Question: Wood, Tannin, Etc.

[Sean1364]

So em, I set up a beautiful new tank for the Axolotls. I build two awesome hides from black rock and brown wood. And, as expected, the brown wood leeched all the tannin and turned the water a dark, dark brown color. As expected. Even though I soaked them over and over before. Anyway, doesn't matter. My questions are:

1. The water may look an awesome brown color, but it doesn't really hurt anything, right?

2. Is this going to be something that always happens, or does the wood eventually get to a point where it stops leeching?

Thanks!

 

[carsona246]

from what I've read tannin's shouldn't hurt anything, it will lower your ph though. If you soaked them well the tannin's shouldn't be around for too long, but how long I don't know, I havn't used driftwood before. I've read boiling the driftwood helps leach out the tannin's quicker if you could fit the driftwood in a big pot or something

 

[animalloversfb]

It can take months for them to stop leeching noticeably. I got "used" driftwood and haven't had any issues. My friend bought a new piece and despite soaking it, has brown water and sand(she's regretting the white sand choice at the moment). Its been a few months and has finally stopped building up as quickly. Boiling it, if possible, would help as well depending on the size of the piece.

 

[mewsie]

I believe that the tannins actually are beneficial - having slightly antiseptic properties, and is why tea baths are recommended for some skin problems (tea has tannins in too)

I have a piece of boxwood i have boiled for probably 6 or so hours now, and it's STILL turning the water a horrid brown colour. I saw mopane wood recommended somewhere as being better, but I am yet to try it, so can't really say for sure!

 

[animalloversfb]

I believe that the tannins actually are beneficial - having slightly antiseptic properties, and is why tea baths are recommended for some skin problems (tea has tannins in too)

I have a piece of boxwood i have boiled for probably 6 or so hours now, and it's STILL turning the water a horrid brown colour. I saw mopane wood recommended somewhere as being better, but I am yet to try it, so can't really say for sure!

Mopani is what my friend bought and its finally stopped leeching after several months. She didn't boil it though(too big), so hopefully you will have a shorter time of having a brown tank.

 

[Sean1364]

Something about putting wood over a gas stove doesn't sound like a good idea. I will just keep replacing water.

Truth be told, I really like the dark brown water color, as long as its safe.

 

[Grete]

I would still be sterilizing the wood, not just curing it. You can bake it in the oven for awhile, or if you're not comfortable boiling it on a gas stove, boil water and pour it over the wood. You'd have to do the latter more than several times. With the iron wood I got I boiled it on my gas stove and it doesn't leech any tannins.... then again, iron wood isn't really suppose to