diftwood seems to change colour of water

[wheatS]

hi i recently placed a piece of drift wood in my tank....

ive soaked it in a bucket and dried it for a week b4 putting it in the tank... now it seems to have changed the colour of my water. any hints? or is this going to stay like this.

thanks

 

[Lateral Line]

Depends on the piece, but some pieces of bogwood leach a certain amount of tannins for months or even years. Eventually they stop, when that happens, you can buy extracts to replace them, or add a new piece of course.

 

[Snowie]

It will decrease over time. Driftwood does lower the ph levels though.

 

[chkltcow]

Depends on the piece, but some pieces of bogwood leach a certain amount of tannins for months or even years. Eventually they stop, when that happens, you can buy extracts to replace them, or add a new piece of course.

Buy them?! OOH, suggest something! The piece of wood in my 20g is still leeching and still turning the water that gold/brown color so I'm good for the timebeing, but after that, what can I use to keep that nice color?

 

[Bangin]

You don't like the look, wheatS?

Some people on TFF complain about the tannins, but I think it's rather unique. I just wish it didn't cut down on the light to my plants! One tank with a huge piece of wood is going to get an upgrade in lighting. We'll see how much faster the plants grow! ::does a little dance::

 

[Bangin]

chkltcow, I think Lateral Line was referring to the Blackwater Extract. You can run a search for more information.

 

[chkltcow]

I think it's a beautiful color, so long as you keep up the water changes so it stays a brownish tint, and doesn't turn dingy.

So blackwater extract will help give me that color after the driftwood runs its course? I'll have to go look it up. Danke!

 

[Da_Oz]

Most drifwoods can turn the water the color of tea. With no real ill effects on the fish. Cedar and pines however will kill fish and will leak tannis years after true death of wood.

 

[chkltcow]

Most drifwoods can turn the water the color of tea. With no real ill effects on the fish. Cedar and pines however will kill fish and will leak tannis years after true death of wood.

Care to explain why? I've never heard of anything like this?

And would it apply to all evergreen trees?

 

[Da_Oz]

Most wood you choose will be safe once it's weathered, but I'd avoid "turpentiney" conifers, such as pine, fir, juniper, cedar, etc. Those sharp-smelling resins may turn out to be low-grade toxins.


This is the list I have seen. You can put what ever you want in your tank it is yours to do what you want but I will never put any in my tanks.