Mopani Mystery...

[Origami Gourami]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know a good way to stop mopani bogwood from staining the water with the brown tanin that it contains? It's been soaked, but despite frequent water changes (sometimes up to 50-75%, but not often), it still turns everything brown within a week. Not cloudy brown, just discoloured. It's driving me mad because the light isn't powerful enough to illuminate through the coppery water.

I have a small Fluval running with carbon filters, but it doesn't seem to be coping!

Currently the mopani is in a spare tank, just soaking and soaking and soaking...

Pity because I found some really nice pieces and the betta and froggles love it!

 

[Lateral Line]

It can take months before the colour stops leaching out. Some people boil the wood to get it out quicker.

I like the colour - it makes the tank more natural.

 

[Origami Gourami]

Thanks LL!

I've been dousing it in hot water whilst it's been in the empty spare tank to try and speed the process, but I just wondered if this colour leakage for so long was usual or not. It's been in there a month, so I guess it may cease in the next few. From what I read the tanin isn't harmful in itself, some say quite good for the other plants(?).

It's just a pain as this new little betta I've got is beauty, yet I only get to admire him when he comes begging at the side for his tea! Got him a couple of days after the mopani went in, so I had a couple of days admiration before this copper shroud descended!

I think the problem is probably that they are big bits of wood in relation to the tank size. I wanted to go for an interesting landscape instead of capacity for a billion fish. Maybe this is why it tints it so quickly.

 

[kev_kb]

I put mine in a bucket and poured boiling water into it from a kettle and left it for a few hours then repeated the process. After about 3 days it was done releasing tanins, but I guess it depends how large the pieces are.

 

[Origami Gourami]

Thanks Kev, will try that out. Thankfully the little Fluval (currently chugging its heart out) seems to be clearing the water slowly without the mopani interfering, so that's good.

The tank looks bare without it, but anything's better than seeing your fish swimming in what looks like herbal tea!

 

[Captain Canuck]

If you have a big enough stock pot (I have a large one for making home brewed beer) you can boil your wood in the pot. I have found that if you simmer the wood for 2 hours you won't have any/much tanins anymore.

 

[Origami Gourami]

Cheers Captain - will try that out. Hopefully a sustained heat assault will sort it out!

Really want to get it back in the tank asap, as it looks so bare with only a few plants kicking around - and three fish looking lost, not to mention the frogs who like to climb up it too and poke their snouts out!

 

[RYO]

If you have a big enough stock pot (I have a large one for making home brewed beer) you can boil your wood in the pot

lol bet the beer tastes good

I wouldnt worry too much about the tannins they dont do any harm, just keep up the water changes.Personaly i'd do smaller 1s more frequently.Lots of people like the tannin look of a tank as it looks more natural.

 

[scarecrow]

I also boil mine in my large pot used for home brewing. After changing the water a couple of times and a few hours later it is ready to go in tank.