 

[molliwopp]

The carbon wont hurt anything. Seriously though it shouldnt take long for it to leech most of it out. Afew days. Ive done afew pieces of wood in my time and noticeable leeching stops quite soon.

 

[Mr.Albiman]

Okay cheers guys, I'll give it another week or so.

Also, I've just bought some anubias barteri off eBay, that had some java fern come free with it. It'll be arriving between the 28th and 30th of this month. My goldfish wont destroy them completely will he? I'm gonna attach them to the driftwood when it's ready.

 

[candymancan]

Yea wood leeches badly for like 1-3 weeks.. Then after that it just does it slowely... In my 55g i got recently i bought a awesome piece of driftwood its like 3 feet long and 18 inches tall and obviously i couldn't soak it or boil it.. I just tossed in the tank and my water looked like your bucket (almost lol) for the first 4-5 days.. Changing 50% of the water fixed it for a day or so.. then it got that color again... But now the tank is cycled and its been like 2 weeks now and i did a 60% water change like 3-4 days ago and the water is still pretty clear.... Obviously it has a tea color still but it will never ALL go away... Like i said i have 2 other tank with driftwood about your size and I have had em for 10 years and my water is still a very very slight yellow color...

Activated carbon though really clears the water up.. A simple floss filter wont remove it you need those black rocks in it.. Money you said is an issue but when you get some money go to petco or petsmart (or whatever fish store you have in your country).. You don't have to get a carbon style filter... Just buy some plain activated carbon rocks in a container.. from API or whatever brand you have.. Then you get some panty hose and cut the hose at the foot to about like 4-5 inchs long and put the carbon rocks in the hose and tie that open end off.. Walla you just made a carbon filter... Then wedge that in your tanks filter (I assume you have a hang on back filter right ?. Carbon doesn't just make water clear, it removes odors and medicine/Chlorine and other stuff in the water

 

[Mr.Albiman]

Update - it's two days and four soaks in boiling water later and it's still leeching tannins pretty bad. See how it is in a few new days.

 

[BLUEaquarium06]

Update - it's two days and four soaks in boiling water later and it's still leeching tannins pretty bad. See how it is in a few new days.

That's a really really nice piece of driftwood, did you buy it or find it?

 

[Mr.Albiman]

I actually got it for free from the garden centre as part of the package when I bought my tortoise and her tortoise table ?

 

[BLUEaquarium06]

Driftwood I just went out and found, I can't wait to treat it and get it in my tank

 

[BLUEaquarium06]

Forgot to put a picture... haha

 

[Mr.Albiman]

That's a really nice piece, how bigs your tank? That driftwood's huge!

 

[BLUEaquarium06]

That's a really nice piece, how bigs your tank? That driftwood's huge!

I have a 100 gallon tank, I'm boiling it right now Haha, took me forever to get home

 

[Mr.Albiman]

Update - the water is much clearer today but it's still leeching tannins quite a lot. I think it should be ready by the end of the week

 

[Mr.Albiman]

So I got bored of it just sitting in a bucket, and I went ahead and put it in the tank. I was gonna have to do a water change tomorrow anyway so it's not really an issue if it leeches any tannins. Although so far, it doesn't seem to be.

I'm happy with the way it looks but I'm open to constructive criticism.

I'm waiting on a delivery of two anubias nana and two java fern to attach to the driftwood too.

 

[BLUEaquarium06]

Your putting all 4 of the plants on the driftwood?