Need info on driftwood

[ANIM4L]

Ok so i got a clown pleco yesterday and i noticed that it likes to eat driftwood (does it really eat it?) and i was wondering, does it really eat it or just need some to hide behind. I was thinking of, and actually all ready bought some fake driftwood, but if it is better for it to have real driftwood i guess i could go get some. I was just curious about it all. And if i get driftwood, do i boil it for 30 minutes, then drain it and then soak it in clean water all night? I also have cory cats and clown loaches in my tank, so i dont know if they need it or not. Please help with whatever suggestions you can!!!

 

[freddyk]

The driftwood is important for digestion - definetly add some.

Boiling the driftwood can help get out some of the tannins that cause brown water, but some types will continue to leech for weeks or even months regardless. If you have driftwood that floats, boiling and soaking in cold water alternately will help get it to sink more quickly. If you're just worried about cleanliness, one quick boil will destroy anything that might pose a problem in the tank.

 

[ANIM4L]

I mean i really dont want any yellow water, at all. I want a nice looking tank, and i know where i can go buy some driftwood, but i really dont want to have yellow water, will all driftwood, regardless of boiling, make the water yellow still? I dont want yellow water!!! Is there anything to counter the yellowness.

I guess i will be going out today and getting some driftwood, and a bristlenose pleco, right now i have an albino chocolate, and i think he is awesome, but i dont want to deal with a HUGE pleco, so i will go look around. Thanks for the help, but please answer those questions!

 

[leafs]

I bought some driftwood about 3 weeks ago and it's still turning my water yellow. I boiled the crap out of it but it still turns yellow. You could try using carbon, but I'm not sure how well it will clear the water. Some people actually like the yellow look. It makes it look more natural.

 

[ANIM4L]

anyone have a pic of the yellow water?

 

[emma12321]

Hi ANIM4L,

I have found that if you buy mopani wood rather than the darker coloured stuff and soak it completely submerged for 2 weeks changing the water every couple of days it doesn't leach tannins into the tank. The last pieces i got though were massive 2 feet long pieces of the darker stuff, (came free with tank) i soaked them in a big bin in the garden for 2 weeks but only changed the water twice because it was such a pain to do, now 3 months on the water is still yellow though i think it is gradually getting clearer with each water change. I don't mind the colour but having 2 tanks in the living room everyone says errr that one wants cleaning, which gets annoying after a while.

Hope this helps

Emma

 

[leafs]

Mine is Mopani and it's still leaching after 3 weeks. I guess you just have to be patient.

 

[ANIM4L]

if driftwood is so important for that pleco i have, what if i returned that pleco? I meani liek him tho, but a clown pleco doesnt do anything for a tank... and i have clown loaches and cory cats, and i think they would be ok with the fake stuff, unless everyone else thinks differently... just a suggestion, so if u think it is good or bad idea tell me please

 

[ANIM4L]

anyone got any ideas?

 

[freddyk]

It's your call - if you don't want it, research carefully and avoid any that need it. Days or weeks, the leeching of tanins is temporary and not a big deal, and pays off in the end when you have real wood in the tank instead of fake.