not sure where to put this but its about wood

[guppy_man]

hi i have recently put 2 mid size pieces of bogwood in my tank the day i was going to put it in i boiled it 4 times and rinsed it 4 times then put it in my tank the day after the water looked clear but today when i looked at it the water as gone a little brown, the questions i want to ask are....

will it clear?
will i have to do water changes more often?
and will it effect my fish?

plz reply

 

[Tolak]

Charcoal may remove some of the tint, though I haven't run charcoal in so long I can't be sure. It shouldn't affect how often you do water changes, unless the discoloration really bothers you. Other than lowering the pH a little, it is harmless to fish. It takes a lot of wood to make a large difference in pH.

All my tanks have a piece of driftwood in them, it seems after a few months of soaking in tank water & water changes the discoloration is gone. All wood is different though, yours may take more or less time.

Tolak

 

[PeterM]

The tanins released from wood are, in fact, quite harmless to tropical fish. Many species actually enjoy life better in slightly coloured water, as it is closer to their natural conditions. The only thing you will have to worry about is the redution of light getting to your plants, but even then, this reduction is absolutely tiny.

If youre running a tropical tank, be careful that the wood doesnt reduce the pH of your water too much.

Also, the colouration will be heaviest at first. Its nearly impossible to get all the colour out of a piece of wood, but in a few months time the tanins will be released much slower. You will only have to do more frequent water changes if either:

a) your pH becomes too low or too unstable
B) you like having crystal clear water.

Its worth mentioning that many people actually buy tanins in bottles to add to their water because they like the colour better. I personally like it a lot, its a far more natural environment. After all, how many tropical ponds or streams would you expect ti find absolutely crystal clear water in, considering the amount of dead leaves and bits of wood would be in there?

Also, charcoal will only work to a limited level. The only way to get rid of the tanins is, basically, to replace the water.

 

[guppy_man]

thnx guys my tank does look kinda cool B) with coloured water and yes peter i agree with your statement about having crystal clear water in the streams your right.

thnx alot ppl