return of the TANNINS

[bobc4d]

I purchased a piece of driftwood from PetCo 8 months ago. At first it put off a lot of tannins, then over time it reduced the output to almost nothing. This past week the tannins have returned with a vengeance. The tap water parameters have not changed nor has the tank parameters.

is this normal or is the driftwood starting to break down? it is in a 10g tank, about 6 inches long and 4 across.

 

[BBradbury]

Driftwood Tannins

I purchased a piece of driftwood from PetCo 8 months ago. At first it put off a lot of tannins, then over time it reduced the output to almost nothing. This past week the tannins have returned with a vengeance. The tap water parameters have not changed nor has the tank parameters.

is this normal or is the driftwood starting to break down? it is in a 10g tank, about 6 inches long and 4 across.

Hello bob...

Some pieces of driftwood are very dense and yours is likely still soaking up water and possibly cracked, releasing tannic acid. In a small tank, just a little is noticeable. Change half the water every week and eventually, the tannins will leach out.

B

 

[Rivercats]

Agreed with above but you can also add carbon or my preference Purgen to your filters if it tannins are too heavy.