Wood stained water

[pent565]

I've got an amphibian setup I'm thinking of using for my future axolotls, but I'm not certain if they would suffer for the brown coloration the water gets from the piece of wood I have in there. The tadpoles I have in there now don't seem to have a problem with it, but they breed in scummy ditches and leafy bottomed puddles, whereas Axolotl are used to a clear glacial lake.

 

[scooty16]

Hi!

Is it driftwood your using in your tank? Sometimes driftwood can cause the tank to become dark and murky due to it leaching tannins. This won't harm your axolotls, but it will cause your tank to become that colour. Some more facts about certain types of wood can be read here: Axolotl Sanctuary

I hope I helped a litte! I'm still gaining experience so hopefully a more experienced member will give more advice soon :happy:

 

[Shizeric]

Nah, tannins are harmless, and I've even heard they are beneficial because they are a natural way to prevent bacteria growth.

 

[scooty16]

Yes which makes sense due to the tannins in tea!

 

[pent565]

Ah, ok great. I assume its driftwood; I was using it for a terrestrial habitat, then though to half submerge it in the divided water section of my 75 gal planted tank. So if tannin inhibits bacterial growth... is it a problem for my biological filter?

 

[Kaysie]

No. It inhibits different types of bacteria.

 

[Shizeric]

no, it is not

 

[Kaysie]

After all, no one does water changes in the wild!

 

[yellowpebble]

Yes but in the wild it is flushed away naturally! i think the tannins look nice in the water, as long as it is not cloudy - just a bit brown, its defiantly not a bad thing. Do regular water checks with a test kit to keep an eye on other toxins. Good luck with the new axies. I'm not sure if you plan on turning the tadpoles into frogs or not... but the axolotls would love to eat them

 

[SludgeMunkey]

Here most everything you never wanted to know about wood for vivaria:

Caudata Culture Articles - Wood in Vivaria