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Today while watching a cooking program the subject was about different types of cutting boards.

They are recommending the wooden boards over all of the others for home use.

Here is the reasoning as wood has a natural tannin and it is a natural product that kills bacteria. They did go on to say this has been scientificaly proved (no reference given).

Now saying that does this mean with plenty of DW in a tank it helps to combat bacteria? Just a thought.

This is not the first time I have heard this statement.

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Keith

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Keith,

Very interesting facts (or at least the presentation of presumed facts) .

It all makes perfect sense to me, although I have nothing to proof this theory.

On the other hand, I am not certain how a cutting board would look in my tank

Thanks for the info,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I would suspect here that tannins would not be overly detrimental to filter bactiera, which is just as well given the bogwood I have in my aquaria!

Take a look at the vast Amazonian river system. Now, even given the gargantuan volumes of water that flow through there, there has to be some bacterial activity converting fish wastes via the nitrogen cycle to nitrates. Those bacteria must be able to function in tannin-rich water, otherwise places like the Rio Negro would be unsuitable for higher aquatic life.

Plus, bacteria reproduce at a phenomenal rate, and with this phenomenal reproduction rate comes mutation. Somewhere along the line, bacteria such as Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter, which are the bacteria of principal interest in biological filters, will evolve to suit the pH and other water chemistry parameters of the water body in which they live. So, a population such as that in my Panda Fun Palace will evolve to suit soft and acidic water with tannins from bogwood, in much the same way as the native Amazonian populations of these bacteria have done. Doesn't take bacteria long to adjust in this fashion, and my undergravel filter's been running now for over 11 years.

Of course, we're dealing here with bacteria that are subject to a constant presence of such substances. The tannins in a wooden chopping board may be useful in a kitchen where stray bacteria of the unwanted and potentially pathogenic kind are suddenly introduced to the wood during the chopping process, but that situation is radically different from an aquarium filter bed. Plus, in any reasonable kitchen, chopping boards are washed in detergents and other chemicals that aren't friendly to unwanted bacteria. Not the kind of chemicals one would bring anywhere near an aquarium containing prized fishes!


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

well it would make since if it were true. for instance the reason discus are so sensitive is because they live in areas with alot of tanins in the water which kill the harmful bacteria therefore there is not much need for a strong immune system.

Ingo

NoNo First you have to cut out a flat fish shape from the cutting board, drill a few holes in it and weigh it down it some how then let it float it in the water current.
Wooden it do then.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
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