Driftwood - water color

[JaVia]

OK, so I have three pieces of mopani wood in my tank, it has not reduced my KH or PH AT ALL but it does lower my GH.

Anyways, is there any way to make it stop coloring the water, or does it always?

I have had it in the tank for about three months, I had in outside in water for 5 days, I sun dried it and put it back into the tank, STILL BROWN WATER.....

The water is clear for about 3 days after a 60 percent water change..... but this is not a discus tank yet, it is empty at the moment. So I do not do daily changes.

[Deadhead]

I have found the best way to keep mopani from leeching is to boil the wood for a few hours. I found a large stockpot at a goodwill for 9 bucks that works great. I usually boil for an hour or 2, change the water out and boil another 1-2 hours. This will not fix it completely but is a significant improvement. Hope that helps.

[Skip]

you could just take the wood out :)

[JaVia]

Awesome, I am trying this tomorrow. I have not decided if I want to completely replace it and get manzanita wood

[Tito]

Word to the wise - all wood leech tanin.

Edit:....ok, petrified wood doesn'!

[William Palumbo]

Discus love tannins. Their colors really shine in tannin stained water. I personally like the look of it...Bill

[RudeDogg1]

U should of soaked it outside for longer I've had mine soaking for 2 months I cange the water once a week and it's only just started to stop leaching

[pcsb23]

Activated carbon will remove the colouring, but like Bill said above, the discus will love it - I too like the look.

[cyberhog05]

I 3 like the look. My driftwood stopped leeching so I got some Indian almond leaves to get the tannins back.

[JaVia]

I have a mix that adds tannin. I like it in one tank, but my husband said no for the living room tank since it is a show piece. He said no drift wood. :( but my bn loves it. So I hate to not have any in there for him....

[Skip]

i say.. don't fight it.. let it happen

[discuspaul]

Try Purigen. Works a lot better than just carbon - at least it did for me.

[cyberhog05]

I have a mix that adds tannin. I like it in one tank, but my husband said no for the living room tank since it is a show piece. He said no drift wood. :( but my bn loves it. So I hate to not have any in there for him....

Geez! Why do our significant others always depict what we want? I was telling mine yesterday I was setting up another tank and she told me NO! I laughed and politely told her I wasnt asking her opinion I was telling what I was doing. BN do love drift wood. IMO driftwood makes a tank jump at you and scream "hey look look look at me, Im natural". But I also think any store bought ornament is nothing but trash. 1 exception...my daughter...she gets to decorate her tank how she wants. But now she is asking to get into my driftwood pile and she is slowly pulling her ships and what not out:p

[JaVia]

I may try purigen, I was considering trying it awhile ago but I decided I like the tannin in my back tank, now with my living room tank it must meet the hubbys clarity requirement, so if I have any issues I make resort to buying it.
I boiled all my drift wood last night, and baked it at 175. That way it is both sanitized for the new fish and hopefully a little less leaching going on... Also, does anyone use cholla wood for their BN? I was considering it since i may not end up with driftwood in the front tank, that way they would still have their chews, lol

[Dubiadiscus]

i use Purigen i swear by that stuff alot better then carbon. I had the same problem with the leeching. i made my own purigen filter bags and put it in my 2 hang on the back filters, and by morning the water was crystal clear. Since i have been using this i have had no problems with the leeching color again. I even had my local fish shop put my 2p. of wood in there water system for several months to help the leeching problem and it help out alot but the wood still leeched. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND PURGIAN!
Hope this helps.
John Dubia

[discuspaul]

I've had exactly the same result as Dubladiscus using Purigen. I swear by it also. Keeps my tank crystal clear !

[Dubiadiscus]

The other nice thing about Purigen is you can recharge so that way you dont have to throw it out all the time and buy new. Purigen is kinda exspensive but worth it.

[dr6run]

time works as well...OH, and water changes...

[auraball]

Awesome , i will try it