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hi all I have recently set up a 20 g tank. Yesterday when I go to the pet store I decide to buy a old wood and add it for the dekeration. I had wash it and live it inside a container fill with water so it will be clean. My question is why is the wood make my water so dirty? Before my water is very clear. And now it turn to kind of brownish color r they going to kill my fish. I have 9 cardinal and 8 neon tetras with 2 x red sword tial inside my tank atm.


Thx for looking

oh...the kind of wood u took was the one untreated..meaning it still releasing tannins coz its not suffciently washed.... u need to keep it in the water for 2-3 days to remove the tannins...and redo till u see clear water...

It's probably going to take longer than 2-3 days to remove the tannins from the wood - more like 2-3 weeks and even then you still will probably see some water discoloration.

Soak the wood in a large container covering the wood completely and change the water out often. I usually change the water once a day and I also use hot water as this helps in the leaching process.

Some hobbyists will place the wood in a large pot and boil it, but I don't personally like this process as it has a tendency to break down the wood fibers making it soft.

If you don't have plants in your tank you could use activated charcoal in your filter and this will help with the removal of the tannins, however it's probably just better to keep up with weekly water changes.

And the tannins will not harm your fish.

Jim

Last edited by OldTimer at 31-May-2005 19:11

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Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

ok cool since I change water weekly just let the tank water to clean the wood then since it dont hurt my plant or fish

the cardinals and neons will actually appreciate the tanins. your tank water should still be clear, just with a brown colour to it - if the water is cloudy or dirty, then you need to scrub the wood again to get rid of dirt etc.

The water tannings don't hurt your fish & the Tetra's will like it alot, but you have to do weekly water changes & the leaching will take ages to stop. It's better to boil it for a few minutes & then put it back in your tank.


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Boiling wood for a few moments is fine, especially if there is a chance of live bugs or bacteria (like if you collected the wood from nature on your own).

The best way to do it if you've gotten wood from your LFS that is leeching tannins into the water is to use hot, but not boiling water. If you can still remove it from the tank use a large clean container to soak it in for as long as necessary. Pour the hot water over the wood (weigh it down with rocks if necessary to keep it under the water). If you have a spare filter or air pump keeping the water circulating will be helpful, as will a heater set as hot as possible. By using warm water you expand the pores of the wood (just like when you're doing a facial) thus allowing the wood to release the tannic acids faster.
If you can't remove the piece, doing small daily water changes and using carbon in your filter will help clear the water up some. There are those that say the tannic acids will always be there. Depending how large the wood is compaired to how small the body of water is will determine how much, and how long your water remains colored.

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Adding carbon to your filter will also help lighten the browness of the water. It will not hurt your fish at all.

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