Tannin's

[KMW1954]

When I put this tank together I started with a very large piece of wood from Petsmart as a center piece. It is nearly as tall as my 36g bowfront and is almost as wide as front to back when in the corner. Has a lot of character to it.

Well again I started I didn't know about boiling it first to remove the tannin so now I have been fighting this for a couple months and even with frequent water changes it doesn't seem to be improving. I suppose I could take it out and replant the Anubias that are on it.

Other suggestions?

 

[FranciscoB]

What is it you are fighting? Minor water discoloration? It is harmless! Water changes will gradually solve it. Nothing to do, nothing to solve. What kind of fish do you have/want to keep? Most fish don’t mind it and many like it.

 

[Colin_T]

Boiling doesn't stop tannins leaching out of wood.

The easiest way to reduce the yellow/ brown staining is with big water changes. The wood will eventually stop releasing tannins but it can take weeks, months or even years before it does.

If you don't want tannins in the tank, put the wood in a container of water outside and change the water every week. When the wood no longer stains the water, then put it in the tank.

 

[KMW1954]

Thanks folks, I know it is not harmful just quickly the tea stain becomes darker. Making it harder to view the fish and shrimp.

I do have a small barrel I could place it in and do water changes every few days. On a private well so that doesn't present a problem. That then presents the question of what to replace it with in the mean time.

 

[itiwhetu]

It can take a couple of years for the wood to stop leeching tannins

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Seachem Purigen...normally used to remove ammonia and other impurities in aquariums.....does a superb job of removing the tannin discolouration from water too. Not the cheapest method in the world but possibly one of the quickest and the Purigen can be cleaned/reused.

A friend of mine uses it in their filter, the prebagged 100ml version, and they swear by it and not just for what it was meant for but for the bonus tannin removal.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Join the LTLT foundation. (Learn to love tanins)
Most fish passed this course years ago.

 

[KMW1954]

Seachem Purigen...normally used to remove ammonia and other impurities in aquariums.....does a superb job of removing the tannin discolouration from water too. Not the cheapest method in the world but possibly one of the quickest and the Purigen can be cleaned/reused.

A friend of mine uses it in their filter, the prebagged 100ml version, and they swear by it and not just for what it was meant for but for the bonus tannin removal.

I will look this up, thanks.
Have a new LED light coming today too so maybe it will look better under the new lights.

 

[GaryE]

Fish like cardinals, or softwater fish with reds look spectacular in tannin stained water. I wish I had a nice piece of wood that would do that. I have to make peat tea, or use rooibos tea to achieve the look I want.

 

[KMW1954]

Not a very good picture though that is the wood.

 

[itiwhetu]

Thats a big piece of wood

 

[connorlindeman]

Those are some red tannins!

 

[KMW1954]

Yes, as I said this is a large piece of wood.

Not really as dark as the picture shows. Some is the lighting, some is the flash reflection and some is the Pine paneling behind the tank.

New light is in place. It is a Hygger Planted 24/7 model HG-978 and what a difference. I will try to get a better picture now and post it.

 

[Rocky998]

I would do a large water change. Helped my tank have way less tannins... I like tannins but it just doesnt look too nice in my tank. Anytime I have gotten wood in my tank I do large weekly water changes of over 50% and then keep doing that until the water is clear. It worked on my two pieces of spider wood and one chunky piece of mopani wood. The mopani wood took about 3 weeks to finally stop leaching tannins.

 

[KMW1954]

I tried to get a better picture but this camera is emitting to much glare from the flash and the new light.