drift wood to use or not to use

[labrynth]

i am new to this forum and i am planning a discus tank that is of biotope style which as i have been reading consists mainly of drift wood and very few plants, with hatchet fish and tetras. in this forum i have read of plants and lots of them in the critique photos. is drift wood not a good idea and what would you suggest for a biotope aquarium for discus.

[funkyfish]

not to sure bout a biotope but i have planted tanks and its more bout what u lik to see in ur home drift wood puts off tanin and that colors ur water tan and help drop ur hardness
so i don't see anything wrong with it as long as ur not tryin to grow out juvis
in a planted tank ur ok have had planted tanks for years discus for bout a year good luck


love what u do an do what u love

[roger]

Depending on the wood you get it may or may not leach tannins. Some of the stuff will turn your water into tea. Over time though that does usually fade.

If your tank has plecos in it the driftwood is good for them, seems they like to use it as abit of roughage in their diet.

Roger

[wvt9527]

I have a planted tank. I have a couple of driftwoods in it. The wood will most likely turn ur water to a tea looking tan color. The way I got this to stop is by boiling the wood in some water for about 30 min. Then scrub it down real good. Each time I do this the wood nevers turns the water tan.

[funkyfish]

activated carbon will remove the color