Bogwood For Bristlenose Pleco

[mitch70]

I am off today to purchase some Bogwood in preperation for purchasing a Bristlenose my question is what is the best way to soak this and is there a rough time scale or do I just wait until the water is clear.?
 
The Pleco won't be purchased until I am happy with the Bogwood.

 

[Noahsfish]

If you have a five gallon bucket that'd be great, if not any container that can fit the dw. Then put it in your bathtub or wherever and fill it with the hottest tap you can get, let it soak and then replace until the water isn't tea colored. The first time you let it soak tons of tannins will be replaced, so I normally change the water every 3-4 hours, if you don't have the time once a day would be fine. Just do this until the water is how you want it, you can test the ph if you want to see if it's as high or low as you want it.

 

[Shadders]

I normally cover mine with boiling water and leave to soak for 2 to 4 days, changing water regularly, some wood needs more or less time depending where you get it from

 

[mitch70]

Thank you for the replies, been to Pets At Home today got a decent sized piece for £6 it currently soaking in a bucket of boiling water.  

 

[Noahsfish]

Uhm unless the wood is really filthy or you have to get all the tannins out boiling water is bad, it damages the wood..

 

[mitch70]

I have read so many conflicting reports re boiling water, some say boil some say not, I have been boiling kettle pouring water over wood then filling with tap water as hot as I can get, should  I stop pouring boiling water on and just use hot water from the tap?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I would like to make an argument against ever soaking wood in one's bathtub. You use soap in a tub. You clean a tub with all kinds of harsh chemicals and we have no idea what sort of residues these items leave. You most certainly do not want this sort of thing soaking into wood that is going into a tank.
 
Bear in mind we measure toxins in part per million, so how much might it take?
 
In the better-safe-than-sorry category. You can buy a 20 gallon Rubbermaid trash can for not a huge amount of money and use it for the soaking. I use several different sized ones for fish related things including setting up return water.

 

[Noahsfish]

I would like to make an argument against ever soaking wood in one's bathtub. You use soap in a tub. You clean a tub with all kinds of harsh chemicals and we have no idea what sort of residues these items leave. You most certainly do not want this sort of thing soaking into wood that is going into a tank.
 
Bear in mind we measure toxins in part per million, so how much might it take?
 
In the better-safe-than-sorry category. You can buy a 20 gallon Rubbermaid trash can for not a huge amount of money and use it for the soaking. I use several different sized ones for fish related things including setting up return water.

I don't see how any soap would get in the bucket while it's in the tub..

 

[mitch70]

Can imagine my wife's reaction to walking into our bathroom and finding some bogwood soaking! still as a single man I would then have more time for my fish fascination! 

 

[mitch70]

Bogwood has been soaking now for just over 24hrs, just changed the water and it appears clear, will all the tannins have gone? or should I keep soaking for a couple of more days before placing in my tank?

 

[sputnick]

they may seem gone but they take a little while to completely soak out. I personally just give my bog wood a good rinse off with the hose and toss them in the tank. I let the tannins leach out into the tank. The first week the wood is in I do two water changes and after that it takes the tannins about a week to make the tank water unsightly to my eyes and I do weekly water changes anyways so it kind of acts as a gauge of when I should do a water change. My bogwood has been in the tank for a few months now and still leaches tannins into the water. But it gets better with every water change.