Aquarium Wood

[JeffreyBowers]

I have read all about preparing wild driftwood for the aquarium but at the LFS noticed that they have some that looks like it is pre wrapped from a company i believe it's called mopani wood.

Would this type of wood require the same type of prep to make sure it doesn't leach the tannis and make my water brown tinted. I know it's not harmful but I really enjoy the crystal clear water.

Or is the only way to go about main ting clear water by using a fake driftwood? Thanks in advance for the tips!

Jeffrey


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[brennae]

I just rinse mopani and drop it in the tank but I want the tannins. It floats at first and tends to get this white mold all over it. It's not harmful but annoying and unsightly. I think boiling and soaking will help leach the tannins and then you will get the white mold phase over with before you put it in your tank.

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[ImACoolguy]

Mopani can be tricky, not harmful tricky, but tannins tricky. I've had some pieces leach nothing, others a few days, and I have one after hours of boiling and weeks soaking it still leaches.

Just treat it like you would any other wood, a good scrub, test to see if it's a floater, and boil if you want to be extra careful.


Caleb

 

[Mebbid]

Mopani is going to leech tannins, its just unavoidable with this type of wood. Mine still leeches them after 2 years of use. However, purigen works very well for it.

I just rinse mopani and drop it in the tank but I want the tannins. It floats at first and tends to get this white mold all over it. It's not harmful but annoying and unsightly. I think boiling and soaking will help leach the tannins and then you will get the white mold phase over with before you put it in your tank.

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If it floats, then its not mopani. Mopa i is a super dense wood that aquarists like simply because it doesnt float.

 

[JeffreyBowers]

Mopani is going to leech tannins, its just unavoidable with this type of wood. Mine still leeches them after 2 years of use. However, purigen works very well for it.

If it floats, then its not mopani. Mopa i is a super dense wood that aquarists like simply because it doesnt float.

Purigen is something you put in your HOB filter in a bag right? Now would this be something that would clear my water back up if the used wood is leeching or would it just make the water look a bit Better after it leeched but still be somewhat tinted? Or is it all depending on individual tank factors.

(Ps thanks for all this wonderful info)


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[Mebbid]

Purigen is something you put in your HOB filter in a bag right? Now would this be something that would clear my water back up if the used wood is leeching or would it just make the water look a bit Better after it leeched but still be somewhat tinted? Or is it all depending on individual tank factors.

(Ps thanks for all this wonderful info)


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Yes it is, its either sold by the bag or you can buy a container of it and make / buy your own bags for it. Its easier just to buy it bagged up. If you want to make your own, fine mesh brewing bags work.

It all depends. Flow rate, bypass, amount of purigen, freshness of purigen, and amount of tannins will all play a role.

For me though, it clears up the tank very nicely.

 

[brennae]

Mopani is going to leech tannins, its just unavoidable with this type of wood. Mine still leeches them after 2 years of use. However, purigen works very well for it.

If it floats, then its not mopani. Mopa i is a super dense wood that aquarists like simply because it doesnt float.

I'm quite positive my wood was mopani. It was clearly labeled as mopani and recognizable as such and I had a piece that did indeed float. It didn't float for long but it wasn't laying at the bottom of the tank either.

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[Gillie]

Mopani is going to leech tannins, its just unavoidable with this type of wood. Mine still leeches them after 2 years of use. However, purigen works very well for it.

If it floats, then its not mopani. Mopa i is a super dense wood that aquarists like simply because it doesnt float.

Actually mopani wood comes from East Africa's mopane tree, not South America's mopa mopa and yes as dense as mopani is, on occasion you will run across some very short term floaters. I had it happen once, whether it was trapped air or whatever it didn't remain somewhat buoyant for more than a day.

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