Bogwood Trouble

[Thedoctor]

Thanks for the advice guys - However ridiculously late I am.

I absolutely love the bogwood I have but it just drives me crazy seeing these flakes in the sand.

I will, hopefully, be converting to Tesco Cat Litter and a lush green carpet soon (again, hopefully) if these flakes get lost amongst the green and brown of the cat litter and I fail to pick it up during a clean, will that have adverse effects on the tank or will it just remain in the tank like any other piece of bogwood?

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

If you boiled it, that's why it's falling apart and releasing loads of tanin. Tut tut.

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

Hi guys,

Back on the forum. I was really busy the last year.

Anyway, I had the same problem when setting up my new tank. The onl way - could get rid of the flakes was to carve them ouy. Yes.

I took a really sharp knife and re formed the wood. 1/3 of the wood came of, but at least it stopped releasing the flakes.

 

[delta]

I'm having a similar problem with my beautiful, largest piece of redmoor-like wood. I got all three pieces from the same shop, the two smaller pieces which I bought a few months prior are in the tank and fine, the largest piece which is the one I bought last has been releasing huge amounts of tannins and had flakes coming off if it. I've now dumped it in to the water butt in the garden as I don't have anything else large enough to soak it in except the bath (not practical) or the tank which I wanted to start actually using so didn't want to have to faff around with potentially disintegrating wood. I hope yours starts behaving itself soon. Frustrating isn't it when yo find that perfect piece of wood and it does this to you

Sorry to hi-jack your thread OP but it seems we have the same issue.

Hi Tom, good to see you're back, how's the tank coming on?

 

[gregswimm]

With a newly purchased piece of wood, it has most likely been cured already. NEVER BIOL THE WOOD, this will kill off probiotics and cause your wood to break down. What you should do is start by dry scrubbing the piece with a stiff brush and try and get most of the dust/dirt off. Next rinse it off under the tap. Then soak it in a bucket of water, if particles float to the top, empty the bucket and refill; repeat untill 'stuff' stops coming off the wood. Note that wood will release tannins in the aquarium as well as get a white fuzz on it. The white fuzz will go away in a few weeks and wont harm your fish (some animals will eat it), this fuzz can be siphoned off. The tannins however are a natural part of the wood and will continue to be released for many months. If you have acid loving/black water fish I HIGHLY suggest you leave the tannins in the tank; it will promote fish health by reducing stress by replicating their natural environment (chemically and aesthetically) and ward off bacteria from tannic acid's natural antiviral, antibacterial and antiparasitic effects. If you really want to get rid of tannins you can soak the wood in water; changing it daily till the water starts to become clear. Adding carbon to your filter will also help remove tannins.

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

I'm having a similar problem with my beautiful, largest piece of redmoor-like wood. I got all three pieces from the same shop, the two smaller pieces which I bought a few months prior are in the tank and fine, the largest piece which is the one I bought last has been releasing huge amounts of tannins and had flakes coming off if it. I've now dumped it in to the water butt in the garden as I don't have anything else large enough to soak it in except the bath (not practical) or the tank which I wanted to start actually using so didn't want to have to faff around with potentially disintegrating wood. I hope yours starts behaving itself soon. Frustrating isn't it when yo find that perfect piece of wood and it does this to you

Sorry to hi-jack your thread OP but it seems we have the same issue.

Hi Tom, good to see you're back, how's the tank coming on?

It's pretty #40## sweet
Right now I'm housing 1 clown loach (I know, they need to be in groups of 6. My sister is on vacation and she asked me to take care of it, when she gets back she'll buy new ones), and 3x angelfish. The problem is that one angle fish is bullying the one on the picture...

 

[gregswimm]

It is second hand.

If the seller was untruthful and it was literally just taken from a tree, would that make a difference?

Also this post should be useful to you.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/404777-woody-wood-wood/