how to remove tannins from driftwood faster.

[allaboutfish]

got some cool looking mopani wood but dont want to wait a month for them to be removed. i heard a seachem product would work. anybody got a quicker way?

 

[roydooms]

I'll soak it for a few weeks, if you can wait. What I did with mine because I wanted to set it up ASAP is I boiled it for 12 hours. Changing water when it gets really dark brown.

 

[allaboutfish]

what about getting the tannins out of the water in the tank? anything i can put in the filter?

 

[roydooms]

Do you have a planted tank? Carbon absorbs tannins. It also absorbs nutrients for the plants.

 

[allaboutfish]

i will have low light plants and dont most filters have carbon?

 

[roydooms]

Yea. I have plants in my tank. So I took out all the carbon. I also dose fertilizers. I didn't know about carbon absorbing nutrients and when I added the DW I put a lot of carbon. Water changes takes away all the tannins. It will eventually stop leeching tannins.

 

[allaboutfish]

ok thanks

 

[roydooms]

You're welcome

 

[Yellow Eye Tang]

Almost makes me want to start a new thread! I have carbon rolling in my filters in my tank and have had a terrible time getting these plants to grow. I've done ferts and have API root tabs everywhere. There is growth but it is very slow. Now you got me wanting to pull the carbon filters out.

 

[roydooms]

That's why it's not a good idea to have carbon in a planted tank. Carbon usually stops absorbing after a month. It can be your lights as well why the plants doesn't grow that quick or the plants are still acclimating.

 

[BfishLpond78]

I used Seachems Purigen and it removed the tannins within a few hours on my 55 gallon. Mind you i had Malaysian DW. I also boiled it for about 3 hours, and then let it all soak in a 5 gallon bucket for a litter over 3 weeks. I just stuffed two bags in my HOB filter and it cleared right up.

 

[allaboutfish]

where can you get that?

 

[James_in_MN]

One thing you can do to remove the tannins from your mopani wood is to boil it.

I boiled the two pieces of driftwood in my 10g that I boiled for close to an hour (until the tannin leach slowed down). It does still leach some tannin, but at a much slower pace, and not enough to affect my tank.

 

[gh0ul]

Having similar probs

Background
I just bought 2 almost equal size pieces Of.... Mopani, I think, I could be wrong, for a 15.5 gal I just built with scrap glass to make a larger home for my pride and joy "Shamus" the White Crayfish. If you don't own a crayfish.. it's hard to explain, they just have a lot of personality, and you tend to fall in love with their antics pretty quick. Especially if you DON'T do your homework 1st and try putting one in your most..."tender", planted tank. I awoke to a nearly BARE (few stems left, and of course the rock and wood. I mean she was only 2 inches long ) of plant, tank! I've never seen a more voracious and dedicated little bugger, She (already named her after the wooden legged fisherman on Family Guy, and I don't want to change it) was in a 29gal and only 2 inches...... who can't respect that!? That tank had been going for 8 months! Man, I know most of you guys would have freaked, but I laughed my a££ off and put her in a 5gal, till I could get the 15.5 ready..

So, I set her up in a sweet 25"X12"X12" 15.5 gal rimless tank. Hanging 20watt light from another tank hood. So I got really really brown water from the 1st10 minutes of filling the tank..... I hated it. Out came the wood, and I never worried about the water. It's pretty much clear by now. The tank is almost 100% cycled.

What I'm doing about it:
I've been soaking the wood daily for about 2 weeks now, changing the water everyday. Today I ran it through the dishwasher with no soap.... then back in the soaking bucket. Everyday I've noticed water that resembled light tea.... which sucks... Crayfish like clear, and I agree. If the water is brown tomorrow, may boil it, but I'll post back bout the dishwasher.

I'll let you know if that speeds it up any......