Question about soaking mopani wood

[JenTN]

I got three pieces of Zoo Med Mopani wood. It is supposed to be able to sink immediately. I started soaking them in a rubbermaid bin this afternoon to release tannins. Assuming I change water in the bin daily, does anyone have any idea how soon I can add it? I was wanting to re-scape my tank this Saturday but I'm afraid it's too soon. Going to go to one inch of sand with the mopani. Also the lady at lfs talked me into buying carib sea sand @ $20 for 20 lb, 2 bags talking me out of pfs. Should I return it and go with pool filter sand? One guy said pfs has glass and.would hurt the fish, but I thought all sand was made of glass??? Just want the best for meh fish!

[Disgirl]

The mopani wood I used to have was soaking in a tub of water for months and it still turned the water brown so I gave up on it and put it in the garden. Maybe yours won't be like mine but I think it won't be ready by Sat. PFS is great stuff, won't harm discus and is cheap. I got a 50lb bag for $14. at a pool store.
Barb

[JenTN]

The mopani wood I used to have was soaking in a tub of water for months and it still turned the water brown so I gave up on it and put it in the garden. Maybe yours won't be like mine but I think it won't be ready by Sat. PFS is great stuff, won't harm discus and is cheap. I got a 50lb bag for $14. at a pool store.
Barb

Crap thats not what I wanted to hear! Lol . Good news about the pfs tho.

[CrazyAngels]

Sometimes it helps to boil the wood to get most of the tannins out of the way, it also helps in water logging it. No matter what you'll either have dark tea colored water and or floating wood, just not so ready by this weekend. That is why I prefer Malaysian driftwood. Good luck

[SeaDragon]

I soaked a piece of drift wood (got it at the ACA, no idea exact type) for a summer in a 5gal bucket. I dumped boiling water on it every couple days, though it still will tan water like the day I bought it.


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[TNT77]

Pfs is normally silica sand. Silica sand is quartz that over the years, through the work of water and wind, has been broken down into tiny granules. It is used to make glass but it is not made out of glass.

[Orange Crush]

There are 2 types of pfs both are silicates but one is actual sand the other is glass. The glass one is bad juju and I would avoid it.

As for the mopani, I love the tea colored water and buy more wood when it no longer tints my water. Discus come from blackwater environs so they would really like the tannins. However, if you are worried about potential molds, etc. that could be in the wood I would boil it to be safe, that will also remove some of the tannins but not all. Rather than boiling it one time for a long period of time to remove the tannins it is better to boil it for a short amount of time, dump out the water, repeat..... until the water is clear/mostly clear.

[qiyanfeng]

buy polyester resin. coat everything you want to put into you tank. then sit down and enjoy.

[JenTN]

buy polyester resin. coat everything you want to put into you tank. then sit down and enjoy.

I have plecos though.

[TWA]

Just put carbon in your filter, that absorbs the tannins. PFS is perfect for discus, the only thing better being bare bottom.

[JenTN]

I am boiling water to put in there this afternoon. Everyone pray I don't scald myself, last week I did a face-plant into the washcloth bar in the shower lol.

[TNT77]

There are 2 types of pfs both are silicates but one is actual sand the other is glass. The glass one is bad juju and I would avoid it.

Silica sand is quartz sand...it is not crushed glass. They do sell crushed glass for pool filtration to replace pfs. But the bags are clearly labeled.

[Orange Crush]

Silica sand is quartz sand...it is not crushed glass. They do sell crushed glass for pool filtration to replace pfs. But the bags are clearly labeled.
That is what I just said silly! Re read it and you will see that I said actual sand (which is silica based) and glass (which is silica based) but both are sold as pfs.

[TURQ64]

The simplest way of dealing with PFS is to buy 'QuikKrete' brand..It's mined, not recycled, and mined regionally all around the US..sold in big box stores everywhere...too expensive to ship very far; it's sand.

[TNT77]

That is what I just said silly! Re read it and you will see that I said actual sand (which is silica based) and glass (which is silica based) but both are sold as pfs.
The crushed glass is not sold as pfs. There are quartz pfs and silica pfs which are the same thing. Then there is crushed or manufactured glass for pool filters. Im just trying to clarify this so people wont freak out over pfs which is safe.

[Orange Crush]

The crushed glass is not sold as pfs. There are quartz pfs and silica pfs which are the same thing. Then there is crushed or manufactured glass for pool filters. Im just trying to clarify this so people wont freak out over pfs which is safe.
Actually it is, I went to my local pool store AquaQuip and asked for pfs and what colors do they have it in. The guy told me that I could not see it in the bag but he had a jar with a sample and the pfs was clear and I said that is glass and he said yes we only sell pfs made of glass now. So I am trying to clarify that people need to ask more than if it is silica or pfs, I dont want anyone to freak out but I would rather have some people freak out than buy crushed glass. :)

[JenTN]

Re-scaped today,hopefully it will be fairly clear..heres a cloudy cell pic. The discus seem to enjoy it.

[Orange Crush]

I bet the cories love it!

[JenTN]

Yup, also my rams but my bristlenose plecos are in HEAVEN lol!

[JenTN]

Btw thank you all for your help :-)

[Orange Crush]

Btw thank you all for your help :-)
np! :)
(time to update your avatar to reflect all the hard work you did making your tank look so nice)

[JenTN]

np! :)
(time to update your avatar to reflect all the hard work you did making your tank look so nice)

Good idea :-) just wait till I upload pics from my new camera instead of my cell..internets down:-(